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32X

The
St

G RI

and

A Vari

A COMPLEAT

HISTORY

OF THE

LATE WAR;;^

O R

ANNUAL REGISTER

OF I T'S

Rife, Progrefs, and Events

Europe^ Afta^ Africa^ and America*

AndExhibiting

The State of the Belli g e rent Powers
at the Comniencrment of the War ; their In-
terefts and Objeds in its Continuance :

INTERSPERSED with -'

The Thaiactfrs of the able and difintereftecl
St A 1 i-: SM EN, to whofe Wisdom and Inte-
grity, and of the Heroes, to whofe Co u rage
and Conduct, we are indebted for that

NAVAL and MILITARY

Succcfs, which is not to be equalled in the Annals
of thivS or any other Nation.

liluftrated with

A Variety of Heads, Plans, Maps, and Charts.

D U E L I N:

Printed by J O H N K X SUA W.
MDCCLXill.

R A •■[

,£

ITT:.

"I:

ti:T

■:t ^ r

ever.

•-'• ",'::!

•T '*»

n ^

-,,v

THE

PREFACE.

K59CM59C E have taken the earliell opportunity that
g W g a judicious infpedlion, and mature con- ,
MMMSQC ^deration of events could give us, of
prefenting to the public, A com pleat His-
tory OF THE LATE War, not Icfs important than,
we hope, ufeful and corred, written with an im-
partiality which rhould be the guide of every hifto-
rian, and from which we have not deviated through
national affection.

We have taken up our History from the com-
mencement of the war, and have beftowedall the pains
upon it, fo intereftinga fubjedl requires, which, how-
ever, wc m\ift acknowledge, deferves much more
fkilful workmen. None was ever more formed to
excite curiofity, from the importance of events, the
dignity of the perfons engaged, the greatnefs of the
adions performed, and the amazing revolutions of
fortune; for the Reader will here find the fcattered
accounts of this war, which has been carried on in

a 2 the

.■ • / :

•* "':*^ .he PREFACE. "

the four quarters of the world, imked in one con-
nected narrative, and continued to the peace. j

4 To efFecft this from the materials thjit offered, has
been a work of more labour, than may at firft ap-
pear; and to render thefe tranfaftions (which have
not been lefs our amazement, than the world's in
general) the more confpicuous and clear, we have
added, in Notes, the accounts tranfmitted from the
commanders of our fleets and armies, und publiflied
by authority, when fa(5ts were rec^ent, and tl^e imm.e-
diateobjedof univerfal attention.Thefe will illuflrate
and confirm the Hiftory; and our Readers muii
be pleafed to fee fo many curious and important
pieces, which, while they give the cleareft evidence,
iiipport the national charadler to future ages. In

- many' places we find them filled with the adions of
inferior officers, which, with lefs care in their fupe-
riors, would have been loft in the multiplicity of
events : This care, not lefr, commendable than ufe-
fiil, will "excite officers to feize every opportunity of
immortalizing their fame, and doing honour to their
refpedtive corps. Some of thefe letters muft be ufe-
ful in forming the young foldier, as they are very
expreflive of that charader, pointing out the care,
circumfpedion, anxiety, and perfeverance to form
a Wolfe, or a Granby.

liu .t i

THE

J^ L

■T

con-

b ap-

have
i's in

have
m the
>liflied
imme-
Liitrate

mull
Dortant

dence,
ts. In
ions of
ir fupe-
|city of
an ufe-
nity of
Ito their
be iife-
e very
e care,
o form

THE

C O N T E NTS.

H E

ORIGIN of the trouWes in
North America, page i
M. dcc.lv.
Admiral Bojcanxen and General
Braddock fent to America, 2
Different opeiations under taken,

Two French men of war taken
by Adm. Bojcanjoen^ ii

General Braddock defeated nera
Fortdu ^uefne, 5

TJiejkau defeated, and tak-
en by Gen. Johnfon, ib.

Seizure of the French trading
ihips, ib.

M.DCC.LVI.

French threaten an invafion, 6

Fort St. Philip m the itland of

Minorca befieged, and taken

by the French, ib.

Sea-fight off Minorca between

Admiral Byng, and M. Galif-

foniere, ib.

Treaty with Rujfia, 7

M. Dcc.Lvn.

/iUia nee with the King of Pruf-

fia, ib.

Ground of the quarrel between

Jier Imperial Majcfy and the

K. of Prtifta, 9

Treaty of PeterJl'Ourgy 10

• ■' '•'- of Ferfailles, 1 1

Kino- of Prujfsa enters Saxony,

anl Bohemia, ib.

V>nn\c oi' Lo^vofitz, 12

'Saxon army fui renders, ib.

State of the Englijb Minillry,

The chara<5lers and dedans of

the fe vera! I'actions, ib..

A coalition of parties, 17

O/nvego taken by the French, ib.

Calcutta taken by the ?:ahoh, iS

Anuria reduced by Ad:u. I'Vat-

fon, ^ 19

State of the confederacy againtl

the K. of Pruffia, ib.

The French pafs the JVefer, 22

King of Pruffia enters Bohemia^

Battle of Prague, . ,.,m ./Ibi
Prague in veiled, 23

Count /)(?«« tak':;s the command
of the Aufirian army, ib.
Battle of Colin, 24

Conkquences of the battle of
Colin, 2 5

King of Pruffia evacuates Bo-
hemia, - ib.
Battle of Hajlenheck, 26
Convention o\' CJoRer-Se'-Jen, ib.
Expedition to Rochfort, ib.
RitJ/ians enter PraJJta, 27
Aujirians beliege Schzvsidnitz,

ib.
French and ImperialiPs make in-
curfions \v\toRrande>djoiirg,\h.
Sijoeiles enter Porurir'na, 'b.
Battle of KWhittew, 28

Genera! Lehiuahl dQ',c?iQS , ib.
Meianclioly liate of the K. of
PruJJiu, ib.

Battle of Rufhnch, "|©'

<S'c/}-xr«'^«jVi: taken by the Aujiri-
ans, 32
Prince of Be-jern attacked in hh

cu-

■Z-'."--

..«-

rhc

CONTENTS.

entrenchments, 32

Brejlau taken by the Aujlriansy

, lb.
King of Prujfta marches into

Silefta, II

Battle of Liffa^ ib.

Brejlau retaken, 35

Auftrians driven out of Silejia,

ib.
Rujffians and Sivedes retire, ib.
Hano'verians refume their arms.

Cruelty of tlic French^ ib.

Condition of their army, ib.
Caftle o( Hnrburg befie|ed, 37
Preparations for an expedition
to Louijhourgf and laid afide,

39
Fort iVilliam Henry taken, 41

M.DCC.LVIII

Exploits of Admiral fi^'atfonand
Colonel Cli've in Indiay 42
Chandenagors, a French fort tak-
en, 43
Vidtory over the Nabob , 44
Nabob taken and beheaded, ib.
Revolution in Bengal^ 45
Treaty advantageous to the Eaji
India Company, ib.
Admiral Watfon dies, ib.
French retire out of Hano'very^S
The taking of Hnya, 47
MinJen taken, 48
Dillrefp of the French, 49
Generofity of the Duke de Ran-
dan, ib.
The French retire beyond the
Rhine, ib.
Recovery of Embden by Com.
Holmes, 50
Alterations In the French Mini-
ftry, 5 1
The itate of the Englijh affairs,

5.3

Subfidy treaty with the King of

Pri'Jfia, 54

Affairs of S-iveden and Rujfia, ib.

Schiueidnitz taken by the King
oi Prujiuy 55

He enters Moravia and inverts
Olmutz. ib.

Condudl of Count Daun, 59

He attacks the PruJJian convoy.

Siege of Olmutz raifed,'
King of Prujfia marches

Bohemia^
Allies pafs the Rhincy
Battle of Crevelt,
Adtion at Sangerjhaufen,
at MeeTy

ib.
into

59
ib.

62
63

65
66

ib.

Allies repafs the Rhiney
Retreat from Bohemia,
Meafures of Count Daun,
Battle of Cufirirty
King of Prujjia marches into
<S«jfo«y, and joins Prince Hen-

Uy 73

General Oberg defeated at Lan-

ijuerenhagen, 7 5

King of PruJJia furprifed at Hoh-
kircheny 77

M. Keith and Prince Francis of
Brunfiuick killed, ib.

Affair at Gorlitz. 80

M. Daun invefts Drejden, 82
King of PruJJia, raifes the fiege
of Neijs and Cojely 84

Death of the Duke of Marlbo-
rough, ib.
Difpofitions for the winter, 86
The burning of the fhips at St.
Maloy 90
Taking of Cherbourg, 91
Defeat at St. Casy 94
Operations in America, 95
Siege and taking of Louijlourg,

97
Englijh army defeated at Ticon-
deroga, ' '• ' 121

They take Frontenncy 125

The French abandon Fort du
^ejney ,125

Goree taken, 1 27

The

Hep

^m-

The

CON

King

livvefts

ib.

59
onvoy,

ib.

es into

. 59
ib.

. 65

'un, ib.

:hes into

ice Hett-

73
d at Lan-

75
:dat//o^-

''^\
anits 01

ib.
80
en, 82
the fiege
84
Marlbo-
ib.
nter, 86
lips at St.
90

\onijlourgy

97
at Ticon-

125

,125

127

The

^r,

,.. M.DCC.LIX.

Th- inclination of the powers
at war at the clofing of the
iaft campaign, 132

The King of Spain's death ap-
prehended, 133

Condition of the King oiPruffta,
Emprefs i^een, Snueden, Hol-
landy France and England,

134
The allied army moves, 1 4 1
Battle of .Ser^^w, ib.

Plan of the campaign, 143
General Macguire defeated, 144
Bamberg pillaged, ib.

HeJJe abandoned by the allies.

Expedition to the IVeJi Indies

under Hcpfon and Moore, 1 46
Account of Martinico, ib.

Failure there, ib.

Guadaloupe invadeH and def-

cription of that ifland, 147
Bajfe Terre attacked and burned ,

149
General Hopfon dies, 1 50

Operations againft Grand Terre,

ib.
The inhabitants capitulate, 1 5 1
Letters to the Government on

the occafion, ib.

Bravery of a French lady, 1 5 2
Mariegalante taken, i 54

Progrefs of the French after the

battle of Bergen, > 160

Munjler and other places taken,

163
Motions of Prince 'Ferdinand,

164

Battle ofMinden, 166

Hereditary Prince ofBrunf'wick

defeats the Duke ofBrifac, ib.

Prince Ferdinand's order after

the battle of Minden, 167
The French pafs the Wefer, ib.
Lord George Sackvi/le refigns

the command of the Britijb

1 • "

TENTS.

forces ; Marquis of Granhy

fucceeds him, 170

The French driven to Marpurg^

171
Siege of i\lunjler, ib.

Project of France for an invafi-

on, 172

Hwvre bombarded, 173

Aftion of Cape Lagos, 174

Admiral Bofcaiuen^ account of

the aftion, ib.

Count Do^wrtdifgracedand fuc-

ceeded by Wedel, 1 77

Battle of Zutichau, ib,

RuJJians take Franckfort on the

Oder, 173

Battle Cunnerfdorf, i 79

King of PruJJia repafles the

Oder, 182

Soltikoff and Daun communi-
cate, 183
Parallel of the King of PruJJia^

and Prince Ferdinand of

Brunjiuick, ib.

Plan of the campaign in North

America, 184

liconderoga and Croian Point

abandoned, it?6

Colonel ToTJunJhend killed , 187
Expedition to Niagara, 188
Sir William jfohnjon's account

of it, ib.

Colonel Pr/Jf^i/*' killed, 190
Sir IVilliam "John/on defeats the

French, . 192

Takes the Fort o^ Niagara, ib.
The expedition againlt i^iebec^

'93
Defcription of the town and

harbour of ^ebec, 195

Aftion at the Falls of Moultne^

re net, 196

General Wolfe fickcns, 198
His remarkable letter, 199

Admiral Saunders's letter, 206
The battle of ^ebec, 2 1 1
General Wolfe killed, ib,

French

'4k'

I t

Tie

French defeated, 2 1 z

M, de Montcahn killed, 2 1 3

^ebec furrenderSj ib.

Gen. Moncktoii's account, ib.

f T01V /jjhend' s , 214

Adm'ral iV/uWi^rj's, 218

Movements of Gen. Jmherji,
on hake Ch^mp/uzti, 222

Prince Henrys inarch into Sax-
ony, and Gen. l^ehla defeated,

224

K. of Pruffin's furprifing marcli
into 6V/;fo;z)», 225

Prujfiuns defeated at Maxen,

226

Again defeated at MeiJJen, 228

Munjier furrenders to the allies,

229

Hereditary Prince of Brunfwic/c

defeats the Duke of Wurter -
berg at Fulila, ib.

The preparations at Fan7tes and
Brejil ' 231

Remarkable behaviour of Adni.
Saundei^, and Gen. Tofjn-
JJjenJ, 232

French fieet defeated near Belle-
'A, 233

Admiral /7rtw;(e's account of his

engagement vi^ith M. deConfans,

234'

Lift of the two fleets, 238

French fleet under M. d'Ache
twice beaten, 241

M. de Lally takes Fort Sf. Da-
I'id's and repulfed at Tan-
jour, ib.

Lays fiege to Madmfs which he
is obliged to raife, 242

M.Lnlly's remarkable letter, ib.

Behaviour of the French in Ger-
many, 244

The Duke de Beilcijle's letter on
the occafion, ,. ib.

M.DCC.LX.

Nothingdecided in the war, and
the ftate of the feveral pow-

CONTENTS.

ers concerned, 249

Great Britain and PruJJta pro-

pofe an accommodation, 252
Difficulties in concluding a

peace, 2 1" 4

State of the Englijh garrifon at

^lehec, 255

Defigns of Monf Le'vi, 256
Preparations for a fiege, ib.
Gen. Murray's refolutions on

the occafion, 257

Battle of Sillery and defeat of

Gen. Murray y 258

0hiehec befieged, 259

The Englijh fleet under Lord

Cd'ville arrives, 260

M. Le'vi raifes the fiege, ib.
Gen 2ral Murray's letter on the

O'jcai'on, ib.

D''trcis of Saxony, 267

Preparations for opening the

campaign, ib.

Lofles fullained by the King of

PruJ/Ia, 268

Theatre of war in the Eaft of

Germany, 571

Battle of Land/hut, 272

PruJJian army under Fouquet de-

ftroyed, ib.

The Aujlrians take Glatx, 274
Kingof Prw^rt marches towards

Silefta and deceives M. Daun^

275
Siege of Drefden, ' ib.

raifed by M. Drt!«w, 277

Brejlaii befieged by the Aujlri-
ans, ib.

Caufe of the flownefs of the al-
lies and /rt-w/^, 280

Difference between Broglio and
St. Germain, 28 1

Marpurg and Dillenhurg taken
by the French, 282

Rattle of Corhach where the

Hereditary /'r/wff was wounded,

283

Surprifeand defeat of M. Glau-

bitm

Prujftn pro-
odation, 252
including a

p gartifon at

255

Levi, 256

fiege, Jb.

efoiutlons on

257

and defeat of

V 258

2(;9

t under Lord

, 260

e fiege, ib.
s letter on the
ib.
y, 267

r opening the
ib.
by the King of
^ 268

in the Eaft of

'ut, 272

ider Fouquet de-

ib.

{keGlatXy 274

iiarchcs towards

eives M. Dfl««>

275
ib.

'I. Dnun, 277
by the Aujiri-
^ ib.

wnefs of the al-
\h, ■ 280
cen Broplio and
281
illenburg taken
2H2
\ach where the
ice; was wounded,
283
"eat of M. Glau-
bitvj

The CON

litz at Ermfdorfy 283

A.&.\on 2it fV^arbourgy 285

Prince Ferdinand's letter on the
occafion, 286

The Marquifs of Granbfs let-
ter, 288
Prince Ferdinand's order after
the day of battle, 290
Laudohn blocks up Scbnveidnitz,

293
March of the King of Pru^a

from Saxony to Lignitz, 295
Laudohn defeated near Lignitz,

296
Daun forms the blockade of

SchiveidnitZy and compelled

to raife it, 298

A£lion between General HulJ'en

and the army of the Empire,

299
Intercepted letter from the King

of Prujffia to the Marquils

d'Argens, 300

Situation of the French and En-

glijh armies, 302

Hereditary Prince furprifes a

body oi French in Zierenbergy

ib.
General Buloiu takes Marpurg,

307
Defeated by Monf. Stain'ville,

ib.

Hereditary Prince marches to

the Rhine, pafles that river,

308
Cle<vestaken&nd ^''<?/t'/befieged,

ib.

Battle of Catnpeny . 313

Allies defeated, ib.

Hereditary Prince repaffes the

Rhine, 3 i 2

Siege of IVefel ralfed, Ib.

Death and euloglum of George

II. ib.

Accefl'on of George III. and his

refolution of fupporting his

allies, . ib.

TENTS

RuJJians and Aufirians enter
Brandenhurgh, 3 1 5

General Hulfen retreats from
Saxony to Berlin, 316

Evacuates it, and the city capi-
tulates, 3 1 7

Enemy retires out of Branden-
hurgh, after having pillaged
it, 318

ImperialtJIsm&ke thcmfelves ma-
fters of Mifnia, 3 1 9

RuJJians befiege Colberg, 320

Battle of TorgaUy ^zz

M.Z><zM« wounded, ib.

Siege of Colberg raifed, 324

The allies raife the fiege of Got-
tingeny 326

Winter-quarters and fufferings
of the Britijh troops, ib.

Popular debates in Englandcon-
cerning the German w^r, 328

Thurot (zih from Dunkirk, 333

Puts into Qottenhurg and Ber-
gen, ib.

Puts into the Ijle of Hay, ib.

UttzkQsCarrickfergusy 334

Sails from thence, ib.

He is killed, and whole fqua-
dron taken, 335

Capt. Elliott''^ account of the
engagement, 336

War in America, ib.

General Amherjl goes down the
river St. Laivrence, 337

General Murray marches from
^ebec, ib,

M<?«/r(?«/furrenders, 340

Cherokee war, 341

Affairs of the Eajl Indies, 344

Z,rt//y defeated by Colonel Coote,

Col. Coofe's account of his pro-
ceeding in the Eaji Indies,

346

M.DCC.LVXI.

Preliminary remarks, 353

Treaty propofed and entered
b into

rhe CONTENTS.

ri' i

I '\

into by the belligerent pow-
ers, 357

Mr. Stanly fent to Paris^ and
M. Buffy to London, 3 5B

French machinations in Spainy

359
Difficulties in the negotiation,

ib.
Defign of the campaign in Heffe,

and of the expedition to Bel-

leip, 360

Prince Ferdinand'^ plan, 361
Allies enter into Hejfe and Thu-

ringia, 363

French retire, ib.

Hereditary Prince rcpulfed at

Fritzlar, 363

i ritzlar taken, 364

Blockade of Marpiirg and Zie-

genhayn, 365

Sie^^e of Cajlely ib.

Battle of LangcnfaltzCy 366
Broglio reinforced from the Lonx)-

er Rhine, 367

Hereditary Prince defeated at

Stanperode,

ib.

Siege of Cajjcl, &c. raifed, and
the allies retire behind the
Dyinely 368

The negotiation continued, ib.

Propofition <.^^ uti pojfidetis, 370

Debate concerning the periods,

ib.

Bcllclpc tkfcribcd, j :

Fnglijh repulfed at Lochmaria
bay, ^ 372

Gen. Hodgfon and Commodore
Keppel's account of their pro-
cccd\rG,s at Be /h'ijiey 373

They maice good their landing,

374
Palais hcdegcd, 377

Town abandoned, 378

Citadel c:ipitulate8, ib.

Etv'liind and France aPree to

t.*eat of a (cpnratc peace, 379

Epoclias propofcd by England,

380

Court of Fienna agree, ib.

Objefts of the negotiation, 381

Fropofals oi France with regard
to Europe, Afia, Africa, and
America, 382

French memorial concerning
Spain, 385

Indignation of the Englijh Mi-
nilter, ib.

Englijh anfwer to the French
memorial, 386

Motions of the French and al-
lied armies, 387

General Sporcken atacked, 388

French pafs the Dymel, ib.

Pofition of Prince Ferdinand,

389

Junftion ofBroglio and Soubife,

ib.

Battle o^ Kirch Denkern,?ind the
French defeated, >. ib.

Prince Ferdinands account of
the battle, 391

French threaten Hano-ver, 393

Remarkable behaviour of Lord
Geo. Lenox, and Major Walflj,

ib.

Prince Henry of Brunjiuick kill-
ed, 394

Taking of Dorjlen, ib.

Various movements of the ar-
mies, ib.

Dellrudion of Schartsfells-ca-

(ile, ^ _ •' 39S

Prince Xa'vier of Saxony takes

IVolfenbuttle, and invefts

Brunjivick, 396

Detachments from Prince Sou-

hife take and abandon Emb^

den, ib.

Attempt on Bremen, 397

Sulferings o{ Lonver fFeJlphalia,

ib.
Condition of the King of Pruf-

JJa, 398

Motions of the RuJ/tans and of

Laudohnt 400

Bre-

fhe C O

, ft.

;ion, 381
h regard
•itfl, and

382

)ncermng

385

glijh Mi-

ib.

le Trench

386

:h and al-

387
eked, 388
/, ib.

Ferdinand i
389
,nd Soubifet
ib.
er«,andthe
; ib.
account of

39»
/ox'fr, 393
lur of Lord

ib.

ujwick Icill-

394
ib.

of the ar-
ib.

artsfells-ca-

395
-xowy takes
id invefts

396

Prince Sou-

Indon £w^-

ib.

397

UVt'ftphaliay

' ib.

iigof Prw/-

398^
\ans and oi

Brejlau cannonaded,

Tottleben removed, and Colberg

befieged, 401

Ruffian magazines in Poland

deftroyed, 402

War transferred to " merania,

403

N T E N T S.

ib. Difpofition o' the court of Mu'

dridy ib.

Treaty between France and
Spain, 426

England defires a communica-
tion, 427

Court of Spain, refufes, ib.

King of Pr»^« quits his ilrong The Minillers mutually with-

camp, ib. draw, 429

Scweidnitx taken by a coup de Rfockade of Pondicherry, 430

main, ib. Fleet difpcrfed in a ftorm, but

Gen. P/rt/f«repulfed, 405 returns agnm, 431

Knoblock made prifoner at Gen. Lally^ letter on the occa-

Treptonv, ib. fion, • .432

Prince ^Mr/e«^Mr§' retreats, 406 Tov/n furrenders. '^^h^ 433

Colberg taken, ib

Ruffians winter in Pomcrania,

ib.
The negotiation refumcd, 407

French conceflions.

Mahie taken, ulc^m ib.

Enterprifes of Mr. La^v, ib.
Mogul iirmy defeated by Major
Cartuic, 434

Difference concerning the Ger
man alliance, 409

■ concerning the cap-

tures antecedent to the de-
claration of war, 410
Treaty breaks off, and MefTieurs
Stanley and Bujjy recalled,

411
Conduit of Spain during the
negotiation, 412

Spanijh minifter's memorial, 41 3
Treaty between France and
Spainy ib.

Difference in the EngUJlj mini-
ftry, 414

Mr. PiV/ refigns, AV'X 41 ^
Lord Granville^ s fpeech on the
occafion, ib.

Diipute concerning the rcfigna-
tion, • ■'^'■^ >^•^ -. 418

Addreffes, 419

Mr. Pitt's letter to a perfon of
eminence in the city, 420
Parliament meets, 423

Difpute with Spain, ib.

Reprefentation of the Earl of
Brijiol, 4Z|

408 Nabob of .S?;7^/i/depofed, 435

Coafhot iV/zw/z/rrt ravaged by the
QoyxntdT.ftdmg^ ib.

Dominica, taken by I,ord Py.olh
and Sir "Javics Douglas, ib.
M.ncc.r.xi r.

State 0^ Ku) :'t' in the beSfinninp-

this

year.

43f>

IlUlatcof the BritiJJ.> alliance,

437

Condition of the A''5r/.^c;-/7 Poiv-

ers, ib.

War reaches to the Sott/bern,

. . 438
Familv Compaft, ib.

Some articles from It, 440
Obfervationsupon them, ib.
Confequcnccs of this treaty to
Kit rope, 441

War declared againfl Spain,. \.\z
State of Spain and Grrat Bri-
tain at the beginning of the
war between them, ib.

Advantages and difadvantages
on each fide, '' ' ib.

Portugal threatened, nnd the
melancholy llat(.' of that king-
dom, 443

i\rro-

The CONTENTS.

•31

Arrogant propoiition of the
French and Spanijh Minifters
to the court of Lijbon, 445

Anfwerof that Court, 446

Refolution of the court of Por-
tugaly ' 448

French and Spanijh Minifter de-
part, ib.

War declared by thofe powers
z^-axnik. Portugal, ib.

Death of the Eraprefs Elizabeth
of RuJJia, and her character,

449
State of the power of RuJJia on

her deceafe, 450

H-jr nephew P^/^r III. fucceeds,

451
Entire change of fyftem, and

peace with PruJ/ia, 453

Peace between Prujfta and Si c-
den, lb.

1'he Czar enters into an alli-
ance with the King of PruJJia,

454
War with Denmark threatened,

and its caufe, ib.

Campaign betweenPr«^rt«jand

Aujirians opens, 455

Prujjians obtain advantages in

Saxony and Sjlefta, 456

Sudden revolution in RuJ/ia, ib.
Caufesof the revolution in RuJ-

>.. . 457

Czar irritates the clergy and

foldiery, 458

Differences with the Czarina,

459
Czar depofed by the Senate,

460

His imprifonment and death,46 1

The Czarina d'-clared Emprefs,

462

EffciSl of the revolution in Ruf-

fm on the King of Pruffia\

affairs, 463

Situation of the new Emprefs,

464

i?«/^«« conqueftsreftored, 46^
RuJJians quit the PruJJian camp,

ib.
King of PruJJia, draws Marfhal
Daun from Buckerfdorff, ib.
Schiueidnitz befieged, 466

Marlhal Laudohn attacks the
Prince of Be-vern and is re-
pulfcd, 467

Difpofition of the French and
allied armies, ib.

Battle of Grah^nftein, 468

Lord Granhy drives the French
from Hombourg, 469

Prince Xavier of Sazony de-
feated, and Gottingen evacu-
ated, 470
War in Portugal, 473
Miranda, Braganza, and Cha"
njes, taken, 474
Almeida befieged and taken.

Count of La Lif>pe arrives m Por-
tugal, 476

Surprife of Valentia d' Alcanta-
ra by General Burgoyne, ib.

Affair of nilaFelha, 478

Spaniards retire, ib.

Expedition againfl Martinicoy

479
Troops land at Cas Na'uire, 480

Attack of the pofts near Fort
Royal, 48 1

For/ /i<7yrt/ furrendered, 482

General Monckton's, and Admi-
ral Rodney s letters relative to
the conqueft of Martinico,

ib.

St. Lucie, the Grenades and St.
rincent taken, 491

Preparations for war againfl the
Spanijh fVeJi Indies, 493

Commanders in the expedition
againll the Ha^vannah, and
departure of the fleet, 495

Piilfage through the old flreights
of Bahama, , 496

Town

rhe CONTENTS.

ored, 465
iftan camp,
ib.
m Marftial
fdorff, ib.
1, 466

ttacks the
and is re-
467
French and
ib.
n, 468

the French
469
Sazony de-
ngen evacu-
470

473
srt, and Cha-

474
and taken,

475
irrives in Por-

476

a d'Alcanta-

hrgoyney ib.

ba, 478

ib.

ft MartinicOf

479
f Nwuire^ 480
)fts near Fort

481

ered, 48 2t
's and Admi-
ers relative to
Martinicoy
ib.

nades and St.
491
'ar againft the
dies, 493

he expedition
ivannahy and
le fleet, 495
leoldftieighta
496
Town

Town and harbour of Ha'van-
nah defcribed, ib.

Troops land, 498

The fiege of Fort Mora, ib.
DIftrefs of theEngliJh forces, 501
Succours arrive from North
America y '^oz

The Fort ftormed, 503

Operations againft the town,

504
The Ha'vannah furrenders, 505
Letters from the Earl of Albe-
marle and Admiral Pocock re-
lative to their operations, ib.
An expedition againft the i'^?'-
lippine IJlunds, undertaken by
Gen. Draper and Adm. Cor-
nijhy 5 1 o

Departure of the forces, 5 ' '
City of Manila inverted, 5 1 3
Th^ place ftormed and taken,

514
Gen. Draper and Admiral C.or-
nijh\ account of the expedi-
tion, 516
Propofils for peace, 524
State of the Miniftry and par-
ties, 525
Dukes of Bedford and Ni'ver-
mis employed in the negoti-
ation, ,. 528

Neiufoundland taken and retak-
en, ib.

War in Germany^ 53*

Hereditary Prince defeatej at
lohannisherg, 538

Crt^/invefted, 539

Remarkable cannonade at Buck'
er Muhly flj.

French take Amoneherg, 540

Ca^el furrendered to the allies,

ibu

War in Wejiphalia concluded,

541

Lord Granhy% letter of thank*
to the army, iS»,

Siege and furrender of Schweid"
nitz, 5^3

War transferred to Saxony ^ 544

Aujirians defeated at Freyberg,

ib.

PruJJtans ravage the Empire^

n ,. • . r ,545

rreliminaries of peace between

Great Britain and France^ 548
Mr. Fox comes into adminiftra-

tion, f.:5 — •■' SS^

Preliminaries approved by par-

iiu.;':ent, ^^j

Peace of Hubert sbourghetvrecn.

Aujlria and PruJ/ia, 558
Conclufion, ib.

' ..-r> 1; '

i :rv- Am

.'.'

■■■ 'r'^J. ]'•> ■;/;. / .13'JX-

' ] -sU \: ..,

: . . i. J.>* VTK

,:;?rl ^t^ !:■ .

' . . ) la - .Iv'- .VX

;.; :•: '-r'-'^n --

'^:;iA ■>.>---- rm

A Lift

' / ,'J>'

A Liji of Heads, Maps, and Plans,
. in the Compleat History of the
LATE War.

•*' L The Head of his prefent Majefty to Face the

Title.

«- IL The Head of Admiral Bofcawen, Page 4

of General Amherft, g^

— — of Prince Ferdinand, 164

— of the Marquifs of Granby, 170

of General Wolfe, 220

-- — of Admiral Hawke, , 232

of the King of Pruflla, 300

— - — of the Right Hon. Wm. Pitt, 420
- — of General Monckton, 480

: III. -

t IV. -
* V -
.. VL -
V VII.

I vin.

' IX. -

Z X.

MAPS and PLAN S.

XI. Plan of the Siege of Louifbourg,

XII. of the Ifland of Gorce,

XIII. View of Montreal,

XIV. Plan of the Siege of the Havannah,

XV. Map of Germany, at the End,

XVI. of America, at the End.

no
128

S39
498

' « • ' I ^. *i

^ ■.,'^^v;

. r ( -

^ Lifl

IjjA^

ALiJiof FRENCH, ENGLISH, and SPANISH
Ships of War takeriy deftroyedy or lofty during the late War.

FRENCH Line of Battle Ships,

Taken.

Guns.

Deftroyed.

TJ^Ormidable
X3 Foudroyant

Ocean

r V 80

SoJeil Royal

Centaur

Bein Aime

Temeraire

Entreprennant

Achille

i. 64

Heros

Alcide

Prudent

Belliqueux

. 64

Redoutab

Lys

'. 64

Thefee

Modefle

^ 64

Jufte

Orphee

. ,. 64

Superbe

Raifonablc

"V V. 64

Capricieux

St. Anne

Celebre

Arc en Ciel

Alegon

Oriflamme

- 53

Apollon

Guns.
84
84

74
74
74
74
74
74
70
70
64
64
5»
50

FRENCH FRIGATES.

Taken.
Abenquais
Danae
Arethufe
Bellone
Blonde
Boufonne
Brune
Comniette
Diane
Herniione
Sirene
Veftale
Emeraude
La Folle
Opale
Gala thee

Tcrpfichore

1 ygre

Zcpliire

Guns.

Taken.

Guns.

Guirlande

Hardie

Mignonne

Efcarboucle

Anemone

Eprcuve

Surdoigne

3»

Deftroyed.

Aquilon _ ""

Atalante

Fclicite

, 28

Fidelle

Rofe

Flcur de Lys

Nymphe ,

Pomona

Cleonc

^ +

Biche

. ii'.. ..

ENGLISH

.„•*;

ENGlIlSH Men ofJVnr taken and deJiroyeA by th FRENCH,

this it'bole IVat .

i|n

'taken.

Guns.

Tahn.

Guns.

Warwick, retaken

Merlin, retaken

Greenwich, finceloft

Stork . , y

"Winchelfea, retaken

Dejiroyed.

Blandford, rellored

Bridgewater .

, 20

Hawke, retaken

Triton :

^ F R E N

C H Ships lojl by Accident.- '■

» ''

:i.i..-

' Guns.

Guns.

Northu.nberland

Concord

Opiriiatre

1 64

Sauvage

Leopard v-

Harmonic

Aigle

r..:- 50

Zenobie

Greenwich

/ 50

Minerve .

. \ ENGLISH Ships lojl this War by Accident.

Ramalies

Humber

Prince George

HalTar

Invincible, F.

Leoflroffe

Refolution

Lyme

Conqueror

: 70

Tartar's prize, F.

Due d'Aquitaine

' 54

Biddefbrd

Eflex

Mermaid

Mars,F.

. 64

Queenborough

Raifonable, F.

Ferret

Sunderland

Pheafant,F.

Tilbury

Peregrine

Litchfield '■''.„

Diligence

-• 14

Newcaftle

Scorpion

.14

Chefterfield

- SPANISH Line of Battle Ships. '

Taken.

Guns.

Sunk.

Guns.

Tigre

Neptuno

Reyna

Afia

Soverano

Europa

Infante

^ 70

';''■

Aquilon

Frigates.

America

Taken.

Conqueftado •

ySo

Vinganaza

SanGenaro

Thetis •:■

San Antonio

Marte

A/^ B. There wcie two fliips of war taken on-the flocks, at the
Havannah.

THE

[ I ]

THE

ANNUAL REGISTER :

O R

H I S T O R Y

O F T H E

W A

C H A P. I.

Origin of the troubles in North America. Admiral Bof-
cawen and General Braddock fent tbitber. Operations
intended. Two French men of war taken. Braddock

. defected. Gen. fohnfon repulfes the French. Fremff
threaten an invq/ion. Fort St. Philip hefteged and taken.
Treaty with Ruffia, the fpirit of it. Alliance with the'
King of Prufjia. Ground of the quarrel between her Im-
perial Majejly and that Monarch. Treaty of Peterjbourg.
Treaty of Verfailles. King of PruJJia enters Saxony and
Bohemia. Battle of Lowofttz. Saxon army furrenders.

TH E original plan of this work propo fed no more
than, that each volume fhould contain a narra-
tive of thofe events which diftinguifli its own
Year. But, becaufe we have entered upon our
undertaking in the heat of an almoft general aj>d very im-
portant war, I thought it would not be unuecefTary or
difagreeable to look a little farther back. It would be
difficult, perfeftly to underftand the operations of the;
fcveral powers at war, without reviewing the tran-
faitions of the preceding vear? \ pgr wgul^ it b? eafv

B to

2 The History of the War. ^155-

to enter into the fpirlt of thefe, without examining
the cdufes which more nearly or remotely operated to,
protiuce thofe troubles that have involved fo many parts of
the world in one common diftraftion.

The war in which all parties and interefts feem now to
be fo perfeftly blended, arofe from caufes which originally
had not the leafl: conne&ion : the uncertain limits of the
Englilh and French territories in America ; and the mutual
claims of the Houfes of Auftria and Brandenbourg on the
dutchy of Silefia. It is no v/onder that the two former
powers feizing on a country in which they confidered the
right of the natural inhabitants as nothing-, fhould find it a
very difficult matter to fettle their own. For a long time
neither of thefe powers were fufficiently acquainted with
the geography of America, to enable them to afcertain the
limits of their feveral pretenfions with any tolerable exa£t-
nefs ; nor, indeed, were thefe matters deemed of luffici-
cnt moment to call for a very laborious difcufllon. At the
treaty of Utrecht, whilfl: fo many more important interefts,
or what then feemed more important, were difcuffed, the
limits of Nova Scotia, then called Acadia, were exp'-effed
only in general terms, ?.nd left to be put on a more
certain footing by fubfequent negotiations. Thefe nego-
tiations purfued with no vigour, and drawn out into an ex-
ceflive length, feemed only to encreafe the former confu-
■fion. After the accefiion of the prefent Royal Family, a
French connexion, perhaps neceflary from the ciicum-
ftances of the time, and afterward "-• a certain negligence of
all affairs but thofe of our domeitick polity, fuffered this
important point to vanifti almoft wholly out or our confi-
deration. During this interval, our colonies on the con-
tinent of North America, extended themfelves on every
fide. Whilft agriculture and the maritime commerce flou-
riflicd on their coafts, the Indian trade drew feveral of our
wandering dealers far into the inland country, and beyond
the great mountains. Here they found themfelves in a de-
lightful climate, in a foil abundartlv fruitful, and watered
with many fair and navigable rivers. Thefe advantages, join-
ed to thofe of the Indian trade, appeared to compenfate for
its remotenefs from the fea. It was judged, that as the
firft fettlers on the coalh we had a good right to the inland
country; and, if fo, to the navigation of ttie MiiTifippi,
which ojcncd anpther clogr to the ocean. With thefe

views.

«755-

I'he History of the War.

views, a company of merchants and planters, obtained a
charter for a confiderable tra6: of land near the River
Ohio, on the weftern fide of the AHeganey mountains, hut
within the prcance of Virginia; and the adventurers be-
gan to fettle purfuant to the terms of their patent.

Now began to (hoot forth the feeds of another difpute,
which had long lain unobferved, but which proved alto-
gether as thorny and intricate as that concerning the limits
of Acadia. The French pretending to have firft: difco-
vered the mouths of th'^ Miillfippi, claimed the whole
adjacent country, towards New Mexico on the eaft, quite
to the Apalachian or AUeganey mountains on the weft.
They drovv. off the new fettlers, and built a new fort called
du Quefne, on the forks of the River Monongahela, a
fituation which commanded the entrance into all the coun-
try on the Ohio and Mifllfippi.

The reader will obferve, that I do not pretend to decide
concerning the right of either nation in this conteft. It is
evident enough, that the confideration of the right had
much lefs influence on both parties, than the confideration
of conveniency. Should the French be able to unite Ca-
nada to their colonies at the mouth o/ the Mifllfippi by a
pofleflion of all that vaft country which lies between them,
the Englifh colonies mud lofe all fhare in the Indian trade
in time of peace ; and in time of war be expofed to conti-
nual dang'*'-;,, or to the ruinoufly chargeable defence of a
frontier more than 1500 miles in length. If on the con-
trary, the French Ihould fail to make good thefe claims
on the Ohio, and thofe on Nova Scotia, their two colo-
nies entirely, difunited, and the entrance into one fhut up
for the winter feafon by froft, ancl the entrance into the
other difficult in all feafons by the banks at the rnputh of
the Miflifinpi, muft certainly lofe all their value to France,
and in theii fall involve much of the fortune of their p^eat
fettlements in the Weft Indies.

Both nations being fully perfuaded of this, no ' r
looked on the affair of the Ohio as a matter of indiffe. ace.
They prepared to cut the gordian knot of the long and in-
tricate negotiation by the fword. Ships were fitted out,
and fome troops filcntiy fent off from Breft. General
Braddock failed to Virginia with about 1 500 regular
troops; 24 men of war under the Admirals Bof- 1755.
cawen and Moftyn were ordered to America, to in-
tercept the French fupplies. Orders were fent to our

P 2 colonics

r!',
1 , li

4 the History of the War. i755.

colonies to arm ; and three operations were a9;ually under-
taken, one againfl: Fort du Qnefne under Braddock ; the
other * > againfl; the French forts in Nova Scotia, and
the for " Crown Point on the frontiers of New York.
The twc jrts in the mean time breathed nothing but
peace, and exchanged reciprocal profefTions of friendfliip
and good will, which deceived neither party.

They who are of opinion that the pafllons and characters
of the ruling men influence all public concerns as much as
the public interefts themfelves, thought they faw other
caufes operating to haflen this breach. On the death of
a great Miniflier, which happened fome time before, the
admlnifliration was new moulded. Some perfons then tiiken
in, were confidered as belonging to a party not perfectly
united with the remains of the old adminifliration. It was
thought, that the leading man of this party propofed to
work out the old fervants of the crown, in order to make
way for a more uniform fyfl:em. As long as peace fubfiflis,
government is fupported by itfelf ; and any change is dif-
ficult. But the condu£t of a war, is a thing critical to a
miniftry. The leader of this party, therefore, confcious of
his own talents, which all men acknowledged to be confpi-
cuous, and of his connections which were confiderabic,
warmly pufhed on a war, fcconded by the fairnefs of the
public motives, and the general voice of the people. In
this war his friends relied that things muft neceflarily be fo
•cmbarraffcd, that the old party would find themfelves
obliged to retire, and to leave the fl:age clear for them to
ferve their country according to their own plans, and on
their own terms. This defign was believed to be pufhed
forward by another great man of that party, who had play-
ed a game nearly of the fame kind before, and in whom
an advanced age had not abated any thing of his natural
fire and love of violent councils.

Things came to a crifis by the taking of two French

men of war by the Admirals Bofcawen and Mof-
Junt lo. tyn. The operations by land we;c carried on with

vigour ; but whether conducted with equal judg-
ment, we ftand too near the time to decide. However, the

French fort at Beaufcjour was taken, and foon
June 1 6. after thofe on St. John's river were abandoned ;

by which we remained maflers of all Nova Scotia.
'Ihc principal expedition was that againfl Fort du Qnefne,

under

/ #

1755.

/ under-
ck; the
tia, and
V York,
ling but
iendlhip

iaraQ:ers
much as
iw other
death of
Fore, the
len taken
perfeftly
. It was
opofed to
to make
e fubfifts,
ge is dif-
itical to a
mfcious of
be confpi-
ifiderablc,
efs of the
;ople. In
arily be fo
hemfelves
them to
„, and on
Ibe pufhed
had play-
in whom
is natural

ro French
and Mof-

^d on with

|qual judg-
^ever, the
and foon

bandoned ;

)va Scotia,

Quefnc,

under

./(■iJ^j

: dnji£. Mosf:^ WEj\r

jU'.

'* *

1755- ^^-"^^ History of the War. 5

under General Braddock. That General aboundlnpj too
much in his own fenfe for the degree of military knowledge
he poflefTed, commanding in a country which he did not
know, and-carryingon a fpecies of war in which he had no
experience, fuffered himfelf, when he had advanced within
10 miles of Fort du Qiiefne, to be furprifed by an ambuf-
cade of French and Indians. His army was fei/,-
ed with a panic from the unufual appearance, and July 9.
horrid cries of the favages ; they fled in confu-
fion ; they were totally defeated with a confiderable flaugh-
ter, efpecially of their officers. The General himfelf, after
having five horfes killed under him, was mortally wounded;
wiping away all the errors of his condu6t by an honourable
death for his country.

The nation was fomething confoled for this lofs in the
fignal advantage gained by General Johnfon, who com-
manded the expedition defigned againrt Crown
Point. He was attacked in his intrenchments by Sep. 7.
the French General Diefkau , but the afHiilants
wanting cannon, and firing from too great a diftance, were
totally defeated, and Diefkau himfelf was made prifoner.
This vi£lory, tho' very honourable for Mr. Johnfon and
the provincial troops under his command, yet as it was
gained late in the feafon, and as the army was in no very
good condition, it had no confequences. On the whole,
we feemed, after allowing for this victory, and for the dif-
lodgement of the French from Nova Scotia, to have had the
worfl: part in the campaign ; confidering the fanguine ex-
pectations which had been formed, and the great fuperiori-
ty of ffrength which we exerted, or were able to have ex-
erted, in that part of the world.

During this fummer, our court took a refohition not to
wait the precarious operation of our arms in America for
redrefs of the grievances complained of, but to ftrike fuch
a blow as would at once put a fecurity into our hands, for
the evacuating the places the enemy had fortified in our
territories, and difable them in the two moft material points,
the rcfources of their trade, and their feamen. Their
merchant fliips were every where attacked, as if war had
been actually declared, and vaft numbers brought into our
ports. The French made all Europe refound with com-
plaints of what they called a proceeding fo unjufl:, and a
' violation of the law of nations fo flagrant and unprecedent-
ed.

1 ;-

6 T/jiT History of i/je War. ^75^*

ed. But, whether It was that they were really in no con-
<lition to aft, or that they intended to influence the other
courts in their favour, by a fhew of extraordinary modera-
tion, they contented themfelves with this, and neither de-
clared war, nor made any fort of reprifal for feveral months
atter. At length they began to a6l ; feveral bodies
i'J'j6, of troops moved to the coafts of Picardy, Nor-
mandy and Britany ; and all things threatened an in-
vafion on fome part of this kingdom. Under the fhadow
<if tliis (Iraiagem, they got ready in the harbour of Toulon
a fkct ot ivvelvomen of war of the line, with the utmolt
expedition, which convoyed an army of about
Apfil i8. 11,000 men, under command of the Duke dc
Richlicu to the irtand of Minorca. In a few
. ., flays they opened the trenches before St.

This was done wbiUt the nation trembled under a fliame-
ful panic, loi^ public to be concealed, too fatal in its confe-
cjufjnces to be ever forgotten. The real invafion did not
leflen our fears of the imaginary one ; it threw us into a
confufion that fuffered us to be fenfible of nothing but our
own weaknefs- We did not look upon ourfelves fufficicntly
fee Li red by the arrival of the Hanoverian and Hcffian troops,
which the fame weaknefs had induced us to call to our afTift-
ance. The miniftry feemed to have been infected with the
common terror ; for though they, had very early notice
©f the French deligns, fuch was the apprehcnfuin of the
invalion, or fuch the ill-contrived dlfpofition of our navy,
that Admiral Byng was not difpatchcd to the Mediterranean
before the 5th of April, and then with a fquadron of no
more than 10 fliips of the line.

The engagement with the French fleet under M. Ga-

liflbnierc; the retreat of Byng by which the gar-
May 12. rifon of fort St. Philip was cut off from all hopes

of relief; the furrender of that garrifon after
June 29. nine weeks open trenches ; the fentiments of the

court and the public, on the diflcrent merits of
the governor and the admiral ; the oppofition of fome, who
though I the one too highly honoured, and the other too
fevcrcly ccnfiircd; nnd the mcafurcs which rather indigna-
tion al our lolVcs ami dilgraccs, than a cool fenfe of things
obliged us to take, arc known to all the world. Oui affairs
xvcic in fuch a tonditiun tliiu v\ c vvcic driven to the expe-

diciU

• in no con-
; the other
iry modera-

ncither de-
eral months
veral bodies
:ardy, Nor-
itened an in-

the (hadow
ir of Toulon
I the utmoi^
fiy of about
he Duke dc
k. In a few

before St.

dcr a (hame-

, in its confe-

rafion did not

rew us into a

:hingbut our

•es fufficiently

^cffian troops,

\ to our aflift -

laed with the

early notice

cnfion of the

of our navy,

cditerranean

uadron of no

Inder M. Ga~
[hich the gar-
rom all ho pen
tarrifon after
liments of the
lent merits of

of fome, who
[he other too
[ither indigna-

:nfc of thing:>
Our affairs

to the expc-
dicnl

'^757* ^^-^^ History of the Wa r. *j

dient of a court martial to revive the Britilh fpirit, and to
the unfortunate neceflity of fhedding the blood of p .
an Admiral, a perfon of a noble family, as a fa- I
crifice to the difcipline of our navy. '^'*

From this melancholy pi6hire, let us turn oui eyes ano-
ther way, and review the fteps by which this war came
to involve the reft of the contending powers. The
French, amongft the other plans they formed for diftrcf-
fing our affairs, made no fecret of their defign of attack-
ing his Mvajefty's German dominions. 'j'hefc countries
evidently had no fort of connexion with the matters which
gave rife to the waij. But being under a Sovcrcif2;n fo
remarkably affe^ionate to his native country; they judged
he might be terrified into a relaxation of his rights in
America, to preferve Hanover from the calamities wltli
which it was threatened. Their politics, however, in this
inftance proved as unfuccefsful as tjicy were unjufl. No
motion was made towards an abatement in our claims with
regarti to America ; his Majefty took other methods for
the prefervation of the peace of Germany. His Britifh fub-
je£t« by their reprefentatives, not more generouily than re;i-
fonably, refolved to defend the Hanoverians if attacked iii
(their quarrel. To anfwer this purpofc', the miniftry enter-
ed into a fubfidy treaty with the Emprcfs of KuiTia, In
virtue of which (lie was to hold 55,000 men in readincf*
to be fenr on a requifition wherever the Britifli fervice re-
quired.

The alliance with Ruffia was chofen for reafons whicli
were then fufficiently plaufible ; though it is to be hoped
rhey can never fubfift again. The long ill underflanding
between the King of Pruffia and our court, and his clofc
connexion with that of Veriailles, raifed no ill-grounded
apprehenfions that he might be induced to a6l a dangerous
part on this occafion. Ruffia was tliercforc a proper ally,
who Ivad both a political and perfonal enmity to this mo-
narch, and who would be fure to employ a great power
with great vigour in fuch a caufe. But this fyflem was • '
a ihort time totally reverfed. The King of Prullia had
been too well apprifcdol' the cloferonjunftion of the courti
of Peter(burg and Vienna, and of the real motive to tluit
conjun£lion, to have the leall defign of embroiling himfelf
witli England. Matters were therefore very foon explain-
ed, and the treaty between his Prufliao majefty and this

<omr,

The History of the War.

1757-

court, to keep all foreigners out of the Empire, was figned
at London in January i 756. Thefe treaties were cenfured
as inconfiftent with each other ; but in reaUty they were
confiftent enough, aiming preclfely at the fame obje£t, to
oppofe the fchemes meditated by France for diflurbing the
affairs of Germany.

If reflerting on the fentimcnts of thefe courts, there was
fomething uncxpe6icil In the alhance between Great Bri-
tain and Pruffia; it was foon followed by another alliance of
a nature Infinitely more furprlfing. The Emprefs Quee~
of Hungary, finding England In no difpofitlon to co-operate
in her defigns, had recourfe to other njeafures. The houfe
of Auflria, which had formerly united Europe to preferve
her from the power of France, now entered herfelf Into the
mod intimate union with that power. By this extraordinary
revolution, the whole political fyftcm of Europe affumed
a new face ; it was Indeed a revolution fo extraordinary,
that we fhall be juftified If we interrupt the courfe of this
narrative, to look back at the caufes which produced it.

The houfe of Brandenbourg, a little more than two cen-
turies ago, was in a very humble condition. But by the
part flie took in the reformation, v/hlch put Into her hands
the eftates of the Teutonic order ; by a marriage from
which fhe acquired the dutchy of Cloves; and by an un-
common fuccelTion of able Princes who carefully Improved
every turn in the affairs of Germany to their advantage,
file raifed herfelf by degrees to a confiderable ftate, to an
electorate, and at laft to a royalty, not only in name but in
power. The late King of Prullia, In order to ilrengthen
this power, though he part almoil his whole reign In the
moft profound peace, gave his whole attention to his armyj
frugal in all other rcfpe6ts, in this alone he was cxpenfive ;
it was his bufinefs, and what was perhaps of greater mo-
ment. It was his only diverfion. Thus in a reign apparently
inaftive, there was always kept up an army of near 100,000
men, In as much excrciie as they could have In war, and
formed with the moft pcrfctSl difcipline.

When his prefcnt majefty came to the throne, he imme-
diately flicwcd a difpofitlon of 'employing effedually that
military force which his father had fpcnt his life only in
forming and training. He managed his difpute with the
Hilliop of Eiegc by the fummary method of force ; and
fccmcd difpojwd to tarry all things with fo high an hand, as

made

. 1757'

vas figned
5 cenfured
they were
objeQ:, to
jrbing the

there was
Great Bri-
alliance of
efs Quee-
co-operate
The houfe
:o preferve
elf into the
traordinary
pe afTumcd
raordinary,
lurfe of this
uced it.
Ill two cen-
But by the
o her bands
riage from
by an un-
y improved
advantage,
tate, to an
amc but in
llrengthen
ign in the
his army ;
cxpenfive ;
rcater mo-
apparently
|ar 100,000
war, and

he imme-
tually that
[life only in
le with the
force ; and
In hand, as
made

1755. The History of the War. 9

made him indeed much rcfpefted, but much dreaded too
by the Princes of the Empire, who faw that there was
another power to be feared in Germany, befides that of
Auftria. But thefe were fmall matters, rather figns of the
difpofition of this Prince, than exertions of it. He medi-
tated much greater things ; and only waited an opportu-
nity to make good the antient claims of his family on the
moft confiderable part of the dutchy of Silefia. The right
to that dutchy had been a very intricate affair ; but the
houfe of Auftria availing herfelf of the greatnefs of her
power, and of a diflenfion between the Elector Frederick
II. and his fon, prevailed with the Eleftor to give up that
right for an equivalent ; then fhe perfuaded his fon to con-
firm the treaty ; and at the fame time for a trivial confi-
deration to give up the equivalent itfelf. The King of
Pruflia, not thinking himfelf bound by thefe ads, though
confirmed by a long poffeffion, took advantage of his own
povver, and the embarrafled circumftances of the houfe of
Auftria, to refume what their power and the embarrafled
circumftances of his family had formerly deprived him of.
For immediately on the death of Charles the 6th,
when the Auftrian greatnefs feemed irrecoverably Dec.
loft, he entered into Silefia, and made himfelf mafter 1740.
of the whole country with little oppofition. Then
uniting with the French and Bavarians, he fecured his
conquefts by two decifive viftories, and by a trea- y
ty which yielded him the greateft part of Silefia J""^ ^*
and the whole county of Glatz. But the caufe '^
of the Emperor which the King of Pruflia had embracctl,
foon caufed a renewal of hoftilities; the Queen of
Hungary faw herfelf defeated in three pitched June 2,
battles ; her new ally the King of Poland, driven 1 744.
from his German dominions, and the King of
Pruflia entering Drefden in triumph, where he gave the
law in a treaty, by which Silefia was once more
foiemnly confirmed to him: in return to which Dec. 1745.
he guarantied to the Queen of Hungary the reft,
of her dominions.

The Queen of Hungary could not eafily lofe the me-
mory of the wound fhe had received in the lofs of one of
the fineft and richeft parts of all her dominions. Silefia,
which flie had juft yielded, extended in length 200 miles
•along the courfe of the large and navigable rivfr Oder.

C A

io The History of the War. '75^-

A country of the mofl: exquifite fertility and higheft cultiva-
tion ; abounding with men, abounding with valuable manu-
faftures, and yielding a clear yearly revenue of 800,000
pounds fterling. The peace was hardly concluded by which
/he refigned this valuable territory, than flie fet on foot
practices for recovering it. She entered into a treaty with
the court of Peterfbourg, of an innocent and fimply defen-
five nature, fo far as appeared to the public ; but
May 22, fix fecret and feparate articles were added to it;
1 746. one of which provides, that in cafe his Prufllan
majefty Ihould attack her majefty the Emprefs
Queen, or the Emprefs of Ruflla, or even the republick of
J*oland, that this attack fhould be confidered as a breach of
the treaty of Drefden ; that the right of the Emprefs Queen
to Silefia ceded by that treaty fhould revive ; and that the
contfa6ting powers Ihould mutually furnifh an army of
60,000 men to xe-invefl the Emprefs Queen with that
dutchy.

To this fo extraordinary a treaty, the King of Poland
was invited to accede ; and, he did fo far accede to it, as to
fhew he perfectly agreed in his fentiments with thefe courts.
But his fituation in the jaws of a formidable enemy, and the
experience of pafled misfortunes, had rendered him fo
weary, that he declined figning the treaty ; but Hill, with
the confent of the parties concerned, whom he fully con-
vinced of his refoluiion to co-operate in all their meafures.
He defired and they agreed, that in the fuccefs of their armr.
he fliould have a fhare in the fpoil, on the footing of x
treaty for the eventual portion of the King of
May 18, Pruflia's dominions made in the laft war. Oil
1 745. thefe conditions the King of Poland without actu-
ally figning, was underftood, and received as a
party to the treaty of Peterfbourg.

In confcquence of thefe meafures, all fort of means were
employed to embroil the King of Pruffia's affairs in the
North, and particularly to render him perfonally odious to
the Czarina. When their machinations had taken full ef-
fefl, and Rullia was fixed in an unalterable enmity to that
monarch, preparations of magazines and armies were made
in Bohemia and Moravia ; and the King of Poland, under
pretence of a military amufement, drew together about
16000 men, with which he occupied the ftrong and im-
port»nt pofl of Pirna. The Queen of Hungary faw that fhe

flood

1 7 56-

\ cultiva-
)l€ manu-
800,000
by which
It on foot
reaty with
ipiy defen-
lublic ; but
dded to it ;
lis Pruflian
le Emprefs
epublick of
a breach of
prefs Queen
[nd that the
in army of
1 with that

g of Poland
e to it, as to
thefe courts,
imy, and the
2red him fo
ut ftill, with
le fully con-
eir nmeafures.
of their armf*
footing of X
the King of
ft war. On
vithout aftu-
eceived as a

1756. The History of the War. |j

flood in need of yet ftronger fupports than thefe in the
arduous bufmefs me had undertaken. She found that Great-
Britain, which had often done fo mu^h for her diftrefs,
would do little for her ambition : (he therefore had recourfc
to France, who joyfully accepted an alliance, that promifcd
to confound the whole Germanic body, concluded a treaty
with the Emprefs at Verfailles the ift of May 1756, a re-
markable aera in the oolitical hiftory of Europe.

The fecret articles of the treaty of Peterfbourg, the
fountain of the prefent troubles, and the fteps taken to put
that treaty in execution, though formed and carried on
with as much fecrecy as earneftnefs, could not efcape the
vigilance of his Pruflian majefty, who watched all their mo-
tions, and had perfeft intelligence of their moft hidden defigns.
When, therefore, he perceived that by the breach between
England and France, the Emprefs Queen would take ad-
vantage of thefe troubles to avail herfelf of her alliance
and her armament; he ordered his minifter at Vienna to
demand a dear explication, and proper aflurapces cpncern-
ing the preparations he faw making: and receiving only a
dry and equivocal anfwer, that the Emprefs had taken mea-
fures for her own fecurity and that of her allies and friends,
the King believed himfelf no longer bound to preferve any
terms ; a dangerous war was to be kept out of his own ter-
ritories at any rate; and being alw2};s in perfeft rcadinef^
for a£lion, he fell upon Saxony with a confiderable army.

At firft the King of Pruflla feemed oqly to demai^d a
free paflage for his troops, and an obfervance of
the neutrality profefled by the King of Poland ; Aug. 29.
but as he had very good reafon to diftruft fuch a
neutrality, he demanded a^ a fecurity, that the Saxon
troops fhould quit the ftrong port they occupied, ^nd difr
perie themfelves immediately. This demand was refufed,
and the King of Pruflia iw confequence of that refufal,
immediately formed a foit of blockade about the Saxon
camp at Pima, with a view to reduce it by famine, fince
its inacceflible fituation rendered an attack unadvifeable.
There were in Bohemia two Aurtrian armies under M.
Brown and M. Picolomini ; to keep them in awe, M.
Schwerin had entered Bohemia from the county of Glatz ;
and M. Keith had penetrated into that kingdom on the fide
of Mifnia. But the King of Pruflia, not entirely confiding
in thefe difpofitions ; and ftill apprehenfive that M. Brown

C a might

1 m

111 :m
•i

12 ^he History of the War. ^75^-

might be able to convey fome relief to the Saxons, refoiv-
ed to bring him to action, to the fuccefs of which he knew
his own prefence .vould greatly contribute. He therefore
left the blockade of the Saxon army, joined his forces under

Keith, and < ngaged the Auftrians at Lowofitz.
Dec. I. Here he obtained a vi6tory, which though it was

not undifputed with regard to the field of battle,
yet with regard to the confequences it was as decifive as
could be wilhed. M. Brown found it imprafticable to re-
lieve the Saxons, notwithftanding the judicious efforts he
made for that purpofe ; and that army, after a vain attempt
to retire from their difficult port, which had one fault, that
it was as difficult to leave it as to force it, wer j obliged tq
furrender prifoners of war. The King of Poland quitted
his German dominions ; and the Pruffians took up their
winter quarters in Saxony, feized upon the revenues, levied
exorbitant contributions, and obliged the country to furnifli
recruits. This unhappy people faw their country exhauft-
ed, and forced to bear the burthen of a war againfl: itfelf.
It was then, that the King of PruflTia confulting the rules
of policy, more than thofe of politenefs, made himfelf maf-
ter of the archives at Drefden, in doing which fome rough-
nefs was ufed towards the Queen ; but he maue himfelf
amends for the clamour induftrioufly raifed on this pretence,
by acquiring the originals of thefe pieces, which evinced
to the world the reality of the defign againft him, and
which therefore in a great meafure juflified the means he
had taken to come at them, as well as the extraordinary
feveritics he ufed towards the unfortunate Saxons.

CHAP. 11.

State of the Englify minifiry. T^he chambers and defigns
of the fever al fai^ions, A coalition. Ofvoego taken by
the French. Calcutta taken by the Nabob. Augria re-
duced by Admiral Watfon. , ■•

WH I L S T the King of Pruflia pafied the winter
in the niofl: vigorous preparations for carrying on
the war, his ally Great Britain prefented a very different
face of things. The lofs of Minorca plunged the people
into the utmoH: grief mixed with fhame, for fiich a blot
on^t'he national honour, and with indignation not only

, ;.' .ira

againll

1756.

ns, refolv-
h he knew
; thereforQ
»rces under

Lowofitz.
ugh it was
\ of battle,
decifive as
able to re-
s efforts he
ain attempt

fault, that
i obliged tQ
[and quitted
»ok up their
nues, levied
y to furnifti
try exhauft-
igainft itfelf.
ng the rules
hiimfelf maf-
fome rough-
naue himfelf
lis pretence,
lich evinced
ift him, and

e means he
[xtraordinary

cons.

\s and defigns
9go taken hy
Angria re-

the winter
carrying on

[ery different

the people

fuch a blot

Ion not only

m
■».

«3

ifraintl

l<757. ^he History of the War.

againft thofe who had afted weakly, but thofe who had
proved infufficiently for the lofs of that important poflefllon.
The public rcfentment which at firft feemed to have
no other pbje£k than Byng, was foon turned againft the
miniftry. The clamour in parliament was great ; without
jdoors it was excefllve. Addreffes praying a ftrift enqui-
ry into the caufe of our misfortunes, were prefented from
all parts of the kingdom. The miniftry, notwithftanding
this general difcontent, had a real ftrength ; and they
might have flood, had they agreed amongft themfelves.
The commons could not be brought to any angry
votes; and the refult of the enquiry into th'^ lofs of
Minorca, was 3s favourable as they could have wiftied.

But Mr. F X thought it not advifeable to bear a

large proportion of the odium caufed by counfels, in
which he had little fliare. Perhaps he thought this
embarraflment, a fituation not unfavourable to the ar-
rangement he had always aimed at; he therefore fuddenly
threw up an employment, which he hoped to refume aug-
mented with greater power.

On the removal of this principal prop, the whole ftrucr
ture of the miniftry fell to pieces. The D. of N. the
Ld, Ch. the firft lord of the admiralty refigned ; and
the chiefs of the party by whofe manceuvres they
were difplaced, naturally fucceeded to the ma- Dec. 4.
nagement of affairs. They who had refigned 1756.
gave them no apparent oppofition in parliament ;
but whether it was, that the new miniftry were them-
felves too frefti from oppofition, and fome of them too
full of the popular manners that introduced them to court
to be perfectly agreeable in the clofct, or that they had
made their bottom too narrow, after holding their em-
ployments for fome months, to the great concern of the
public, they in their turn were obliged to quit
their pofts. Thus was the helm of government April 5.
a fecond time abandoned. The cafe of the 175'/.
King and the nation was at that juncture truly
deplorable. We were without any ally who could do us
the leart fervice, engaged in a war hitherto unfucccfsful,
with the moft formidable power in Europe ; we almoft
defpaired of our military virtue ; public fpirit appeared
utterly extinguilhed, whilft the rage of faflion burned with
the utmoft violence : our operations were totally fulpend-
' . ed :

The History of the War.

1757

I' *

ci, ^

cd : and having no miniflry eftablifhed, we had no plan to
follow.

Three fa8:ions divided the ruling men of the nation,
for the grofs of the people feemed to have no further views
than a redrefs of their grievances, by whatever means
that could be brought about ; the firft of thefe faftions
was compofed of thofe who had grown to place and power,
or had formed their connexions under the old miniftry.
They were fome of the mod refpeftable perfons in the
nation, and had undoubted!) the greateft parliamentary
intereft. They had at the fame time another intereft
hardly lefs confiderable, that of the monied people ; but in
fome points, and thofe material too, they were weak.
They were not at all popular ; a matter of great confi-
deration in a government like ours ; and they were fup-
pofed by the grofs of the people, not to be under the
direftion of great political abilities.

The fecond fa^ion, though not fufpefited of the want
of fufficient ability, was yet more unpopular than the
former ; they had not attempted to preferve even the ap-
pearances eflential to popularity ; and to them the more
effential, as their parliamentary ftrength was, however
refpeftable, much inferior to the firft. If their influence
at one court was able to ballance that of the old miniftry,
by means of a then powerful connexion, that very con-
neftion made them far worfe at another court, and worfe
with the generality of the people, who entertained or pre-
tended at leaft to entertain, fufpicions of a nature the more
dangerous, as they were only dropped in hints and whif-
pers, and never coujd come to a full and open explana-
tion.

The third party, had little parliamentary and lefs court
influence; but they had a prodigious popularity, which
fupplied every other defe£t. The abilities of their leader
were of the moft ftiining kind ; his application equal to
his abilities ; his difintcreftednefs was confeffed by his ene-
mies ; and though it would have fliined in the days of he-
roifm, was now the more valued, and fet oflFto. the greater
advantage by the general felfiftinefs which prevailed among
the men of bufinefs The nation repofed the moft perfeft
confidence in his integrity and love to his country. This
party, confcious where its ftrength lay, cultivated with
great care the popularity which w^s bafis of their

power i

1757
1 no plan to

the nation,
jrther views
ever means
tiefe faftions
; and power,
>ld miniftry.
■fons in the
arliamentary
:her intereft
ople J but in
were weak.

great confi-
y were fiip-
i under the

of the want
ar than the
even the ap-
em the more
/as, however
leir influence
old minifliry,
at very con-
t, and worfe
ained or pre-
ire the more
Its and whif-
)en explana-

nd lefs court
irity, which
their leader
ion equal to
d by his ene-
days of he-
0, the greater
/ailed among
mod perfed
intry. This
tivatcd with
afis of their
power i

^757' ^^^ HistoftY of the WaiC. i$

power ; even perhaps fo as to impair on fome occaHon
the dignity of government.

Thefe three factions differed from each other extremely
with regard to power, the grand objeQ: of all faftions. But
in the general fcheme of their politics, the two firft were
pretty much agreed. Looking on France as the moft con-
(lant and moft dangerous enemy of Great Britain, they
dreaded the increafe of her power and influence among the
neighbouring nations as the greateft of all evils. To pre-
vent fo dangerous an aggrandifement, they thought it
abfolutely neceflary to preferve a conftant attention to the
ballance of power, and to feek our particular fafety and
liberty in the general fafety and liberty of Europe. A
clofe connexion was therefore to be kept up with the
powers of the continent, not only by continual negotiati-
ons, but by large fubfidies, and even by afllfting them with
our troops if the occafion fhould require fuch afllftance.
For this purpofe, as well as to fecure the more efFeftuai-
ly our prefent happy eftablilhment, a ''onliderable regular
land force ought to be conftantly maintained. Our navy,
they thought, ought by no means to be neglefted ; but
it was only to be cultivated and employed fubferviently
to the more comprehenfive continental fyftera. The(e
parties were far from being friends to arbitrary power,
or in any fort averfe to parliaments ; they loved the confti-
tution ; but they were for preferving the authority of go-
vernment entire, and in its utmoft lawful force. To make
government more eafy, knowing that many would difturb
it, from difaffeftion or difguft, or miftaken notions of
liberty, they thought it juft to rule men by their interefts,
if they could not by their virtues, and they had long
been in the pra6iice of procuring a majority in parliament,
by the diftribution of the numerous lucrative places and
employments which our conflituticn leaves in the difpofa'(
of the Crown. Several believed that no other method was
practicable, confidering the nature of mankind, and our
particular form of government.

But the third and popular party, was influenced by
c|ifFerent principles. They looked indeed on the power of
France in the fame light with the two former, and were
of the fame opinion concerning the neceflity of fetting
bounds to it. In the means of attaining this end they
differed. Our fituation they thought dilated a narrower,

but

i6 T/je History of the War. 1757.

but a more natural, a fafer, and a lefs expenfive plan of
politics, than that which had been adopted by the other
party. We ought never to forget, faid they, that we are
an ifland : and that this circumftance, fo favourable both
to our political and to our civil liberty, prefcribes to us a
condu^ very different from that of any other nation.
Our natural ftrength is a maritime ftrength, as trade is
our natural employment ; thefe muft always go hand in
hand, and they mutually fupport each other. But, if
turning our back to our real interefts, and abandoning our
natural element, we enter that inextricable labyrinth of
continental politicks ; if we make ourfelves parties in
every controverfy ; if we exHauft our wealth in purchafing
the ufelefs and precarious friendfliip of every petty prince
or ftate; if we wafte the blood of our people in all the
quarrels that may arife on the continent ; fo far from go-
ing in the right way to reduce France, that we attack her
on the ftrong fide, and only deftroy ourfelves by our ill judg-
ed efforts againfl the enemy. That we can have nothing to
fear from the fuperiorityof France on the continent, whilft
we preferve our fuperiofity at fea ; that we can always cut
the finews of the enemy's ftrength by deflroying their*
traffic ; that to fear an invafion from a power weak in its
marine, is the idleft of all fears; that in cafe an invafion
were pofHble, a well trained national militia, fupplying by
their zeal the defefts of their difcipline, would prove our
beft protection ; that a (landing army is in whatever (hape
dangerous to freedom ; and that a government like ours^
connefteu by its very eflence with the liberty of the fub-
je6t, can never be in want of the fupport,- of defpotic pow-
er. As little is parliamentary influence neceffary. A go-
vernment pleafing to the people, as every good govern-
ment muft bt^ can never be generally oppofed ; and m .n
need no bribe: lo perfuade them to their duty.

Thefe notions, fo oppofite n. their extreams, might be
reconciled in a medium, and ufed to temper each other.
For as, on one hand, it would be very abfurd to make no
fort of advantage of our infular fituation, but to engage in
all the bufinefs of the continent without referve, and ta
plunge ourfelves into real evils out of a dread of poflible
mifchiefs ; fo on the otiier hand, to think ourfelves wholly
unconcerned
continent,

in the fortunes of our neighbours on the
or to think of aiding them in any cafe, only

x-^

J 757-

Ive plan of
jr the other
that we are
urable both
ibes to us a
her nation.
, as trade is
go hand in
r. But, if
ndoning our
labyrinth of
s parties in
1 purchafing
petty prince
!e in all the
ar from go-
re attack her
our illjudg-
e nothing to
inent, whilft
in always cut
roying theii'
weak in its
: an invafion
fupplying by
d prove our
atever (hape
nt like ours^
of the fub-
efpotic pow-
ary. A go-
ood govern*
and IP n

s, might be
each other,
to make no
to engage in
rve, and to
of poflible
elves wholly
ours on the
y cafe, only
by

i
i

1*756. Tie History ofr/je War. 17

by the way of diverflon with our fleets, would be a way
of proceeding, dill more extravagant than the former. If
fuch notions were reduced to pradicc, vvc might foon lofe
all thofe advantages derived from a fituation which we
abufed.

'^he reafonablcnefs of fuch a temperament, could not
be perceived during the ferment of that time, in which
thefe topics were bandied to and fro with infinite heat.
The refignation, or rather deprivation, of the popular mi-
niftry, only increafed their popularity, and the general
difcontent ; the people could not believe that good mea-
fures could be purfued, v^hen thofe, in whom alone they
confided, were not employed ; almofl all the corporations
of the kingdom prefented the deprived miniflers with their
freedom, and addrefled them in the warmefl manner, tefli-
fying the mofl entire approbation of their condu6t, and
the fincerefl concern to fee them out of employment.

This conflift between an old eftablifhed intereft, and the
torrent of popularity, continued for a long time, and the
nation was almofl: ruined by it. It is not eafy, nor perhaps
quite proper, to attempt to trace the fteps by which fo hap-
py a coalition, as we have feen take place, was brought
about. But it was formed in fuch manner, has held to-
gether with fuch folidity, and produced fuch
excellent effefls, as I believe the mofl fanguine June 29.
could not have hoped for at that time. Mr. P. 1757.
was again reflored to the office of fecretary of
flate, the D. of N. was placed at the head of the treafury,
Mr. F. was appointed paymafter of the forces. This ar-
rangement, which gave very general fatisfaction, was how-
ever difliked by thofe, whom their violent attachment to
their party had infpired with a narrow and exclufive fpirit.
ft was the befl meafure, becaufe it was an healing mea-
fure ; and it was little lefs than impofTible for any parti-
cular party to carry on public bufinefs on Its fingle botr
tom.

It was high time that our domeftic diflentions fhould be
compofed at lafl. From every quarter of the
world, in which we had any concern, we heard Aug. 14.
of nothing but loffes and cilamities. In America i 756.
we loft the Fort of Ofwego. That fort, fitua-
ttd at the mouth of the Onondaga river, commanded
v> commodious harbour on the Lake Ontario. It was built

i('i

fii'

it The History of the War, ^15^-

bv General Shirley, and defigned to cover the country of
the Five Nations ; to fecurc the Indiixn trade ; to interrupt
the comfnunication between the French northern and
fouthern ellablifhments ; and to open a way to our arms to
attack the tbrts ol Frontenac and Niagara. For thcfc
purpofcs, .feme frigates had been fitted out for cruizing,
and a number of boats prepared for the tranfportation of
troops ; bat they all fell to the enemy with the fort, where
lOO pieces of cannon were, and a conild-jrable quantity of
provifion. i6co men were made priloncrs of war. The
place made but a trifling refinance, fcarce holding out
three days ; the attempts to relieve it were too late. The
French demolilhed the fort.

Cur lolfes were not confined to America. The E. India
company received a blow, which would have fliaken an ef-
tablifhment of lefs rtrength to its foundations. The news
of the war between France and England had not yet reach-
ed India, but a new and very formidable enemy was raifed
up in that quarter. The Nabob of Bengal (the Nabobs
are a fpecies of viceroys to the Grand Mogul, grown
almoft independent in their feveral provinces,) irritated at
the prote6lion given to one of his fubjects in the Englifli
fort of Calcutta, and, as it is fiiid, r.t the refufal of fome
<luties to which he claimed a right, levied a great army,
and laid fiege tc that place. The Governor, terrified by
the numberL' of the enemy, abandoned the fort with feve-
ral of the principal perfons in the fettl'^ment, who faved
themfelves with their moft valuable effects on board the
fliips.

Thus deferted, Mr. Hollwel, the fecond in command,
bravely held the place to the lafl: extremity, with a few
gallant friends, and the remains of a feeble garrifon. A
very noble defence was infurTicicnt to keep an untenable
place, or to affe6t an ungenerous enemy. The fort was
taken, and the garrifon being made prifoners,
June 26. were thrufl: into a narrov/ dungeon. Hollv/el,
with a fev/ others, came out alive, to paint a
fcene of the mofi cruel diflrefs which perhaps human
nature ever fufiered. The Eafl India company loft their
principal fettlement in Bengal, and a fort, which fecured
to them tiie mofl: valuable part of their trade.

In the fpace of this unfortunate year, we were ftrlppcd
of Minorca and Ofwego j we apprehended an invafion

1756-

country of
o interrupt
them and
(ur arms to
For thcfc
ir cruizing,
ortation of
fort, where
quantity of
war. The
lioldlng out
late. The

rhe E. India
liaken an ef-
The news
ot yet reach-
ly was raifed
(the Nabobs
3gul, grown
,) irritated at
n the Englifli
fufal of fome
great army*
, terrified by
rt with fevc-
who faved
Ion board the

The Hr STORY of the Wy\R.

j/- - v - • 19

ol' Great Britain itfclf: our councils wcr;i tora to pieces
by fa£lions ; and our military force was every where in
contempt. Amidfl thefc lofles, we confidcred as
Feb. 13. fome advantage, the redu«3:ion of the principal
fort of Angria, a piratical prince, who had been
many years troublcfome to the Englifli trade in the Eaft
Indies. This fervice was perfonncd by Admiral Watlon
in the beginning of the year.

CHAP. III.

State of the cotfederacy agalnjl the King of Priifia. French
pafs the JVefer. King of Pniffia enters Bohemia. Battle
of Prague. Prague tnvefccl. Count Daiin takes the com-
mand of the Aiifrian army. Battle of Colir,.

WHAT turn the Englifli politics were like to triVc
in the year 1759, feemed for fome time uncertain.
The new miniftrv did not feem well eftahliflicd : nor was
it well known, whether they would purfuc the plans and
preferve the connexions of the old. Abroad, every thinfi;
was prepared for opening the campaign with the utmoft
eclat. All Europe was in motion.

France, in order to demonflrate to the Queen of Hun-
gary, the advantageous choice fhe had made in conneftinp;
herfelf with the houfe of Bourbon, formed two great ar-
mies. The fir ft was compofed of near 80,000 men, the
flower of the French troops, attended Vv'ith a vaft artillery,
and commanded by M. d* Etrees, a General of the beft
eftabliflied reputation fhe had in her fervice. Under him
ferved M. de Contades, M. Chevert, and the Court de St.
Germain, all ofFcers of high charat^ter, and all fit to com-
mand in chief, if M. d' Etrees had not been appointed to
that eminence. This formidable army paffed the Rhine,
and marched by Weftphalia, in order to invade the King
of PrufTia's dominions in quality of allies to the F.inprefs'
Queen, and guardians of the liberties of the Empire, and
to no other intent, as it was pretended ; but in reality, with
a view to reduce Hanover alfo. They judged that their
operations againft the King of Pruflia might be executed,
and their fcheme to drive the King of England into fome
conceflions with regard to America, might he compleated
by one and the fame [)low. 'T'he fecond army was com-

P :;; ' manded

20 The History of the War. 1757-

manded by the Prince de Soubife ; it confirted of about
25,000 men. This army was deftined to rtrengthen the
Impc"'al army of execution ; but before it had pafTed
the Rhine, it made itfelf maflcr of Cleves, Meurs and
Gueldres, whilft a detachment from d' Etrees's armv fei/ed
upon the town of Embdcn, and whatever clfe belonged to
PruiTia in Eafl: Friefland.

As foon as the King of Pruflia had entered Saxony in
the beginning of the preceding fummer, procefs was com-
menced againfl: him in the Emperor's Aulic council, and
before the diet of the Empire. It is not difficult to con-
ceive how the affair mufl have been decided ; when thofe
who feared the King of Pruflla, believed they had a fair
opportunity to reduce him : and when thofe who fe,arcd the
houfe of Auftria, were, by that very fear, obliged to fup-
port the power they dreaded : accuftomed as they were
to the influence of a family in which the Empire had fo
long been in a manner hereditary i and over-awed by the
appearance of a confederacy, the mofl: formidable the
world had ever yet feen. Accordingly the King of Pruffia
was condemned for contumacy; and the Fifcal had orders
to notify to him that he was put under the ban of the
J'.mpirc, and adjudged fallen from all the dignities and pof-
fcfllons which he held under it. The circles of the Em-
pire were ordered to furnifh their contingents of men and
money to pot this fcntcncc in execution ; but the contin-
gents were colle61ed flowly, the troops were badly compo-
fcd, and probably this army had never been able to aft, it'
it had not been for the affiftancc offered under the Prince
de Soubife.

The Auftrians, who were principals In the quarrel, were
not behind their auxiliaries in the greatnefs of their pre-
parations ; they made the mofl llrenuous efforts, by which
they affemblcd a body of upwards of 100,000 mei) in
Bohemia, and committed the command to Prince Charles
of Lorrain, affifled by M. Brown. In the north all things
threatened the King of Pruffia. The O/arina true to her
refentments and her engagements, had ftnt a body of 60,000
men commanded by M. Apraxin, wju) were in full march
to invade the Ducal Pruffia, whillla flrong fleet was equip-
ped in the Baltick, to cc-opcratc with that army. Altho*
the King of Sweden was allied in blood and inclination to
his Pruffum majelly, yet the jealoufy which the Senate en-
tertained

1757- ^^^ History of the War. 21

tertained of their fovereign ; the hope of recovering their
anticnt pofleflions in Pomerania by means of the prefcnt
troubles, and in fine their oUl attachment to France, neuly
cemented by intrigues and fubfidies, made their ill m~
clinations to the caufe of Pruflia more than fufpicioiiis.
Hitherto indeed nothing more than the tendency of thck
councils was fully kno\vn. The Duke of Mecklenbourg
took the (lime party, and agreed to join the Swcdifli army
when it fliould be aflembled, with 6000 men ; a proc<ee«S-
ing which he has fince had rcafon to repent bitterly. TJiiMs
were the forces of five mighty ftates*, each of whicih had
in their turn been a terror to all Europe, united to rciln-cc
the heir of the Marquiffes of Brandenbourg ; and in fiicih
a point of danger and glory, had tjie great and formidaWc
abilities of his Prufllan majeily placed him, wit]\ llttk, in
comparifon, that could enable him to fullaln the violcmoc of
fo many fhocks, except what thofc abilities fiipplicd. Bui
his aftonifliing o^conomy, the inconijiarablc order of 3uL>
finances, the difcipline of his armies beyond all praile, a
fagacity that forefaw every thinr, a vigilance that attennlcd
every thing, a conftancy that no labour could fulidue, a
courage that no danger could difmay, an intuitive glaanoc
that catches the decifive moment, all liKfc recmed to form
a fort of ballance to the vail: weight againll: I'.irn, turned
the wiflies of his friends into hopes, and made thcni de-
pend jipon refourccs that are not within ijie power of caku-?
la t ion."

The only army that appeared in his favour was a IxKiy
of between 30 and 40,000 Hanoverians and II'.iTians, who
with fome reinforcements of his own troops, i'orir.ed .in
army of obfervalion, commanded by his K.oyal Ijigiji^.-eils
the Duke of Cumberland; this army Mas j)oiled on the
Wefer, to watch the motions of M. d'I'-lrccs. Tlie vafll
and unwieldy body of the French, eiicum'Dcred iv^ ihc
French armies always are by an immenfe baggage, atid an
inniurierable -nultitude of mt)uihs without hands, mav!c a
very flow pr(\i:refs through the rough ami barren loiinlry
that lies bclwcen the Rhine and the Wefir. All iheahjli-
lies of the h'rench general weie employed in finJing i'uhnf-
tence for his troops. Mis Royal ll.ghnefs on 1 1 -.e other
hand, ilifj>layed great al)ililies in throwing all polTible im-
pcilimen':s in his way. But wlien thefe im|)(.(hments v.-erc
removed by the lupcriority of numbers, tho ILmrverian

army
* Avulria, Ruflia, France, Sweden, the Fmpirc.

1 1.1

22 The History of the War. i757-

army gradually gave way, yielding to that fupcriority,
and the French troops palled the Wcfer without oppo-
fition.

In the mean time, his Prufilan majefty being determined
according to his maxim, to lay the cloth as far from home
as pofTible ; made his difpofitions for carrying the war into
Bohemia as fpeedily as the fcafon would admit. Three
great bodies of his troops entered into that kingdom by
three very different ways, but nearly at the fame time.
M. Schwerin penetrated into it from Silefia. The Prince
of Bevern entered with the corps under his command from
Lufatia, and defeated as a preliminary to a more decifive

viQiory, a body of 28,000 Auftrians who oppo-
Apr. 21. fed him. The King himfelf prepared to enter

Bohemia at a great diftance from the corps com--
manded by thefe generals ; and as he feemed difpofed to
march towards Egra, the enemy imagined he intended to
execute fome defign diftinft from the obje£t of his other
armies. With this idea they detached a body of 20,000
men, to obferve his motions. The King of PrufTia find-
ing that this feint had all its effeft, made a fudden and
mafterly movement to his left, by which he cut off all
communication between that detachment and the main
army pf the Auftrians. Spirited with this advantage, he
pufhed onwards with the utmofl: rapidity to Prague, where
he joined the corps under the prince of Bevern and M.
Schwerin, who had advanced with inconceivable diligence
to rpeet him. Never were operations executed with more
judgment, celerity and fucccfs.

The Auftrian army was little fliort of 100,000 men, and

the fituation of their camp, fortified by every ad-
May 6. vantage of nature, and evcfy contrivance of art,

fuch as on common occafions might juftly be
confidered as impregnable ; but the Pruffians, being near-
ly as numerous as the enemy, infpircd bv a fociety of dan-
ger with their King, and filled with that noble enthufiafm,
which, whilft it urges to daring enterprifes, almofl: enfures
their fucccfs, paffcd moraffcs, climbed precipices, faced
V)atteries, and after a bloody and obflinate refinance, totally
defeated the Aufirians. They took their camp, military
jrhcft, cannon, all the trophies of a complete viftory. The
|ofs on the fide of the victors, as well as the vanqiiifhed,
was very great ; but both fides had yet a greater lofs in

the

iy57' ^''-"^ History of the War. 2j

the death of two of the bed generals in Europe. M. Sch-
■werin was killed at the age of eighty-two, with the colo-"
nel's ilandard in his hand at the head of his regiment. M^
Brown received a wound, which, from the chagrin he
fuffcrcd rather than from its own nature, proved mortal.

About 40,000 of the Auftrian army took refuge in
Prasrue. The reft fled different wavs. The King of PrufTia
loft no time to inveft the place, and to cut off all fuccours.
If on one liand fuch an immenfe garrifon made an attack
unadvifcable, on the other that formidable number itfelf
feemed to make the reduftion of the place by famine the
more certain. The King of Pruflia not relying folely 00
this, prepared to bombard the town. On the 29th of
May, at midnight-, after a moft dreadful ftorm of rain and
thunder, as if it were to difplay how much more>.ruinous
the malice of men may be, than the greatcft terrors of na-
ture, on the fignal of a rocket, four batteries, which dif-
charged every twenty-four hours, two hundred and eighty-
eight bombs, befides a vaft multitude of red hot balls, be-
gan to pour dell ru6tion on that unfortunate city, which was
foon in flames in every part. The garrifon made a vigo-
rous defence, and one well conducted and defperate fally :
but they were rcpulfed with great lofs. The principal
magiftrates, burghers, and clergy, feeing their city on the
point of being reduced to ar heap of rubbifh, made the
moft moving fupplications to the conunander to liften to
tfrrms. The commander was deaf to their prayers. Twelvq
thoufand of the moft ufelefs mouths were driven out of the
city. The Prulfians forced them in again. The affairs of
the FjTiprefs feemed verging to inevitable deftruction ; a
whole army was upon the point of furrendering prifoners
of war ; the capital of Bohemia on the point of lielng ta-
ken, and with it all the reft of that flourilliing kin!i;dom.
The fanguine friends of the King to Pruflia began tocom-
pule the diftance of Vienna.

In this defperate fitualion of alTairs, Leopold Count
Daun entered on the ftage, and be gan to turn the fortune
of the war. 'Ihis General never had coniinaiulod in chief
before ; but he was t\)rmcd, by a long courfe of experience
in various parts of Europe, under the greateft Generals,
and in the moft illuftrious fcenes of a6lit)n. Though of u
very noble family, he i\ad without the leaft afllftance from
court favour, rikn infenlibly b^ the flow graO.ition (»l" mere

merir,

"II J

!'■■:
1 li ii^

24 57/^ History 0/ rZ'f? War. 1757-

merit, with much efteem and without any noife. This
General arrived within a few miles of Prague, the day af-
ter the great hattle. He collcfbed the fugitive parties of
the Auftrian army, and retired to a pod: of great ftrength,
from whence he fed the troops in Prague with hopes of re-
Itcf. But as no man hetter underftood the fuperiority of
the Pruflian troops, and as he was fenfible of the imprefTion
"which the late defeat had left upon his men, he carefully
avoided to precipitate matters by an hafty a6lion. He
knew that the fituation he had chofen would embarrafs the
Prijflians ; that a large party of their army mull: be always
employed to watch him ; that this would weaken their ef-
forts againfl: the great body fliut up in Prague, whilft his
own forces gained time to recover their f\>irits, and to in-
crcafe in ftrength by the daily fuccours, which his court
exerted all their powers to fend him : with thefe ideas he
waited in his entrenched camp at Colin, to a6l as events
ihould dire 61.

The King of PrufTia was not lefs fenfible than Count
Daun of the effefts of this condu6t. He determined at all
adventures to diflodge him from the poll: he held ; but
whether it was that the King feared to weaken his army,
which had actually an army to befiege, or whether he was
blinded by a train of uniform fuccefs, which made him
believe his arms irrefiftable under every difadvant? Cj or
whatever were his motives or neceflitics, the whole army
employed in this undertaking, including the Prince of
Bcvern's corps, did not exceed 32,000 men, cavalry and
infantry ; and with thefe he was to attack 60,000 men,

in one of the llrongell: fituations which could be
June 18. chofen, and defended by a vaft train of artillery.

Whatever the moll impetuous and well regula-
ted courage, whatever an ardor infpired by the remem-
brance of fo many vi^lories could do towards overcoming
every kind of diiadvantage, was done by the PrufTians on
thisoccafion. They returned to the attack feven times:
in none of their viftorious battles had their bravery been
more confpicuous. Both the King's brothers were in the
field ; and they did every thing that could be expelled from
the King of Pruifia's brothers. The King himfetf at the
head of his cavalry, made one furious and concluding
charge. Everything was tried, and every thing was un-
fuccgfsful.. The want of a fuffiticntly numerous infantry,

1757-

Mfe. This
the day af-
e parties of
at ftrength,
lopes of re-
periority of
i impreffion
e carefully
iflion. He
ibarrafs the
fc be always
en their cf-
, whilrt his
and to in-
h his court
;fe ideas he
\ as events

than Count
mined at all
e held ; but
I his army,
ther he was
made him
vant? yy or
whole army
Prince of
:avalry and
,000 men,
could be
of artillery,
ivell regula-
ie remem-
overcoming
ruffians on
ven times :
ravery been
were in the
K^^ed from
nfelf at the
concluding
mg was un-
LIS infantry,

1757. The History of tbe W A K. 25

in a ground where his cavalry could not fupport them, the
want of an equal artillery, the advantageous fituation of thi?
enemy, their numbers, their bravery, their General, obli-
ged the King of Pruffia to quit the field. What his lofs
was is not fo certain ; it was undoubtedly great in the ac-
tion, but ftill greater by defertions, and th' innumerable
ill confequences that follow a defeat.

Though the King of Pruflia v/as defeated in this battle,
and though he brought on his defeat, in a great meafure,
by fome errors of his own, yet whatever fmall blemifh his
military (kill might have fuffered, his reputation was raif-
ed higher than ever, in the opinion of all judicious men,
by the noble and candid manner in which he acknowledged
his miftake, by the firmnefs with which he bore his mif-
fortune, and by thofe aftonlftiing ^.rokes of genius and
heroifm, by which he retrieved his lofs. The fmilea of
fortune make conquerors ; it is her malice which difcoveri
heroei.

C H A P. IV.

Confequence of the battle of Colin. King of Pruffia evacu»
ates Bohemia. Battle of Hajienbeck. Convention of
Clojier-feven. Expedition to Rocbjort, Ruffians enter
Prujpa. Aujlrians beftege Scbvjeidnitz. French and
Imperialijis make incurftons into Braudenburgb. Swedes
enter Pomerania. Battle of Norkitten. General Leb-^
ivald defeated. Bad condition of the King "f Prufftii,

NEVER was the old obfervation, une bataille per-
due a un mauvais cu, more verified than in the con-
fequences of the unfortuate battle of Colin. Though the
King retired unpurfued by his enemies, he was obliged to
rejoin his own army before Prague without delay, and to
raife the blockade of that place. The imprifoned Auftrians
with joy received Count Daun their deliverer, and their
united forces became greatly fuperior to the Prufllans.
The King was in a fliort time obliged to evacuate Bohemia,
and take refuge in Saxony. The Auftrians harafled him as
much as poflible ; but their armies, notwithftanding their
great fuperiority, were not in a condition from their late
fufferings to make any decifive attempt upon him, as the

£ frontiers

^he History of the War.

1757

Imp

':11

frontiers of Saxony abound with fituations eafily de-
fended.

The King of Pruflla's misL.iuncs now poured in upon
him at once, and from every quarter. The army com-
manded by the Duke of Cumberland, who continually re-
tired before the French, after they had paflcd the Wefer,
came however to a refolution to make a ftand at Haften-
beck, within a few miles of Hammclen, where it was
judged that the fuperior numbers of the enemy might be
the leafl: prejudicial ; but notwithftanding the advantage-
6f the fituation, the bravery of the Hanoverians, and the
condu6t of the Duke, the allied army was driven from the

field of battle, and retreated towards Stade. By
July 25. taking this route his Royal Highnefs was driven

into a fort of cul de fac. Unable by his fituation
to retire, of by his ftrength to advance, he was compelled

to fign the remarkable capitulation of Clofter-
Sept. '). feven, by which 38,000 Hanoverians laid down

their arms, and were difperfed into different
quarters of cantonment. The French army had a
little before this changed its commander. D'Etrees,
the favourite of all the military men., was removed from
the command, which was conferred on the Duke de Rich-
lieu, who excelled him and all mankind in the profeflion of
a courtier. The Hanoverians were now quite fnbdued,
and all the French force, let loofe by this treaty, was rea-
dy to fall in upon the King of PrufHa's dominions.

An enterprize was concerted in England againft the coafl!
©f France, to make a diverfion in his favour, by drawing
a part of the French army to the defence of their own
country. England propofed to compafs another great de-
fign, and which fhe had equally at heart, by the expediti-
on, which was to give an effectual blow to the marine of
France. The deftination of this armament v/as kept a pro-
found fecret, and whilil it exercifed the penetration of alt
the politicians of Europe, it filled France with the mod
ferious alarms. The Englifh fleet at laft appeared before

Rochfort. Some time was fpcnt before it could
Sep. 21. be rcfolved what plan was to be followed in the

attack ; at laft it was refolved to fecure the fmall
ifte of Aix, from whence fome ohftruclion was apprehend-
ed to their Linding. . The ifland was foon reduced ; but as
a good deal of time was conlumed in thcfe deliberations an(J

actions.

1757'

eafily de-
red in upon
army com-
ntinqally re-*
the Wefer,
id at Haften-
here it was
ly might be
e advantage-
ans, and the
ven from the
s Stade. By
fs was driven
r his fituation
as compelled
1 of Clofter-
tns laid down
into different
irmy had a
D'Etrees,
emoved from
)uke de Rich-
e profefllon of
uite fubdued,
:aty, was rea-
lions.

;ainft the coaft
r, by drawing
of their own
ther great de-
- the expediti-
the marine of
•/as kept a pro-
ictration of alt
with the moft
ipeared before
before it could
"ollowed in the
!cure the fmall
^as apprehend-
duced ; but as
jlibeFations and
adions.

• -I
m

1757. 7'bg History of i/je War. 27

aflions, the militia of the country had time to gather, and
there was an appearance of two camps on the fliore. The
commanders now took into confideration the badnefs of the
coaft, the danger of landing, the time tlie enemy had to
put the place in fuch a poflure of defence, as might make
any fudden attempt, or coup de main, unfuccefsful : in
confequence of thefe deliberations, they unanimoufly re-

folved to return without making any attempt.
vSep. 29. The difappointment of the nation was equal to

the fangume hopes we had conceived ; nothing
could exceed the general difcontent. The military men
blamed the plan of the expedition. The Minifters, and
with them the public voice, exclaimed at the execution.
A court of enquiry y of officers of reputation, cenfured the
commander; a court martial, of officers of reputation,
acquitted hjm. The expedition ferved only in England to
increafe and imbitter our diflentions, and to turn our at-
tention to vain difputes. It did nothing towards relieving
the King of PruiTia.

The Rufllans, who had made for a long time a dilatory
march, and feemed uncertain of their own refolutions, all
at once haftened their motions. They entered the Ducal
Pruflia under M. Apraxiq and General Fermer, and mark-
ed their progrefs by a thoufand inhuman cruelties. A large
body of Auftrians entered Silefia, and penetrated as far as
Brefl.iu. Then they made a turn backwards, and laid ficgc
to the important fortrefs of Schweidnitz, jurtly confidered
as the key of that dutchy, which was the caufe of the war.
Another body entered Lufatia, and made themfelves maf-
ters of Zittau. Twenty-two thoufand Swedes pierced in-
to the PrufTian Pomerania, took the towns of Anclam and
Demmein, and laid the whole counlrv under contributions.
Richlieu, freed from all oppofition on the fule of Hanover,
inade his way into Halberflad, and the old marche oF
Brandenburgh, firft exafling contributions, and then plun-
dering the towns. The army of the Empire, reinforced by
that of the Prince de Soubifc, after many delays, was at lail
on full march to enter Saxony ; this left the Aurtrians at li-
berty to turn the c^rcatcrt part of their forces to the redin51i-
on- of Silefia. General Haddick pierced through Lufatia,
pafled by the Pruflian armies, and, fuddcnly prcfentinj;
.himfelf before the gates of Berlin, laid the King of Pruilia's
capital under contribution ; and though he retired on the

M a appro^cN

The HistorV af 'the War.

1757'

approach of a body of Pruflians, yet he ftill kept pofleflion
of his former poft, in order to interrupt the communicati-
on of the King with Silefia. The fate which feemed to
have threatened the Emprefs fome months ago, was now
looked upon as the certain lot of her antagonift. All his en-
<Ieavours to retrieve his affairs had hitherto been equally
brave and unfuccefsful. General Lehwald had orders at
any hazard to engage the Ruffians : with thirty thoufand
he attacked double that number (Iron^ly entrenched, at a
place called Norkitten ; but after feveral of thofe
Aug- 30. wonderful efforts, which the Pruffians alone
knew how to make, he was compelled to retire ;
but he retired in excellent order, without being purfued,
having killed five times more of the enemy, than he had
loft of his own men, and more formidable after his defeat,
than the Ruffians after their viftory. The King of Pruffia
exerted himfelf upon every fide ; his enemies almoft always
fled before him ; but whilft he purfued one body, another
gained in fome other part upon him, and the winter came
on faft, as his ftrength decayed, and his adversaries multi-
plied from every quarter. The following letter, which ap-
peared in the public papers about this time, paints the con^
dition of that diftreffed monarch,, in fo full a manner, that
! fhall attempt no other defcription of it.

♦* Many perfons, who faw the King of Pruffia, when
he pafTed lately through Leipfic, cannot exprefs how much
he is altered. They fay he is fo much worn away, that
they fcarce knew him. This, indeed, is not to be won-:
dered at ; he hath not a body of iron, like Charles XII.
and he endures as great fatigues as he dio. He is as much
on horfeback as Charles was, and often lies upon the
ground. His inward Sufferings cannot be lefs than his out-
ward : let us caft our eyes on a map of the Pruffian domi-
nions ; and meafure what he hath left of the many fair poff
i'effions he had in the month of April laft, of which a fpace
of feven months hath flript him. Whence can he have
men ? he is fhut out from the Empire ; and from whence
can he draw money ? the dutchy of Guelders, the dutchy
pf Cleves, the principality of Moers, the county of Lin-
j!;en, the county of Lipftadt, the principality of Minden,
Eaft-Friefland, Embden, and its infant company, part of
the archbifhoprick of Magdeburgh, fome other parts of
I he marche. Ducal Pomcrania, a great part of Silefia, a

great

xy57- ^^ History of the War. 29

great part of the kingdom of Pruflia, Berlin itfelf, almoft
all his dominions, in fhort, are either taken from him, or
laid under contribution, and pofleffed by his enemies, who
collect the public revenues, fatten on the contributions, and
with the money which they draw from the electorate of
Hanover, and other conquefts defray the expences of the
war. This pifture certainly differs greatly from that which
the King of Pruflia might have fketched out, the day he
took arms to enter Saxony. Add to this the Duke of Cum-
berland's convention, which deprived him of all his allies,
and left him without any affillance whatever, excepting
ibur or five hundred thoufand pounds fterling, which the
Britifh parliament may give him. Add likewife fome do-
meftic uneafmeffes."

CHAP. V.

Battle of Rojhacb. Scbweidnitz taken by tbe Aujl riant.
Prince of Bevern ^(tacked in bis entrenchments. Brejlau
taken by tbe Auflrians. King of Pruffia marches to
Silefia. Tbe battle of Lijfa. Brejlau retaken. Aujiri"
ans driven out of Silefia.

THIS was the King of Pruflia's fituation, when the
will of Providence, and his own wonderful abilities,
as wonderfully changed the fcene. His majefty deferred
to bring on a decifive aftion, diftrefled as his affairs were,
until the approach of winter ; had he marched to attack
the Imperial army, \vhilft it was at a confiderahle diflancc,
he muft either have left Saxony expofcd to the infults oi
the Auftrian parties, or have greatly weakened his own
forces employed in the principal action. He therefore fuf-
fered the army of the Empire to advance to the frontiers
of Mifnia, and even to threaten the fiege of Leipfic, be^
fore he began to a8: againft them : he however moved to-
wards them, leaving an army in Lufatia to obferve the
Auftrians. On his firft motions, the enemy retired with
precipitation. But when they had reinforced themfelvcs
with numbers and courage fufficient to perfuade them to
advance, the King of Pruflia in his turn retired. His re^
folution feemed to have been to fight as near Mifnia as pof-
fible, and as deep in the winter as he conveniently might;
fpr if he ^ould have the good fortune to fuccieed againft

the

r 1!

30 T:'he History of the War. 1757^

the Imperial army, fuch a blow, at fuch a feafon, would
cfTcflually difable them from afting any thing to his preju-
dice, for that year at lea ft ; but if, on the contrary, he
Ihould fail, Saxony was at hand, in which it would prove
dilicult for the enemy to make any impreflion whilft the
winter contmucd. As for the time to be loft by following
thjs plan, and the advantage it would afford the Auftrians
in their defigns on Silefia, they were not to be compared
with the advantages which the King received from it. He
knew that Schweidnitz was ftrong, and excellently provi-
ded ; the prince of Bevern was ftrongly pofted near it to
obftru£\ the enemy's operations ; the winter v/ould Jean
heavier on the befiegers ; and on the whole, he had reafon
to truft that his troops, animated by his own prefence and
example, would prove far fuperior to the enemy, in endu-
ring all the hardfhips of a winter campaign.

After fome time fpent in various movements, between
the allied army of the ImperiaUfts and French on one fide,
and the Pfufllans on the other, the King refolved to give
battle to his enemies, who were now advanced to the con-
fines of Mifnia. On the 24th of Oflober, the King had
taken his refolution ; at that time his army happened to be
divided into feveral corps, fome of them at a diftance of no
lefs than twenty leagues afunder ; yet fuch were the fpirit
and excellent difpofition of the Prufllans, that the jun8:ion
pfallthefe corps were fully effe6ted on the 27th, and the
King advanced towards the enemy. The enemy fell back
at his approach, and repafled the Sala ; they were followed
-vT clofe. The two armies met near the village of

^^^'' 5- Roftjach.

The united army, commanded by the prince of Saxe
flilburghaufen and the prince of Soubife, was 50,000 men
compleat. But the troops of the Circles were new raifed,
and many of them not well affe6led to the fcrvice, nor to
their French allies. The PrufTians did not amount to
2^,000; but then they were PrulUans, and led on by thi,'
King of Pruftta. As foon as the armies were formed, and the
battle going to begin, which was to decide the fate of lb
niany nations, and to determine between force and virtue,
"" ' ' "^ ' • ■ near!

lowihe; words.

troops

■ly

" My dear friends, the hour is come, in which all that
\h is, and all that ought to be dear to us, depends upon

" the

((

n
f{

<(
ti
n

a
«

1757'

afon, would
to his preju-
:ontrary, he
would prove
n whilft the
by following
:he Auftrians
be compared
From it. He
lently provi-
ed near it to
v/ould lean
le had reafon
prefence and
my, in endu-

;nts, between
li on one fide,
folved to give
;d to the con-
the King had
appened to be
diftance of no
vere the fpirit
t the junftion
17th, and the
lemy fell back
were followed
the village of

rince of Saxe
as 50,000 men
;re new railed,
crvice, nor to
ot amount to
led on by the
ormcd,and the

the fate of fo
•ce and virtue,
rly in the io\-

which all that

depends upon

*' the

■I

((

^151- ^^^^ History of the War. 31

the fwords which are now drawn for the battle. Time
permits me to fay but little ; nor is there occafion to
fay much. You know that there is no labour, no hun-
" ger, no cold, no watching, no danger, that I have not
Ihared wilti you hitherto ; and you now fee me ready to
lay down my life with you, and for you. All I alk, is
the fame pledge of fidelity and afFeftion that I give- And
let me add, not as an incitemeni to your courage, but
as a teftimony of my own gratitude, that from this
hour, until you go into quarters, your pay Ihall be dou-
ble. Acquit yourfelvcs like men, and put your confi-
dence in God." The effeft of this fpeech was fuch as
cannot be defcribed. The general emotion burft in an uni-
verfal Ihout, and the looks and demeanor of the men were
animated to a fort of heroic phrenfy. In this difpofition,
which prognol'iicated the fuccefs, engagement began.

In the beginning of the a£lion, the French cavalry canic
on with great fpirit, but they were repulfcd ; fome regi-
ments having gained an eminence, defended themfelves
bravely, but in the end they were totally routed. The in-
fantry, both PVench and Imperialifts, made but a faint re-
fiflance. The King of PrufTia in perfon, expofed to the
hotteft fire, led on his troops ; the enemy gave way in eve-
ry part ; they were feized with a panic, and fled in the ut-
moft diforder. They left 3000 men dead on the field of
battle ; 6t^ pieces of cannon, and many colours. Eight F'-ench
Generals, 250 officers of different ranks, and 6000 private
men were taken. Night alone Hived from total deftruttion
the fcattered remains of an army that in the morning was {q
numerous and fo formidable.

I have not undertaken on this, nor ihall I undertake upon
any other occafion, in thefe preliminary chapters, to enter
into the detail of all the ^^arioiis manoeuvres of every battle ;
they are matters little underflood by, and little intercfling
to, the generality of readers. Befides, the accounts arc
lomcclmes inaccurate, and feldom or never confiftent with
each other.

The glorious fuca fs of tlic battle of RollDach, was fuch
as hardly wanted to be in^proved ; the enemy was left to-
tally incapable of af^ion. T'he King was fet free on that
fide ; but it was a freedom which gave him no refpite fron>
hi» labours j it oidy gave Jnm an opportunity of undergo-

ing

The History of the WaR.

1757'

ing new labours in another part. The Auftrians had a vaft
force, and had now begun to make a proportionable
progrefs in Silefia. The dependence which the King
had upon the fidelity of his Generals there, feemcd
fhaken by fomething which then appeared, and ftill
feems ambiguous in their conduct. The Auftrians after a
fiegefrom the 27th of Oftober to the nth of November,
carried on under infinite difficulties and with a prodigious
lofs, had reduced Schweidnitz, and obliged the Prulfian
garrifon of 4000 men to furrender prifoners of v/ar. Soon
after, as they had intelligence of tue victory of Roft)ach,
and knew that the King of Pruflla was on full march to the
relief of Silefia, the Auftrians refolved tolofe no time to at-
tack the prince of Bevern in his ftrong camp under the
walls of Breflau. A treble fuperiority incited them to this
attempt. They attacked the prince's army with great refo-
lution, and their attack was fuftained with amaz-
Nov. 22. ing intrepidity. The flaughter of the Auftrians
was prodigious. A great part of their army had
retired from the field of battle, and the reft were preparing
to retire ; when all at once the Prrfllan Generals unexpeft-
cdly took the fame refolution. A y-'art of their army had
fuffered a great deal in the engagement. They became ap-
prehenfive of a total defeat in caf : their intrenchments
fhould be forced in any part. With thefe ideas they re-
treated from the ftrong poft they occupied, and retired be-
hind the Oder. The Auftrians returning, with aftonifli-
ment faw themfelves maftjers of the field of battle, which
they had but juft been obliged to relinquifli. What is re-
markable, and what gave rife to many conjeftures, the
prince of Bevern going to reconnoitre without efcort, and
attended only by a groom, was taken two days after the
battle by an advanced party of Croats, a fmall body of whom
had croflcd the Oder.

This advantage, though dearly bought, was immediate-
■^-r^ ly followed with many others. Breflau, the ca-

^* pital of Silefia, immediately furrendered, where,
as well as at Schweidnitz, they found vaft ftores of provifi-
on, ammunition and money. All Silefia was on the point
of falling into their hands. Fortune feems every where to
have tlirown the King of Pruflia's affairs into diftra£lion,
in order to ralfe, .iiid as it were, to round his glory in efta-

bliftiine: them

and to have been even fo jealous of \\u ho-
nour

1757'

had a vaft

artionable

he King

feemcd

and flill
ins after a
[ovember,
jrodigiojs
; PDilUan
ar. Soon

Ro{bach,
irch to the
ime to at-
under the
;m to this
great refo-
vhh amaz-
: Auflrians

• army had
preparing
iinexpefl-

• army had
)ecame ap-

nchments
they re-
retired be-
aftonifli-
tle, which
'hat is re-
tures, the
Ifcort, and
after the
of whom

imediate-
i, the ca-
I, where,
)f provifi-
Ithe point
1 where to
[ftraftion,
|y in efta-
)f hii ho-
nour

1757. y/?^ History c///;^ War. 33

nour as not to permit his own excellent generals and incom-
parable troops to triumph any where but in his own pre-
ience.

The King immediately after the battle of Rofbach, with
thofe troops which he had a few days bofore colle£led from
places an hundred miles diftant from each other, began a
march of upwards of two -hundred more, and led them
from engaging one fuperior army, to engage another ftill
more fuperior ; from danger to hardfhip, and from hard-
ihip to renewed danger. In a mofl: rapid march he pafled
through Thuringia, through Mifnia, through Lufatia, in
fpite of the efforts of the Generals Haddick and Marfhal,
who were ported in Lufatia to obftruft him ; and entering
Silefia arrived the 2d of December at Parchwitz upon the
Oder. Here he was joined by the prince of Bevern's corps
who croffed that river to meet him.

About this time an incident happened which was very
remarkable ; one of thefe agreeable adventures that relieve
the mind amidft the perpetual horror that attends a narra-
tive of battles and bloodihed. The garrifon of Schweid-
nitz had feen, with the greatefl reluftance, the capitulati-
on which bound t\eir hands from the fervice of their King
and country. Whjlft the Auftrians were condufbing them
to prifon, on their route they chanced to hear of the vic-
tory their mafter had gained at Rofbach ; animated with
this news, they unanimoufly rofe upon the efcorte which
conduced them, and which happened not to be very ftrong,
and entirely difperfed it. Thus freed, they marched on
not very certain of their way, in hope to rejoin fome corps
of the Pruflian troops. Tht f'me fortune nhich freed
them, led them direftly to the army commanded by the
King himfelf, which was haftening to their relief. Great
was the joy on both fides at this unexpected meeting, for
the prifoners had heard nothing of his majefty's mai':h.
This little incident, whilft it added a confiderable ftrength
to the army, added likewifc to its fpirit, and feemed an
happy omen of fuccefs in the future engagement.

As his Pruflian majefty approached to Breflau, the Auf-

'trians confiding in their fuperiority, abandoned their ftrong

camp (the fame which had been occupied by the prince of

Bcvern) and rcfolved to give the King battle. He was

marching with the utmoft diligence not to difap-

Dcc. 5. point them ; and they met near the village ot

F Lcuthcn.

34 ^^^ HiSTO'.iY of the War. 1757.

Ltuthen. The ground which the Auflrians occupied was
very advantageous, and every advantage of the fituation
was improved to the utmoft, by the diligence and {kill of
Count Daun ; who remembring that he was the only Ge-
neral who had ever carried the field from the King of Pruf-
fia, knew better than any body how difficult it was to ob-
tain fuch a vi(Sory. All the difpofitions were made ac-
cordingly • the ground they occupied was a plain, except
that in fome parts it had fmall eminences ; thefe they fur-
rounded with artillery ; the ground was alfo interfperfed
with thickets, which they fought to turn to their advantage.
On thzir right and left were hills on which they planted
batteries of cannon. The ground in their front was inter-
fered by many caufeways ; and to make the whole more
imprafticable, the Auftrians had felled a vaft many trees,
and fcattered them in the way. The King of Pruflia was
not terrified with this fituation, nor with the confcioufnefs
that above 70,000 excellent troops, commanded by Count
Daun, were fu pofted. The Pruffians, who did not ex-
ceed, as it is faid, 36,000 men, attacked them with their
ufual refolution. It was almuft impoflible, at the begin-
ning of the engagement, for the PrufTian horfe to aft, on
account of the impediments we have juft mentioned, but a
moft judicious difpofition of the King himfelf overcame
that difadvantage ; he had in his firft difpofitions placed
four battalions behind the cavalry of his right wiuj^, fore-i
feeing that Gt> .leral Nadafti, who was placed with a corps
de reierve on the enemies left, defigned to take him in
flank. It happened as he had forefeen ; that General's
horfe attacked the King's right wing with great fury ; but
he was received with f<> ^evere a fire from the four battali-
ons, that he was obliged to retire in diforder. Then the
King's flank well covered and fupported, was enabled to aft
with fuch order and vigour, that the enemy's right was
obliged to give way. The Pruflian artillery, which was
incomparably ferved, and filenced that of the enemy, con-
curring to maintain the King's infantry, and to enable them
to a6t in grounds where their horfe could give them but
little aififtance. The Auftrians made a gallant refiftance
during the whole battle. The panic of the enemy did not
here, as at Rofbach, do half tlie bufincfs ; every foot ot
ground was well difputed. The Auftrians rallied all their
forces about Leuthcn, which was defended upon all fides'

with

1757-

5 occupied was
f the fituation
ice and (kill of
s the only Ge-
! King of Pruf-
X it was to ob-
were made ac-
i plain, except
thefe they fur-
Ifo interfperfed
heir advantage.
;h they planted
Tont was inter-
he whole more
ift many trees,
5 of Pruflia was
le confcioufnefs
anded by Count
ho did not ex-
hem with their
e, at the begin-
horfe to aft, on
entioned, but a
mfelf overcame
pofitions placed
ght win^^, fore-i
;ed with a corps
to take him in
J that General's
great fury ; but
the four battali-
der. Then the
as enabled to aft
emy's right was
ery, which was
he enemy, con-
jd to enable them
d give them but
gallant refiftance"
\e enemy did not
, every foot of
rallied all their
cd upon all fulesV
with

^757- ^^^ History of i/jtr War. 35

with intrenchments and redoubts. After reiterated attacks
made with the utrpoft impetuofity, and fuflained wilb great
firmncfs, the Prufllans mafcered :he po'^' ; then the Auftri-
ans fled on all parts ; they w^re entirely rouied. The
King purfued them to Lifla. 6000 of the Auftrians wer^
flain, 15,000 were made prifoners; and an ii^imenfe artil-
lery, upwards of 200 pieces of c -.nnon, were taker,.

This great and decifive adtion v/as fought on the very
fame day of the next month after the no lefs important and
decifive battle of Rofbach. The confequences that follow-
ed the action of Lcuthen, declared the entirenefs of the
viftory. Notwithftanding the rigour of the feafjn, the fiege
of Breflau was immediately undertaken, and profecu .ed with
fuch fpirit, that by the 29th of December it fur endcred ;
and with it furrendered the girrifon of 13,000 iien prifo-
ners of war; the blockrde of Schwe dnitz wa: formed as
clofely as the inclemency of the winter would per.ait ;
whilfl; the Prufllan parties not only re-poffefled thofe p?.rts
of Silefia which belonged to the King, bul: penetrating into
the Auftrian divifion, reduced Jagerndorf, Troppau, and
Tetfchen, and left to the Emprefs Queen, except a forlcrn
garrifon in Schweidnitz, no fort of footin.j in tha' country,
in which a few days before fhe reckoner! her dominion per-f
ketly eftabliflied.

C H A P. VI.

Riifflans and Swedes retire. Hano'veriam re fume tbeii' arms.
Cruelty of the French. Conditio?; of their crmy. Cc.jlle
of Harburg hefeged. Re-capitulation of ibs events of the
year 1757. , ■ ,. . . •

AS the miijfortunea ^f his PruT^i-n Majefty, a.'ter :he
battle of Colin, came on him all at once., fo hi.; fuc-,
cefles, after his vJ6lo its at Ro(bnch . nd LiiTa, flowed upon
him 11 i'.t once Ukcwii'e, a-1 in a Tull tide. The Rufllan^,
thougli they had rcpulfed Cener 1 L;;iiwild, f-ifFereo fi
much in that action, and their barb.iroi's method of ri..k-
ing war h. d {u dcflroycd tha country, .h.; they fcJir.el to
themfclve to h.'.ve no way of fafcty lit but in .cdri gout
ot the P». ilian tcir'tori^^s. Thi'5 txtraordinary i-j..oat of
fo gieat ar ar . /, and lu luic!; v cioriouj, anJ itil pofl'tT. i
of a goodie- V si in J.t country, couic k^i-iJyy bcaccpi- t-

1' 1 ai

36 Tht Hi^roKY of the Vsf K?i. ^ISJ-

cd <"or on thofe motives we have affigned, and aftonifhed all
Eui'ope, whilft it left Gen. Lehwald at liberty to turn his
arms into Pomerania againft the Swedes. The Swedes on
this occafion did nothmg worthy of their ancient military
fame ; but every where retiring, left the Pruflians an eafy
conqueft, not only of the Pruflian but of every part of the
Swedifli Pomerania, excepting the port of Stralfund ; they
left their allies of Mccklenbourg quite expofed to all the re-
fcntment of the King of Pruflia, who chaftifed them with
the moft fevere contributions and levies. The French,
who had been ravaging the old marche of Brandenburg,
evacuated that country immediately after the battle of Rof-
bach. But one of the greatefl: revolutions of forfune in the
war, and one of the moft glorious and important confe-
quences of that viftory, was, that the Hanoverian troops
were enabled to refume their arms.

From the moment the capitulation of Clofter-feven was
figned, the Duke de Richlieu, who came to the command
only to reap the advantages, and fully the honour of ano-
ther's conqueft, feemed to think of nothing but how to re-
pair, from the plunder of the unhappy Hanoverians, the
fortune which he had fhattered by a thoufand vices. The
moft exorbitant contributions were levied with the moft in-
flexible feverity ; every exadion, which was fubmitted to,
only produced « new one ftiH more extravagant ; and all
the orderly niethods of plunder did not exempt them from
the pillage, iicentioufnefs, and infolence of the French fol-
diery« However, in juftice to merit, we muft exempt from
this general charge the conduct of the Duke de Randan,
Governor of Hanover for the French ; who faved the ca-
pital of the ele6lorate from utter ruin by the ftri£tnefs of his
difciplinc, by the prudence, the juftice and moderation of
all his condu6l ; a condu£t which noes more real honour to
his name, than the moft fplendid victories.

The Duke de Richlieu's rapacioufnefs and opprcffion,
whilft they leaned fo heavily on the conquered people, did
the conquering army no kind of fervice. Intent only on
plunder, which he did not confine to the enemy, he relaxed
every part of military difcipline ; and that numerous army
which M. d'F.trecs had fuftained, and brought in health and
fpirits through the difmal defarts of Weftplialia, under all
the oppofition of a fkilful advcrfary, were now, in full peace,
in the (juict poireflion of a conquered and plentiful country,

reduced

':i

verian troops

1757- ^^'^ History of the War. ' 57

reduced in their numbers, decayed in their health, and their
fpirits, without cloaths, without fubfiftence, without order,
without arms. In this condition they began at laft to per-
ceive that the Hanoverians, with the yoke of the capitula-
tion about their necks, were ftill formidable. As they had
broke almoft every article of that treaty, they made no fcru-
ple to add another breach in order to fecure them in ail the
reft. They attempted aflually to take their arms from the
Hanoverian and Hefllan troops Thefe gallant troops, who
had with a filent grief and indignation feen the diftrefies of
their ruined country, were ravilhed to find that the vi(5lory
at Rolbach encouraged their fovereign to refent at laft this
and all the other indignities they had fuffered. They began
to coUeft and to aft, and under the command of the gallant
Prince Ferdinand of Brunfwick, reinforced with a body of
Pruftian troops, they broke from their confinement. They
reduced the town of Harburg, and laid clofe fiege to the
caftle, which it muft be owned was defended very bravely.
In all other refpefts the French did not feem in a condition
to maintain their ground any where, Thofe troops, which
a few months before had fo fubmitted as to make it nccef-
fary to declare that they were not prifoners of war in order
to explain their condition, were now on the point of pufh-.
ing their adverfaries to almoft the fame ftreights. Such
was the force of French military difcipline, and fuch the
triumphs of Voltaire's hero.

The King of Pruffia now faw the full effe6l of his coun-
fcls and his labours. His dominions werd freed; his allies
were enabled to affift him ; and his enemies defeated, broken,
and flying every where before him. In what light pofterity
will view thefe things is uncertain ; wc, under whofe eyes,
as we may fay, they were atchieved, fcarcely believed what
we had feen. And perhaps in all the records of time, the
compafs of a fingle year, on the fcenc of a fingle country,
never contained fo many ftriking events, never difplayed fo
many revolutions of fortune ; revolutions not only beyond
what might have been expe6led, but far beyond what the
moft fagacious forcfight, reafoning from experience, and the
nature of things, could polTibly have imagined. The King
of Pruffia at firft triumplianP: the whole power of the Au-
ihians totally defeated ; their hopes utterly ruined : then
their aflairs fuddenly re-ellablinied, their armies viftorious,
and the King of Pruffia in his turn hurled dovfn; defeated;

abandoned

^8 The History of the War. i757-

jfKtandoiKil by his allies; fiirrounded by his eneirJes ; on
the very edge ol" defj)air : then all at once raifed beyond all
hoot, he fees ihe united A iftrian, Imperial, and French
power levelled with the ground ; 40,000 Haiioverians, a
whole iirniy, iuljinit to 80,000 Frcnch/and are only ,iot pri-
foners ot w.r. The Fr..,)ch are peaceable mafters of all the
country hetwe: n the Wefer and the Elbe : anon, thefe Tub-
dueti Hanoverians refume their arms ; they recover their
country, and the French in a little time ;hink themfelves
not fecurc to the eaftward of the Rhine. 500,000 men in
aclioj. Six pitched battles fought. Three great armies
annihilated. The French army reduced and vanquilhed
without fighting. The Rufllans victorious, and flying as if
they had been vanquiflie^, A confederacy, not of fmaller
poteniL'tes to humble one great power, but of five the great-
eil powers on earth to reduce one fmall potentate ; all the
force of thefe powers exerted and baffled. It happened as
we hive related ; and it is not the hiuory of a century, but
of a finglc campaign.

ill

CHAP. VII.

Prrp/i-at'oiis for an epediSion to Lonijbourg. Laid a fide.
Fori IVi li m-Hnry tah'n. Exploits of Admiral IVatfon
and CfAonel Clivc i.: Ind'a. Chandenagore a French fort
taker. V'^lory over the Nabob. Nabob taken and be-
herded. P.evoluiion in Bengal. Treaty advantageous ta
the Eiijl-India company. Admiral IVatfon dies.

WI T H regard to the part we had in the traniadlions
of this year, though it was not fo full of ftriking
events, nor does it aiTord Inch a fplendid fubjeft for narra-
tive, ywt it is as interelling to an Englifli reader, and may
perhaps prove more iniira<5livc ; as it Ihews us in fo rtrong
a lighi, th.; / ifemblc confequences of our political divifions,
which produced p general imfleudinefs in all our purfuits,
and infufed a langour and iuacUvity into all our military ope-
rations. For, whilil: our commanders abroad knew not who
were to reward their fervices or punifli their neglefts, and
were not afliircd in what light even thebefl of their afilions
would be confidered, (having reafon to apprehend that they
might not be judged of as they were in themfelves, but as
their appearances might anfwer the end of fome ruling fac-
tion i)

1757-

enemies ; on
ed beyond all
and French
anoverians, a
2 only .loi pri-
Hersof all the
)n, thefe Tub-
recover thtir
k themfelves
3,000 men in

great armies
d vanquifhed
id flying as if
ot of fmaller
ive the great-
tate ; all the

happened as
century, but

Laid ajide,
niral Watfon
X French fort
ken and be^
antageous to
es.

trania6lion3
of ftriking
ft for narra-
cr, and may
in fo ftrong
cal divifions,
3ur piirfuits,
nilitary ope-
lew not who
2gle6ls, and
heir a£lions
id that they
Ives, but as
: ruling fac-
tion

1757' '^^^ History of the War. 39

tion ;) they naturally wanted that fiimnefs and that enter-
prizing refolution, without which the beft capacity, an4 in-
tentions the mofl: honeft, can do nothing in war. The at-
tachment of mod men to their parties, wea' ened their af-
feftion to ihe'r country. It has been imagined that mini-
fters did not always w'fh fuccefs even to their own fchcmos,
left obnoxious men fhould acquire credit by the execution
of them; as it was fufpeOied that officers even at tbc ex-
pence of their own reputation, did not exert their facuhic;.
to the utmoft, left a difagreeable minifterial fyllem lliould
eftablifli the credit of its counfels by the vigour of t'lcir
operations. For my part, I think that thefe refinements, in
which there is often as much malice difcovered as penetra-
tion, have carried the matter infinitely too far. But certain
it is, that the fpirit of perfonal parties and attachments, ne-
ver canicd to greater lengths .han at tha'. time, proved of
very bad confequcnces, if t had no Oiher effe£t than to
aifc c^nd to give a colour to fuch fufp c ons as we have firil
mentioned. Whatever was the caufe, it is moft certain,
that our fuccefs in America this year, no more anfwered to
the greatnefs of our preparations and our hopes than it did
in the two preceding.

The attack upon Crown Point, which had been a princi-
pal objeftof our attention n the beginning, feemed at thi:>
time to be laid afide •, and an exped tion to Louifbourg, un-
doubtedly a more confiderable o jc i in itfelf, fupplied its
place. Lord Loudoun was to command the land forces in
this expedition; Admiral Holbornnhe navy. The former
left New York with a bodv of 6000 men, r.nd fail-
ed to Halifax, where he was joined by the latter, July 9,
who had failed from Corke on the 7 th of May \\ itli
a confiderable fleet, and much the fame number of land
forces, which his lordfhip had brought from NewYo>k.
When the united armies and fleets were on the point of de-
parting for Loulfljourg, news arrived at Halifax, thai the
Brcft fleet confifting of feventeen fliips of the line lu-rules
frigates, with great fupplies of inilitai'y ll:i)rfs, proxifiuns,
and men, were arrived at the harbour which they were pre-
paring to attack. This news immediately fufpended thtir
preparations. Councils of war were held one after another.
The refuU of the wjiole was, thai as the place was fo well
reinforced, the fleet of the Fren^'h rather fupeiiour lo our
navy, and thc.feafon fo far advanced; it was the nn e piu-

d.nt

40 'the History of the War. i757-

dent courfe to defer the enterprife to a more favourable op-
portunity. This refoUition feems to have been the moft
ehgible in their circumftances, becaufe the council of war
was almoft unanimous in it.

Lord Loudoun returned to New York, and the Admiral
now freed from the care of the tranfports fet fail for Louif-
bourg, in hopes as it Wao faid, of drawing the French fleet
to an engagement. But upon what grounds this hope was
conceived, I confefs I cannot fee ; as it could not be ima-
gined, that the French fleet having no fort of occafion to
fight in order to proteft Louiflsourg, would chufe out of a
bravado to bring on an unneceflary battle. However it
was, the Englifh fquadron continued to cruize oflF that har-
bour until the 25th of September, when they were overtaken
by a terrible fl:orm. In which one of our ihips was loft, eleven
difmafted, -acA the reft returned to England in a very fhat
tered condition. This was the end of the expedition to
Louiflaourg from which fo much was expected. But it was
not the worft confequences which attended it.

Since Ofwego had been taken, the French remained en-
tirely mafters of all the lakes, and we could do nothing to
obftruft their colleding the Indians from all parts, and
obliging them to a6t in their favour. But our apprehenfions,
(or what ftiall they be called ?) did more in favour of the
French than their conquefts. Not fatisfied with the lofs of
that important fortrefs, we ourfelves abandoned to the mer-
cy of the enemy all the country of the Five Nations, the
only body of Indians who preferved even the appearance of
fricndfliip to us. The forts we had at the Great carrying
Place were demolifhed ; Wood Creek was induftrioufly
flopped up aid filled with logs ; by which it became evident
to all thofc who knew that country, that our communication
with our allied Indians was totally cut off; and what was
worfc, our whole frontier left perfectly uncovered to the
irruption of the enemies fiivages, who foon availed them-
felves of our errors. For after the removal of thefe barriers,
and the taking of Fort William-Henry, of which we fhall
fpeak prefcntly, they deftroyed with fire and fword the fine
fettlcmcnts which we poflelfcd on the Mohawks river and
on thofe grounds called the German flats. Thus with a
vaft increafe of our forces, and the clcareft fuperiority over
the enemy, we only abandoned our allies, expofed our peo-
ple, and relinquillicd a large and valuable trad of country.

The

1757- ^^^ History of the War 41

The French foon made us feel efFedually the want of what
we had loft, and what we had thrown away.

A confiderable fort called Fort William-Henry, had been
built on the fouthern edge of the Lake George, in order to
command that lake, and to cover our frontiers ; a garrifon
of 2500 men defended it. General Webb with about 4000
men was ported at no great diftance. No fooner had the
French learned that my Lord Loudoun with the body of the
army was gone on the LouiflDourg expedition, than they pre-
pared to take advantage of his abfence. They drew toge-
ther all the forces which they had at Crown-Point, Ticon-
deroga, and the adjacent ports ; they added a confiderable
body of Canadians, and a greater number of Indians than
they had ever yet employed ; the whole made near 8000
men. With thefe and a very good artillery, Monfieur
Montcalm prepared to befiege Fort William-Henry. It is
faid that the advances of this commander were not made
with fo much fecrecy as to prevent General Webb from
having early intelligence of his motions ; but unfortunately
no credit being given to this intelligence, orders were not
fent to colleft the militia in fufficient time, which in con-
junftion with his own forces, and with thofe in the fort, had
either obliged the French to relinquifli their attempt, or to
have made it a very great hazard. But the fiege being
now regularly formed, and the befiegers meeting
but little oppofition from within, and no diftur- Aug. 3.
himce at all from without, the place was in fix
days furrendered by the advice of General Webb ; 9th.
whofc intercepted letter M. Montcalm fent into
the fort.

The garrifon marched out with their arms, and engag-
ed not to ferve during eighteen months. The French la-
vages paid no regard to the capitulation, but falling upon
our men as they m::irchcd out, dragged away the little
effc£ls they had left, bawling the Indians and Blacks in
our fcrvice out of their ranks, fcaiping fomc, carrying off
others, and committing a thoufand outrages and barbari-
ties, from which the French commander endeavoured in
\ain to rcftrain them. All this wr^s* fu'.fcrcd by 2000 men
with arms in their hands, from a diforderly crew of fa-
vap;es. However, the greatert part of our men, tiiough in
a bad condition, got to V^ort Edward, fomc by lliglit^ fomc
i>avi)i£; fiKrtndcrcd thcmfclvcs to the French, were by

G them

»,^'li/

42 'The History of the War. ^757-

them fent home. The enemy demolilhed the fort, car-
ried off the provifion, ammunition, artillery, and the vef-
fels which we had prepared on the lake, and departed
without attempting any thing farther. Neither was any
thing farther attempted on our fide. And thus was finifh-
ed the third campaign in North America, where we had
adually near 20,000 regular troops, a great number of
provincial forces, and a great naval power of upwards of
twenty (hips of the line.

A war between the maritime powers is felt in all parts of
the world. Not content with inflaming Europe and Ame-
rica, the diflentions of the French and Englifh purfued the
trafts of their commerce, and the Ganges felt the fatal ef-
fects of a quarrel on the Ohio. But here the fcene i«
changed greatly to the advantage of our nation ; the bra-
very of Admiral Watfon and Colonel Clive, re-eftabli(hed
the military honour of the Englilh, which was finking there
as it had done in all other places. Admiral Watfon with
no more than three (hips of the line, failed from Madrafs,
and after a tedious voyage arrived at the port of
Dec. 5. Balafore in the kingdom of Bengal, where ftrength-
ening his force with what recruits he could draw
together, he entered the Ganges, and after a fhort refinance
made himfelf mafter 01 Buibudgia fort which
Jan. 30. commanded that part of the river. This opened
him a pafiage to the fort of Calcutta^ the late prin-
cipal fettlement of the company in Bengal, and the fcene of
the deplorable fufFerings of fo many of our unfortunate
countrymen. Animated with revenge at the afFefting fight
of this place, our ftiips and land forces attacked it with fo
much fpirits, that the Indians furrendered it on the fame
day it was approached. A few days after Hugly, fituated
higher up the Ganges, was reduced with as little difficulty.
The Nabob, who faw that the torrent of the Englifh va-
lour could not be refifted by fuch feeble dams as forts de-
fended by Indians, drew down a whole army confiding of
10,000 horfe, and 12,000 foot, to drive them from their
conquefts. Infinitely inferior as our troops were in number,
they did not hefitate to attack the Nabob's army.
Feb. 5. Though our forces did not entirely rout the In-
dians, yet they made a great flaughter amongft
them ; and they had fo much the advantage of the field,
that the Nabob was in a fliort time glad to con-
clude a treaty of peace, by which the Englifli

Eaft-

9th.

1757-

I fort, car-
anil the vef-
id departed
ler was any
J was finilh-
lere we had
: number of
f upwards of

in all parts of
»pe and Arac-
1 purfued the
t the fatal ef-
the fcene i»
ion ; the bra-
re-eftablilhed
s finking there
Watfon with
rom Madrafs,
at the port of
rhereftrength-
he could draw
(hort refiftance
;ia fort which
This opened
, the late prin-
id the fcene of
ir unfortunate
affeding fight
ked it with fo
it on the fame
Lugly, fituated
ittle difficulty,
^he Englifti va-
Ins as forts de-
.y confiding of
em from their
re in number,
abob's army,
rout the In-
jghter amongft
le of the field,
le glad to con-
h the Englifli
Eaft-

1757* '^^ History of the War. 43

Eaft-India company was re-cflablithed in all its anllent pri-
vileges ; an immunity from all taxes was granted^ and a
reftitution promifed for all that the trade had fuffered in the
taking of Calcutta.

When all obflru^ion on the fide of the Indians was re-
moved, and the company's officers had taken pofTeflion of
their antient eftablifhments, the Admiral turned his arms
againft the French. He refolved to attack Chandenagore,
fituated fomewhut higher on the river than Calcutta ; a
place of confiderable ftrength and the principal fettlement
of the French in that part of the Eaft-Indies. In this ex-
pedition Colonel Clive commanded 700 Europeans and 1600
Black foldiers. The Admirals Watfon and Pocock com-
manded the fleet, if it may be called a fleet, which confiited
of no more than three ihips of the Hne, the Kent, the Ty-
ger, and the Salifbury. The French prepared in the beft
manner they could to receive them, and funk feveral large
vefTels both above and below their fort; but the Admiral
having by carefully founding found a fafe pafTage without
being driven to the neceflity of weighing up any of the
(hips, made fo fevere a fire' upon the fort, in which he wa^
feconJed by Colonel Clive's batteries on the fhore,
that the place capitulated in lefs than three hours. May 24.
500 Europeans and 700 Blacks furrendered prifo-
ners of war; 183 pieces of cannon were found in the
place, befides a confiderable value in goods and money.
Four forts cofl our troops no more than four days tq reduce
them.

The judicious timeing of thefe feveral operations, as well
as thole which followed, was not lefs laudable than the gal-
lant fpirit with which they were executed. Before the
Frenv':h were alarmed, care was taken to re-poffefs all the
pods we formerly held ; to humble the Nabob by fome ef-
fectual blow ; and by a treaty tie up his hands from afting
againft us. This Prmce had fhewed himfelf from the mo-
ment of his figning that treaty, very little inclined to abide
by the flipulations he had made. He indeed promifed
abundantly, but always deferred the performance uponfuch
frivolous pretences, as evidently demonftrated his ill inten-
tions. The Englifh commander? underftood this proceed-
ing pcrfe6lly well ; but they refolved todiflemble their fenfe
of it, until they had broken the French power in this pro-
vince, which they had greater rcafon to dread, fmall as it

wasi

44 T'/'^ History 0/ //^^ War. 1757-

was, vhan all the armies of the Nabob. When they had
fully accompliflied this by the taking of Chandenagore, they
deliberated whether they ought not to re-commence hoftili-
ties with the Ind".u:s. A refolution in the affirmative had
been attended wii'' gi eat difficulty and danger, if a mod
fortunate incipient ^. J not helped to enfurc fuccefs.

The Nabob Suraja Doula, the fame who had the laft year
taken Calcutta, had fhewn to his own fubjeQs the fame vi-
olent and perfidious fpirit, which formerly and flill diftreffed
the Englifli. His Generals were moflly difcontcnted, and
fome of them entered into a confpiracy againft him. Jafficr
Ali Cawn one of his principal officers, a man of gieat power
and interefl, was at the head of this confpiracy. As foon
as their defigns were ripened, they communicated them to
the Englifh government in Calcutta, praying their aiTiflance.
The chiefs there did not hefitate long what party they
Jhould take ; they entered into a treaty with Jaffier Ali Cawn
dnd the confpirators ; and in confequence of this treaty, our
troops immediately took the field under Colonel Clive. The
Admiral undertook to garrifon the fort of Chandenagore
■with his feamen, in order to leave the greater number of
land forces for the expedition. A detachment of fifty fea-
men with their officers were added to ferve as gunners. A
twenty gun fhip was ftationed above Hugly, in order to
prcferve a communication between Colonel Clive and the
Admiral.

Their preliminary meafures being thus judicioufly taken,
they advanced up the river, and in a few days brought the
Nabob's army of about 20,000 men, exclufive of thofe who
favoured the confpirators, to ana6\ion, which was
June 22. decifive in favour of the Rngliffi. Two confidcr-
able bodies commanded by Jafficr and Roy Dolub
remained ina6live in the engagement. The Nabob feeing
himfelf ruined by the treachery of his officers and the cow-
nrdiccof his troops, fled with the few who continued faith-
ful to liim.

Jaffier Ali Cawn now declared himfelf openly ; and en-
tering Muxadavat the capital of the province witli

26. an army of his friends and victorious allies, he was

placed by Colonel Clive in the antient feat of the

Nabobs, and received the homage of all ranks of people as

Suha of Bengal, Bahar and Orixa. The depofed Nabob

Avas foon after made prifoner, and put to death in his prifop

175B* ^hs History of the War, 45

by the conqueror. In about thirteen days this great revo-
lution was accompHfhccl ; and with lefs force and trouble
than is often required to take a petty village in Germany,
was transferred the government of a vaft kingdom, yielding
in its dimenfions to few in Europe, but to none in the ferti-
lity of its foil, the number of its inhabitants, and the rich-
nefs of its commerce. By the alliance with the new Nabob,
and by the redu6lion of Chandenagore, the French were
entirely driven out of Bengal and all its dependencies. This
was one of the articles of the treaty. By the other articles,
a perpetual alliance ofFenfive and defenfive was made be-
tween the parties. The territories of the company were
enlarged, and upwards of two millions fterling -w^s ftipu-
lated to be paid as an indemnification to the Eaft-India com-
pany, and the fufferers in the taking of Calcutta. The new
Nabob, full of gratitude to thofe to whom he owed his dig-
nity, gave, befides the above large fums, about 600,000
pounds, as a gratuity to the fea fquadron and the troops.
However fhort of expectation our enterprifes in America fell
this year, thofe in the Eaft-Indies greatly exceeded every
thing we could hope from the forces which were employed.
And it may be doubted whether all the great powers en-
gaged in the prefent bloody wars in Europe, in which fuch
torrents of blood are fpilled, and fo many millions of trea-
fure arc wafted, will in the conclufion reapamongft them fo
much folid profit as the Englifh Eaft-India company did with
a handful of men in a fliort campaign. The joy of tL. 1-
lion at thefe fignal fucceUcs, was not a little damped by the
death of Admiral Watfon, who loft his life by the
unwholefomenefs of the country, in which he had Aug. 16.
tftabliflicd a great and lafting reputation. Colonel
Clivc ftiil lives to enjoy the fortune and honour he has ac-
ijuircd by his gallant actions.

C H A \\ \m.

prencb retire out of Haiv.zrr. The taking of Iloxa. Min-
den taken. Difrefs of the French. Gcnerofitv of the
Duke de Ran 'an. The French retire hryond the Rhine.
Recovery of I ,bdcn by Commodore Holmes.

>T58- A'r''

the hlocdflied of the iaft campaign in
•many, and tjigfc loiles which both the
yidorioub and van(iuijhed felt fo very fevcrelv, produced no

overtures

The History of the War.

175S.

overtures towards peace from any of the powers at war.
And perhaps nothing fo fingular ever happened, as that fo
many ftates, united, if not againft their real interefts, yet
againft all their former habits of connection, full of fo ma-
ny occafions of jealoufy, abounding with matter of com-
plaint againft each other, and even involved in misfortunes
which ufually deftroy a mutual confidence, that not one of
theie powers either from fear, or hope, or wearinefs, or
Itvity, defifted from their hoftilities againft the King of
PrufTia ; nor did that monarch acquire one ally more by
the admiration of his fuccefles, than he had formerly gain-
ed through companion to his misfortunes. All the confe-
deritcs preferved the fame attachment to each other, to
him the fame animpfity. It is equally a matter of great ad-
miration, liow the refources even of thefe great ftates,
could keep pace with their ambition, and in a very few^

' months fupply the place of great armies almoft wholly de*
ftroyed. The King ol^ PrufTia by his victories had added t6
his natural refources. Thefe refources were more confide-
rable than is commonly imagined ; and the poffefllon of
Saxony which yielded him great fupplies, laved his own
revenue. He was indeed not quite fo frefh as at the be-
ginning of the war ; but then the condition of the enemy
wa<; in many refpe6ts far worfe than his. His tfoops had
befides acquired a high reputation and a clear fuperiority

" over all others. The confideration, however, of an ar-
my greatly harraficd, and a moft fevere winter, obliged him
to reftrain his ardor, and to attempt nothing againft the
Auvlrians in the months of January, February, and March,
The Himc inaction owing to much the fame caufes, pre-
vailed amcngft the Hanoverians for a little time : but hav-
ing been reinforced about the middle of February by a bo-
dy of PrufTian horfe, they put their whole army once more
in inotion.

The Duke de Richlieu had been recalled, and the Count
of Clermont now commanded the French troops. This
was their third commander in chief v/ithin the fpaceofa
year ; a circumftance alone fufficient to ftiew the imfteadi-
riefs of their councils, and the irregularity of their opera-
tions. In efFeft, they every where retreated before the
Hanoverians, whofe rnain body marched on the right to
the country of Bremen ; whilft a fecond body under Gene-
ral Zaftrow kept on the left towards Cifforn, They pufti-

• " '■ ed

■,<

woul

i«758. TV^*^ History of the War. 47

ed the French from port to poft. They obliged them to
evacuate Otterfberg, Bremen, and Werden, The caftle
of Rotterlberg was taken in fix hours. A confiderable de-
tachment under Count Chabot was ported at Hoya, a ftrong
fort upon the Wefer, and a place of fuch confequence
that prince Ferdinand refolved to diflodge the enemy from
it. He appointed for that fervice the hereditary prince of
Brunfwick, with four battalions of foot and fome light
horfc. This prince, not twenty years of age, had already
entered into the courfe of glory under the aufpices of his
uncle, and full of ardor to fignalize himfelf, with joy em-
braced the occafion : and here he gave an earneft of his
fame, in one of the moft lively and bert conduced a6l:ions
in the war. The firft frufts of this young hero were fuch as
would have done honour to the maturity of the moft expe-
rienced foldier.

The prince had a broad and deep river to pafs. He had
no means of tranfporting his men, but a fingle
float ; fo that a long time mufl be fpent in get- Feb, 23.
ting them over : what was worrt, before half his
troops were pafled, a ftrong wind arofe, which rendered
the float unferviceable, and entirely cut off all communica-
tion between the prince and the moft confiderable number
of his party, whilft the party he was going to attack was
fuperior to him, had his whole body been together. In
this exigence the prince came to a refolution worthy of
himfelf. He refolved not to fpend any time in attempts to
bring over the reft of his troops, much lefs to make any at-
tempts to return to them ; but tc urge on boldly, in fucli
a manner as to poflefs the enemy with an opinion of his
ftrength, and to attack them brilkly before they could be
undeceived. Therefore, between four and five o'clock in the
morning, they marched with the utmoft fpced direfllv to
the town of Hoya. When they had approached within a
mile and a half of the place, another accident was on the
point of defeating the whole enterprife. Their detachment
fired by miftake upon four of the enemies dragoons, who
were patrolling ; the firing v/as caught from one to another,
and at laft became general. This feemed more than enough
to difcover their motions and alarm the enemy. But the
fame fpirit influenced the condutt of every part of this af-
fair ; « bold countenance became neceflary, and it was af-
fumed j they marched with the utmoft diligence to the

town.

48 I'he History of the War. 1758.

town, and encountered the enemy at the bridge ; a fierce
fire, well fupportcd on either fide, enfued. The ground
was fuch, that tl^e prince could not bring up his whole
detachment equally. Senfible of this difadvantage, he form-
ed a defi ^n to overcome it, as judicious as it was refolute,
wliich was to turn the enemy by attacking them in the rear ;
to execute this defign, it was neceflary to make a circuit
about the town. Every thing fucceeded : the attack on
the enemy's rear was made with bayonets fixed ; a terrible
{laughter enfued. The French abandoned the bridge, and
fled in confufion : the prince having cleared the town of
the enemy, joined the party he had left. The Count de
Chabot threw himfelf, with two battalions, into the caftle,
with a rcfolution to maintain himfelf there ; but, in a lit-
tle time, he capitulated, furrendering the place, his ftores,
and magazines, his troops being permitted to march out.
The prince, who had no artillery, and who, on account
of the hadncfs of the roads, defpaircd of bringing up hea-
vy cannon, fuftered them to depart. Six hundred and feven-
ty men were made prifoners in the a£lion, and a place of
much importance, antl which opened a paflage over the
Wcfcr, fccured to the Hanoverians, with the lofs of lefs
than 100 men killed and wounded. I have dwelt on this
aflion, and defcribcd it as particularly as I could, though
nothing decifivc in itfclf, bccaufe it is not in pitched battles
between great armies, where the moft mafterly firokes of
conduct are always difplayed ; thefe lefler affairs frequently
call for as much or more of fagacity, refolution, and pre-
fencc of mind, in the commander ; yet are they often (lightly
paiVcd bv, as matters of no confequencc, bv the generality
of people, who rather confider the greatnefs of the event,
than the fpirit of the aiiion.

Prince Ferdinand continued to advance, with his right
on one Tide oi the Wcfer, and his Icfi on the other; the
French continued to retire, and fucccffively abandoned all
the places they had occupied in ihc eledlorate, except
MiiuJcn. |A garrifon of 4000 men defended that place ;
but it was clofely invelleil, and in nine days the
March whole ganifon furrcndcred prifoners of war. Se-

14. veral Ikirmiflic-, happened between the advanced
parties of the Hanoverian army and the French,
always to the advantage of the former. The wretched con-
dition of the French troops is hardly to be defcribcd or ima-
gined :

ginej
the

1758.

idge ; a fierce
The ground
; up his whole
tage, he form-
was refolute,
m in the rear ;
lake a circuit
the attack on
ed ; a terrible
le bridge, and
the town of
"he Count de
nto the caftle,
but, in a lit-
ce, his ftores,
to march out.
, on account
ging up hea-
ed and feven-
ind a place of
fagc over the
c lofs of lefs
|.lwclt on this
)uld, though
tched battles
y ftrokes of
rs frequently
3n, and pre-
ftcn flightly
e generality
: the event,

1758. The HizTOKY of the W xVi. 49

gined : officers and fdldiers involved in one common diftrefs;
the officers forgot their rank, and the foldiers their obedi-
ence ; full hofpitals, and empty magazines ; a rigorous fea-
fon, and bad covering ; their baggage feized or abandoned,
and the huflafsand hunters of the allied army continually
harafling, pillaging, and cutting them off. It was no alle-
viation to their mifery, that the inhabitants of the country,
which they abandoned, were reduced to the fame extremi-
ties. The favage behaviour of fome of their troops at their
departure, took away all compaffion for their fufFerings ;
but this was not univerfal. The Duke de Randan, who
commanded in Hanover, quitted the place with the fame
virtue, that he had fo long held it. Refentment had no
power to perfuade him to aft with rigour, in the adverfe
turn of the French affairs, than the pride of conqueft had
in their profperity. When he had orders to evacuate the
place, there were very confiderable magazines of corn and
forage, amaffed for the ufe of the army ; he had full time
to burn them, and he had precedents enough to have juf-
tified the aftion : but he left the whole in the hands of the
magiftrates, to be gratuitoufly diftributed to the poor : he
employed all his vigilance to prevent the lead diforder
amongft his troops, and was himfelf the laft man that
marched out of the town. This behavour, which did fuch
honour to his name and country, has made his memory for
ever dear tc the Hanoverians, drew tears of love and grati-
tude from his enemies, and acknowledgments from the
generous prince againft whom he ferved.

The French, through extreme difficulties, marched to-
wards the Rhine in three columns. The feveral fcattered
bodies, which had united at Munfter, formed the right.
The body, which came from Paderborn, and whicii was
commanded by the prince of Clermont in perfon, march-
ed in the middle. The forces which had occupied Heffe
were on the left. In this order they reached the Rhine,
which they all pafled, except a body under Count Cler-
mont, who ftill remained at Wefel, and refolved to main-
lain that port, The French army, which about four
months before had palled the Rhin^ in numbers, and in a
( ondition to ma-ke the moft powerful enemies tremble, with-
out any adverfe ftroke of war whaifotver, by a fate almoft
unparalleled, now rcpafled it like fugitives, in a condition
the moft deplorable, reduced to Icl's than halt their original

H number.

March
14.

19.

50 ^be History of the Wajl. 1758,

number, and clofely purfuci by the enemy, which they had
obUged to lay down their arms.

The fame ill fortune, and the fame defpair of their af-
fairs, followed them every where. On the arrival of a
fmall Englifh fquadron, commanded by commodore Holmes,
before Embden, and their taking an advantageous
fituation, which cut off the communication be-
tween the town and the mouth of the river Ems ;
the French garrifon, confif .ng of 4000 men,. im-
mediately evacuated the place. As foon as Mr.
Holmes difcovered their defign, and that they were tranf-
porting their artillery and baggage up the river, he order-
ed out a few armed boats to purfue them. Thefe took
fome of the enemy's vefTels, in which were the fon of an
officer of diflindiion, and a confiderable Cum of money.
The commodore without delay reftored the fon to his fa-
ther, and offered to return the money, on receiving the
officer's word of honour, that it was his private property.
This affair is mentioned, not only to do judice to the judi-
cious conduct by which a place of fo much confideration
was fo eafily carried, but alfo to that gencrofity of fpirit,
which fo nobly diflinguifhes almofl all thofe, who hold any
rank in our fcrvice.

i ftg 1

CHAP. IX.

Alterations in the French minijiry. The Ji ate of the Englijb
affairs in the year 1758. Subftdy treaty with the King
of PruJJia. Affairs of Sweden and Ruffia. Scbweidnitz
taken. King of Pruffia enters Moravia and invejls 01-
mutz. Conduh of Count Daun. Attacks the Pruffian
convoy. Siege ofOlmutz raifed. King cf Pruffia marches
into Bohemia.

WHILST the French arms fufFered fuch difgraces
abroad, they endeavoured by an alteration of their
councils at home, to rcftore their credit. Their minifters
had been long the fport of female caprice ; it was their
power of pleafmg a miflrefs who governed their King, that
alone qualified them to fervc their country. Some of the
mod able men were turned out of their cmploy^ments with
difgrace ; others retired from the publick fervice with in-
dignation i a certain low chara^cr had for a long time ap-
peared

lich they had

of their af-
arrival of a
iore Holmes,
idvantageous
unlcatlon be-
le river Ems ;
000 men,.im-
foon as Mr.
y were tranf-
er, he order-
Thefe took
the fon of an
m of money,
fon to his fa-
receiving the
vate property.
:e to the judi-
i confideration
ofity of fpirit,
who hold any

oftbeEngiiJh
ivitb the King
Scbweidnitz
td inve/it 01-
the Pruffian
rujpa marches

fuch difgraces
Jation of their
Iheir minifters
'; it was their
bir King, that
J Some of the
loyments with
Irvicc with in-
llong time ap-
' pcared

1758, Thi History of the War. 51

pcared in all the proceedings of France, both within and
without. Even in their domcftic difputes, and where
fomcthing of a free and manly fpirit appeared, this fpirft
evaporated, and fpent itfelf upon unworthy and defpicable
objefts. Thefe contefts which involved the church, the
law, and the crown, weakened them all ; and the ftate
felt all the ill effefts of difunion of its orders, without fee-
ing an augmentation of power thrown into the fcale of any.
But now taught by their misfortunes and difgraces, they
were obliged to an alteration in their conduct : they were
obliged to call men to the public fervice upon public prin-
ciples ; at a time indeed, when in many refpeCks things
could only be altered not mended ; and wife and able mi-
nifters could do little more by their penetration and public
fpirit, than to fee and lament the ruin, caufed by the want
6f thofe virtues in their predeceflbrs. The duke de Bell6-
ifle, known to'alt Europe for his great abilities, and his
great exploits, was at length placed at the head of the mili-
tary department, as fecrfetary at war.

There appeared in the common^^rints a fpeech, faid to
be made by that nobleman in council ; which, if it be not
authentic, contains at lead fuch fentiments, as would come
not unnaturally from' a French patriot, and one who had
ferrod his king and country with honour during better
times.

** I know, faid he, the ftate of oui" armies. It gives mc
great grief, and no lefs indignation: for befides the real
evil of the diforder in itfelf, the difgrace and infamy
which it reflects on our government, and on the whole
nation, is ftill more to be apprehended. The choice of
officers ought to be made with mature deliberation. I
know but too well to what length the want of difcipline,
pillaging and robbing have been carried on by theomcers
and common men, after the example fet them by their
generals. It mortifies me to think I am a Frenchman ;
my principles are known to be very different from thofe
which arc now followed. I had the fatisfa£lion to retain
the efteem, the fricndfliip and the confideration, of all
the princes, noblemen, and even all the common people
in all parts of Germany where I commanded the king's
forces. They lived there in the niidft of abundance ;
every one was picafed ; it fills my foul with anguifti, to
find that at prcfent the French arc held in execration ;,

li :j *« that

((

«<

((
(t
ii
it
*t
n

((
tt

ft
«

<(
tt
«

52 sr/?^ His^o>Y 0/ /i&<r War. 1758-

that every body is difpirited, and that many officers pub-
lickly fay things that aire criminal and highly punilhaible.
"The evil is fo greft that it demands immediate redrefs.
".lean eafily judge, by what paffes in my own breaft^ of
** what our generals. feel;from the Speeches they muft dai-
ly hear; in Germany^' concerning pur conduct ; which
indeed would lote much to be compared, with that; of Our
allies. I muft particularly complain of the delays and
irregularity of the ports; a fervice which is very ill; prOr
vided for. I am likevvife difple^fed with the negligence
of our generals returning anfwers ; which is a manifeft
breach of their duty. Had I commanded the army, a
thpofaQd things. v^hich are done,: would, not have been
**'.done i and others, ^hich are negk^ed, would hay«
** been executed. l;\^ouldhave muljtiiplied my communi-
**' catioljs; I would hav.e;had ftrong poMfts on the right, oa
the left, and in the c^ptre, lined with troops. I woi^id
have had magazines ip every places T.h.e quiet and -fatis-
faflion of the country (hould have beep equal to their pre-
fent dKTafreflion, at hieing haraHed and plundered ; an<^ we
fhould have been as much beloved, as we are at prefent
**;abhorred. The confequences are too apparent tp, need
" being mentioned. I muft infift on thefe things, becaufe
" late redrefs is better than the continuatioaof the evil.'*

M. de Belleifle being eftabliflied in his office, turned all
his aj;tention to th^ c|Ljre pf the evils, whic^ he lamented ;
^^d exerted all the ^o>ver that remained ;. in, the nation, to
put their army in Germ?iny once more upon a refpefikablc
footing.-. Tne exp^ei|iliv*9.n. into Germany was originally a
nie^fure, as contrary ipthe true interefts of France, as it
pivas-ofjuftice j;n4 equi,(,y ; but having adopted that meafure,
,the coofcjquences whic^ft arofe fcymed to demand that it
^l>ould be purfue4 with vigour. Therefore the connection
with the Eniprefs Q^c^yH was drawn clofer than ever, and
nothing M'as omitted to give a greater ftrcngth, and a better
.order to the arrtiy on the Rhine, But thefe endcavpurs
.which ftraincd all the finews of France, already too much
weakened by the almoft total ruin of feveral eflential bran-
dies of their trade, drew away all the rcfources necelfary
to Cupport their navy. It was then in a fufficiently bad
condition, from a want of feamen and ftorcs; and there
were ro means found, or little attention ufcd, to reftore it:
fo that from a deficiency in the marine, it fecmed to be

equally

((

ry
abi

1758.

y officers pub-
ily puni(h?iib|e.
ediate redrefs.
)wn breaft, of
they muft dai-
iduft ; which
ith that of Our
the delays and
is very ill prOr
the negligence
h is a manifeft
d the army 1 a
kot have been
, would have
my compFiuni-
i the right, on
lops. I WQ\<ld
quiet and fatiso
lal to their pres-
ide red J and we
: are at prefent
pare;it to.iieed
hings, becaufe
i,of the evil.'*
ice, turned all
he lamented ;
the nation, to
a refpe^able
5 originally a
France, as it
that meafure,
mand that it
le connection
lan everi and
and a better
e endcavpurs
ady too much
flential bran-
rces neceffary
fficiently bad
>i and there
to rcftore it :
ecmed to be
equally

1758. '^^^ History of the War. 53

equally imprafticable to feed the war in America, or to
preferve the coaft of France itfelf from infults. Such was
the condition of our enemic;;, at the opening of the cam-
paign of 1758.

As to England, far from being exhaufted by the war, or
difpirlted by our ill fuccefs, our hopes rofe from our difap-
pointments, and our refources feemed to be augmented by
our expences ; with fuch eafe and alacrity were the neceffa-
ry fupplies granted and raifed. Many errors and many
abufes which the war difcovered without making fatal,
were corre6ted. The fpirit of our officers was revived by
fear or by (hame. Our trade was well protected by the
fuperiority, and prudent diftrlbution of our naval force.
The revenue was frugally managed, and the whole ftate
well cemented and bound together in all its parts, by the
uni6n of the adminiftration, by the patriotifm which ani-
mated it, and by the entire confidence which the people
had in the prefiding a' lities and intentions. As France
perf^fted in her attachment to the enemies of his Pruffian
majefty. Great Britain entered into flill clofer engagements
with. that monarch, the luilre of whofe virtues, fetofF by
his late wonderful fucceffes, quite turned our eyes from the
objections which were raifed againfl the confiflency of that
alliance with our interefts. How far it is confiftent with
them, is, I think, a much more difficult point to fettle,
than the .Jherents to either party feem willing to allow.
But it ought to be confidered, that the circumftances of
affairs in the beginning of the war, hardly admitted of any
other choice j it had been the height of madnefs to have
been on ill terms with his PrulTian majefly at that time ;
and it was impofllblc to have kept good terms with him,
without being on very bad ones with Vienna. Things
were in an ill fituation ; and the ballance of Germany was
in danger of being overfet, what party foever fhould pre-
vail. It was impolTible that England could have flood neu-
ter in this conteft : if fhe had, France would not have imi-
tated her moderation ; flie would gladly have joined with
the King of Pruffia to diftrefs Hanover, and reduce Auflria.
Thefc two powers fo exerted, would doubtlefs compafs
their end, unlefs wc intcrpofcd to prevent it; and we mull
fooner or latter have interpofed, unlefs we were rcfolvcd
lamely to fee IVance and her allies giving laws to the conti-
nent. In a word, France would certainly have joined with

. ^ onr

54 'T^e History of tht War. 1758.

one party or the other, and the party which Ihc joined,
would certainly, by that union, prove dangerous to the
common liberty, and muft therefore be oppofed by us ; we
muft have been in fpite of us engaged in the troubles of
Germany, as we ever have been, and ever ihall be, as long
as we are a people of confideration in Europe. The alliance
with Pruflla was pointed out to us by the circumftance of
his a6ling on the defenfive. The King of Pruflia medita-
ted no conquefts. but her Imperial majefty indifputably
aimed at the recovery of Silefia, which was to difturb the
fettled order of things ; and this defign was the only caufe
of the troubles in that part of the world. I am fenfiblc
that this is notwithftanding all that may be faid, a queftion
of fome intricacy, and requires a confideration of many
more particulars, than the brevity of our defign will allow.
But whether we chofe our party in this alliance judicioufly or
not, we have, I imagine, very great reafon to be pleafed
with a meafure, which has induced France to engage fo
deeply in the affairs of Germany, at fo ruinous an expence
of her blood and treafure. Our miniftry was at this time
fully convinced of the prudence of the choice that had been
made, and refolved to fupport his Prufllan majefty, and
the army under prince Ferdinand, in the moft eftedual
manner ; 100,000 1. were voted for the Hanoverian and

Heflian forces ; and a convention between the
Ap. 1 1 . King of Pruffia, and his Britannic majefty, was

figned in London, whereby the King of Great
Britain engages to pay his Pruflian majefty the fum of
670,0001. fterling ; and each of the contrafting powers
engaged to conclude no peace without the participation of
the other. - *>'• " ' ^' ' i>'"-

The northern courts made no alteration in their fyftcm.
In Sweden, fome real plots to difturb the eftabliftied con-
ftitution ended in the ruin of their contrivers ; fome fidti-
tious plots were fet on foot to give a fan6iion to mqafures
againft the crown party, which anfwered their ends | and,
as the ruling power continued the fame, and the internal
diflenfions the fame, the hoftilities againft the King of
Pruftia were refolved with the former animofity, but pro-
miftd to be pyrfucd with the former languor. In Ruffia,
the F.mprefs did npt think her intentions well fecondcd by
her minifters. The great delays, and the unaccountable
ijL'trtat in the laft campaign, gave ground to fufpe^t, that

ftie

re-c(
Sch>
that

1758.

fhc joined,

>us to the

by m ; wc

troubles of

be, as long

he alliance

mftance of

fia medita-

idifputably

lifturb the

only caufe

m fenfiblc

a queflion

I of many

will allow.

liciouflyor

be pleafed

engage fo

n expence

this time

It had been

ijefty, and

: eftedual

erian and

ween the

efty, was

of Great

e fum of

powers

ipation of

|r fyftcm.
"led con-
|me fi6ti-

iqafures
Is I and,

internal
IKing of
|but pro-
RufTia,
jnded by

)untable

|6t, that

(he

,.*

1758. T'be History of the War. 55

fhe had been betrayed by her minifters, or her generals.
M. Apraxin was moved from the command, and was put
under arreft. He juftified his condu£t by exprefs orders
from Count Beftuchef Beftuchef was removed from his
office, and put under arrefl alfo. Count Woronzoff fuc-
ceeded Beftuchef in his employment, and the generals
Brown and Fermor took the command of the army in the
place of Apraxin.

As foon as the feafon permitted the King of PrufTia to
re-commence his operations, he laid fiege to
Schweidnitz, and pufhed it with ^o much vigour, April 3.
that the place furrendered in thirteen days. The
garrifon reduced by ficknefs during the blockade, and by
their lofles during the fiege, from feven to little more than
three thoufand men, yielded themfelves prifoners of war.
By this ftroke, the King of Pruflla left his enemies no foot-
ing in any part of his dominions. His next confidcration
was how to guard againft their future atterhpts, and at the
fame time to make a vigorous attack upon fome part of
the Auftrian territories. His forces were well ftationed
for both thefe purpofes ; for befides the troope which count
Dohna commanded on the fide of Pomerania, a confidera-
ble body was ported between Wohlau and Glogau, in order
to cover Silefia from the fury of the Ruflians, in cafe they
ihould make their inroad that way. An army, in a little
time after was formed in Saxony, commanded by his bro-
ther prince Henry, which confifted of thirty battalions,
and forty-five fquadrons. It was dertined to make head'
againft the army of the Empire, which by amazing efforts
made during the winter, and by the jundion of a large bo-
dy of Auftrians, was now in a condition to aft again. A
ready communication was kept up between all the King of
Pruflla*s armies, by a proper choice of ports.

The King refolved to make Moravia the theatre
of the war this year. Moravia was fre(h grownd ;
a country, as yet untouched by the ravages of war. if he
ihould fucceed in his operations in this country, hii fuc>
cefies by opening to him the neareft road to Vienna, mujl
prove more dccifivc than they could any where clfe. If he
rtiould fail, the Auftrians were at a diftance from the t cntrt
of his affairs, and would find it difficult to improve tluir
advantages to his ruin. After the redu£tion of Schwcid-
niti, the King ordered two bodies of his troops to poll

iJ3

^6 The History of the War. 1758.

themu Ives in fuch a manner, as to make it appear that he
intended to carry the war into Bohemia. Whilfl; he drew
away the enemies attention from the real objefts by thefe
difpofitions, the main of his army, by a very
May 3. rapid march, entered into Moravia in two co-
lumns, and made themfelves mafters, in a fhort
time and with little or no oppofition, of all the pofts necef-
fary to cover the troops to be employed in the fiege of O!-
mutz. On the 27th of May the trenches were opened be-
fore that city.

M. Daun was no fooner apprifed of the King's niarch to-
wards Moravia, than he took his route through Bohemia
tr" that province. Notwithftanding that the Emprefs Queen
omitted no poflible endeavours to aflemble a large army
ti(^;' nil the King of Pruflia, though fhe had for that pur-
pcfe e^haufted the Milanefe and Tufcany, and fwept up
the la( iccruits in her Danubian territories, M. Daun was
not yet in a condition to give the King of PrufliA battle ;
neither did his charader lead him to trufl that to fortune,
which oe might enfure, though more flowly, by condu6l.
This wife general took his ports from Gewics to Littaii, in
a mountainous country, in a fituation where it was impofli-
bie to attack him. He had the fertile country of Bohemia,
from whence he readily and certainly drew fupplies, at his
rear. He was from his pofition at the fame time enabled to
harafs the Pruflian army before Olmutz, and to intercept
the convoys which were brought to them from Silefia.

Olmutz, by the extent of its works, and other advan-
tageous circumftances, is a city which it is very difficult
compleatly to invert. So that fome of the King's ports be-
ing necellarily weakened by occupying fo great an extent ot
country, were attacked by Daun's detachments from time
to time, with fuch fuccefs, that abundant fuccours both
of men and ammunition were thrown into the place. Thefe
attacks were always made by night, and very few nights
parted without fome attack. The fuccefs was various. Bur
the operations of the ficge were greatly dirturbed by thefe
continual alarms. Befidcs it is faid that the Auftrians, be-
fore the King's invafion of this province, had deftroyed all
the forage in the neighbourhood of Olmutz. The horfe
were obliged to forage at a great dirtance, which harafled
them extreamly. M. Daun took advantage of all thefe
» ircumftances. It was in vain that the King of Pruflia

cndea-

175I

end(
vokel
adval
to thl

1758-
)ear that he
ilft he drew
rls by thefe
by a very
in two co-
, in a ihort
polls necef-
fiege of O!-
opened he-
's niarch to-
jh Bohemia
prefs Queen
large army
)r that pur-
d fwept up
. Daun was
ufliJi battle ;
to fortune,
by condud:.
) Littaii, in
ivas impofli-
f Bohemia,
*ies, at his
enabled to
intercept
silefia.
ler advan-
ry difficult
s pods he-
extent ot
from time
ours both
:e. Thefe
iw nights
ions. Bur
d by thefe
rians, be-
royed all
he horfe
harafled
all thefe
f PrufTia
cndea-

■■■;
i

1^58. T/be History of the War. 57

endeavoured by all the arts of a great commander to pro-
voke or entice him to an engagement. He profited of the
advantages he had made, without being tempted by them
to throw out of his hands the fecure game he was play-
ing.

The great objeft of M. Daun was the Prufllan convoys.
On receiving advice that a large and important one was to
leave Troppau on the 25th of June, he took meafurea to
intercept it. He ordered general Jahnus, who was at
Muglitz on the left, to advance towards Bahrn, and a de-
tachment which was at Prerau at a confiderable diftance to
the right, to march to Stadt-Leibe; fo that thefe two
corps fhould on different fides attack the convoy at one and
the fame time. To further the execution of this proje6V,
M. Daun himfelf approached the PrufTian army, and di-
rected all his. motions as if he intended to givf them battle.
However, the King was too great a mafler i th ? game of
generalfhip, which was now playing, to be d.eived by
this feint. He detached a confiderable party under general
Ziethen, to fupport his convoy, which was already about
7000 flrong. Before this detachment could ome up, the
convoy was attacked, but the Auflrians "ere repulfcd. But
M. Daun, who provided for every thingy quickly reinforc-
ed his parties who renewed the engagement the next day.
They firfl fuffered the head of the convoy to go unmolefl-
ed ; but as the centre was flill embarrafTcd in a dangerous
defile, they eafily cut off the head from the reft, and then
they attacked the centre with the greateft fury. The Pruf-
fians made as good a rcfiflance as the nature of the ground
would fulfer. General Ziethen did every thing which
could be expefted from an accompU(hed officer ; but in
the end they were entirely routed ; all the waggons in that
divifion were taken ; the rear was pulhed back towards
Troppau ; the head alone with great difficulty arrived at
the Prullian camp.

This was a fatal flroke, becaufe it came at a time when
it was impofTible to repair it. The fiege of Olmutz had
been all along attended with great difficulties : and now the
news which every day arrived of the nearer and nearer ap-
proach of the Ruffians, called the King loudly to the de-
fence of liis own dominions. Already the CofTacks and
Calmucks made incuifions into Silefia, and by their ravages
jnd crjtltics» announced the approach of the great army.

I The

58 T^he History of the War. 1758.

The fiege muft be raifed ; Moravia muft be abandoned ;
Marftial Daun muft have the honour of freeing his coun-
try, and driving away fuch an adverfary as the King of
Pruflia, from a conqueft deemed certain ; alt \Va» perform-
ed without a battle, by a feries of the moft refined and
vigorous manoeuvres thai ever were put in praftice.

When the King of Prufliafaw that the unprofperous fitu-
ation of his affairs obliged him to retreat; he took a refo-
lution, fuch as a vi6tory infpires in others. He took ad-
vantage even of the excellent moveiifient of M. Daun, by
which that able general had advanced his quarters to Pez-
nitz, and placed himfelf fo as to fupport Olmutz in the
moft effeftual manner ; by this movement, howevftr, hef
was obliged to uncover the frontiers of Bohemia. The
King of Pruflla, whom nothing could cfcape, was fenfible
of this advantage, and therefore, inftead of falling back
upon Silefia, which ftep would immediately have drawn
the Auftriari army into his dominions, he determined to re-
treat from one part of the enemies territories into another.
The day before the fiege was raifed the firing of the Prufli-
ans continued at brifk as ever, and Ihewed no fort of fign
of an intention to depart ; but in the night the
July I. whole armvtook the road to Bohemia in two co-
lumns, anci gained an entire march upon the Auf-
trlans. So that notwithft^nding the utmofl efforts which
the enemy could make to overtake and harafs the King
upon his march, he advanced into Bohemia with little mo-
leftation, feized upon a large magazine at Leutomiflfel, de-
feated fome corps of Auftrians who had attempted to difturb
him in his progrefs, and arrived at Konigfgratz, one of the
Aioft important pods in Bohemia, with all his fick and
wounded, with all his heavy baggage, all his heavy artille-
ry, and military ftores compleat. This place he poffcffed
after driving from it a body of 7000 Auftrians who were
entrenched there. He immediately laid this city and feve-
ral other diftrifts under contribution ; but his plan not ad-
mitting any further operations on that fide, he took no
other advantage from this momentous port. He foon re-
entered Silefia, and marched with the moft amazing dili-
gence to encounter the Ruffians, who had at this time
united their divided corps under Brown and Fermor, and
fixed the long flu6tuating plan of their operations, by en-
tering the New Marche of Brandenburgh and laying fiege

1758-

3andoned ;
; his coun-
e King of
;s pcrform-
^fined and
ice.

>erous fitu-
Dok a refo-
e took ad-
Daun, by
jrs to P6z-
Litz in the
)wevfcr, he
mia. The
vas fenfible
»)Iiifg back
ave drawn
lined to re-
to another.
■ the Prufli-
fort of fign
i night the
I in two co-
m the Auf-
brts which
the King
little mo-
miflfel, de-
to diilurb
one of the
Hck and
vy artiile-
pofTefTed
who were
and feve-
n not ad-
took no
foon re-
zing dtli-
this time
mor, and
by en-
ying ficge
to

1758. 7"/}^ History 0/ tlje War. 5^

to Cuflrin. The reduflion of this place could leave them
but a few days march to Berlin ; Count Dohna was not in
a condition to oppofe their progrefs, the King was ftill at
a. great diftance. But it is neceflary to break our narrative
of his affairs, however interefting, to take a view of the
operations of the armies on the Rhine. We leave the King
of Pruflia in full march, to give one body of his enemies
battle, after executing a retreat from the other, in a man-
ner that did his military genius the greateft honour. So
that on the whole, it is difficult to fay, which gained the
greateft glory, the King of Pruflia by his retreat, or M.
Daun by the meafures which obliged him to it.

C H A P. X.

jfllies pafs the Rhine. Battle of Crevelt. A^ion at
Sangerjhaufen. A^ion at Meer» Allies repajs the
Rhine.

PRINCE Ferdinand had it not in his power tp cqt
off the retreat of the French over the Rhine ; but he
prefled them clofely, and prepared himfelf to crofs that ri-
ver in purfuit of them. His defign was to carry the war
beyond the Maefe, and thereby oblige the prince de Sou-
bife to abandon the enterprife he was preparing againft
Hefle CafTel. His Highnefs executed the pauage
of the Rhine at Herven with the corps immedi- June i.
ately under his command ; then he fent the bridge
with which he ferved himfelf fo well up the river to Rces,;
the reft of the troops pafled there ; the whole army were
over before the 7th of June. The flattery of the laft age
faw with aftoniflimcnt a paflage of the Rhme by a French
monarch, unoppofcd, at the head of a mighty army. We
faw that river pafled by the enemies of France, in the pre-
fence of an army of 50,000 of that nation ; it was an
aftion which did not need the exaggerations of rhctpv^
rick.

The French army retired as the prince advanced, and
took an advantageous camp which threatened to retard the
operations of the allies; their right was under Rhcinberg;
hut the prince by hib well judged motions turned their left
flank towards the convent of Campe, by which the French
found themfelves obliged to quit their advantageous poft,

I 1 and

€6

The History of the War. 1758.

the

and to retire into Meurs : they ftill kept towards
Rhine : the prince advanced on the fide of the Maefe.

It was evident, that whilft the French continued only to
retire, it would prove impodfible for them to hinder the
.lilies from executing the plan they propofed : they there-
fore thought it advifeable to change their countenance.
They had failed back as far as Nuys ; they now returned
on their lleps, and advanced as far as Crevelt, within a
few miles of prince Ferdinand's camp. The prince made
the difpofitions for a battle, with his ufual vigour and pru-
dence. He carefully reconnoitred the fituation of the ene-
my. He found that their right was at a village called
Vifchelon ; their left extended towards Anrath, where it
was covered with a wood : Crevelt, which was in the
front of their right, was occupied by a party of their
troops. His highnefs refolved upon three attacks : the
firft and real attack was on the flank of the enemies left
wing ; the other two were defigned to divert their atten-
tion, and prevent their fuccouring the objeft of his prin-
cipal attack ; for which purpofe he recommended to bis
generals to make the beft ufe of their heavy artillery, and
not to advance too far unlefs they were perfeflly affured of
the fuccefs of the main operation.

Having made thefe wife difpofitions, and perfeftly learn-^
ed the beft routes by which the enemy might be
June 23. approached, his highnefs put himfelf at the head
of the grenadiers of his right wing, and advanced
on the fide of Anrath in two columns. A cannonading vi-
olent and well fupported opened the a£tion : the Hanove-
rian artillery was greatly fuperior to that of the French ;
but though the French loft many men, they loft no ground
in this way, and their pofition in the wood made a clofe at-
tack abfolutely ncceffary : the hereditary prince of Brun-
fwick put himfelf at the head oF'the firft line of foot, and
with his ufual fpirit, advanced with the whole front direct-
ly to the wood. Here a furious fire of fmall arms com-
menced, which continued without the finalieft intermifli-
on for two hours and an half. All the Hanoverian battali-
ons threw themfelves into the wood : two ditches well lined
with infantry were oppofed to their fury : they were forced
one after another : the enemies battalions were pufiicd
back, they were entirely broken, and fled out of the wood
in a diforder which was irreparable : their cavalry, who

kept

jy^S. ^hf History of the War. 6i

kept the beft countenance poflible, in fpite of the terrible
fire of the Hanovorian artillery, and in fpite of the vigorous
attempts of the Hanoverian horfe, who had by this time
found means to gain the plain, covered the retreat of their
fcattered infantry, and faved them from utter ruin : the
right wing and the centre, though they fuflfered grievoufly
by the canno.iading, were no where broken, but retreated
towards Nuys in the moft perfefl order.

Seven thoufand of their beft troops were killed, wound-
ed, and taken prifoners ; but there was nothing in this bat-
tle fo grievous to France, and fo affefting even to the ene-
my, as the fate of the count de Gifors. This young noble-
man, the only fon of the duke de Belleifle, not above
twenty-five years of age, newly married to the heirefs of
an illuftrious houfe ; himfelf the lafl: hope of a mod noble
family, w?s mortally wounded at the head of his regiment,
which he brought up with the mod heroic courage, and
infpired by his example to make incredible efforts. He
had been educated with all the care an excellent father
could beftow on a fon of an uncommon genius, who was
alone able to fupport the reputation of his family. To the
purefl: morals he had united the politcfl: manners; he had
made a great proficiency in learning ; he knew many
branches of it, and loved all ; he had feen every part of
Europe, and read courts and nations with a difcerning
eye ; and wanted nothing to fulfil all hope, and to make
him a perfcft and lading ornament artd fupport to hiscoun*
try, but a knowledge in the military art ; he entered that
courfe of glory and danger, and fell in his firft campaign.
The unhappy father and minidcr fa w his private misfortunes
keep pace with the public calamities, and the tears of his
family mingled witii thofe of his country.

Prince Ferdinand gained a vidory at Crevelt, which did
the greatefl; honour to his military capacity, and to the
bravery of his troops. Rut it was a victory neither entire
nor decifive : the French army on their own frontiers was
quickly and drongly reinforced; fo that they were not on-
1} in a condition in fome fort to make head againft the allies,
but were enabled to detach a confulerable reinforcement to
the army of tl e prince de Soubife on the other fide of the
Uliinc.

Although the prince had reafon to imagine that he lliould
pot be able to keep his ground on this fide oftlic Riiine for

any

62 The History of tbc War. 1758.

any confiderable time, this did not hinder him from im-
proving to the utmoft, the advantage he had obtained.
Whilft the French, difabled by their late defeat, were in
no condition to oppofe him, he pafled the Rhine with a
lage detachment, and appeared on the 28th of June before
Dufleldorp, a city advantageoufly fituated on the river, and
belonging to the Ele6lor Palatine. A fevere bombardment
obliged it to capitulate on the 7th of July : the garrifon,
confifting of 2000 men, marched out with the honours of
war. Prince Ferdinand placed here three battalions of
Hanoverians, and threw a bridge of boats acrofs the river ;
by that means he multiplied his ports and communications
on both fides of the Rhine ; a;id threw a new and no fmall
impediment in the way of the French, to retard their pro-
grcfs, in cafe he (houkl find liimlclf compelled to retire.
After this, the army of the allies and that of France, fpcnt
fcvcr;ii days in making various marches and countermarches,
as ifthry both propofcd to bring on an a6lion, to which,
however, it does not appear, that either party was very
ftrongly inclined.

Prince Ferdinand ftill retained his hopes that the prince
of Yfenburg, who comii^anded the Heflian troopsj would
find the prince of Soubife employment for fome time. He
had originally laid his plan in luch a manner, that by pafling
the Maefc, and transferring the feat of war into the enemies
country, he might draw the French from the Rhine, and
.perhaps oblige the piincc of Soubife to come to the afllf-
tance of the main aimy under M. dc Contades, who com-
manded in the room of count Clermont, being now the
fourth commander oF the French troops fincc they entered
Germany. Rut whilll prince Ferdinand pleafed himfelf
with thofe hopes, and (lill continued to aft as far as circum-
■Jlanccs would admit, in purfuance of this plan, he received
an account wliicli d'fconccrtcd all his meafures.

The duke dc Ercf^lio, fupportcd by the corps of the prince
dc Soubife, witli a much fupcrior force, attacked
July 23. and defeated the Hcifian army of fcven thoufand
men nea.' Sant^erihaufen : this opened to them
the poffeffion of the Wcfcr ; they might a6i in Weftphalia,
on which fide focver they pleafed, and it was to be feared,
that if they availed themfeives of the advantages they had,
tliey might be able to intercept the Britifli troops. Thefc
troops having been landed at Enibdcn, were now on their

march

,5-

1 7 51

marfl

reinfl

aflPail

Freifl

\ A

was 1

ctinel

mairl

and m

atiorl
repal
led m

heavj

""tI

not e

''i

ablef

upon
allies

17^8. ^^^ History of tbe War. 65

march under the command of the duke of Marlborough to
reinforce the allied army. The prince in this fituation of
affairs* had no option left but an engagement with the
French army, or a retreat over the Rhine : the former
was not eafy to compafs, as the French induftrioufly de-
clined a battle, ^ nd it became extremely dangerous to re-
main long in a pofition with the enemies army on his left,
and the ftfong fortrefs of Gueldrc on his right. In this fitu-
ation his fubfiftence became every day more difficult. To
repafs the Rhine, had its rfifliculties too ; the roads which
led to that river were rendered almoi^ impaflable by the
heavy rains ; the river itfelf was fo fwelled with them, that
the bridge at Rees had been for forr.e time ufelefs.

Thefe difagreeable circumftances of the allied army did
not efcape the penetration of Monf. de Chevert, one 0/ the
ablell commanders among the French. He formed .1 plan
upon them, which, if it hfid fucceeded, muft have put the
allies into the greateft perplexity. This general had Ibme
time before paiVed the Rhine, with an intention of making
blm{t .. nailer of Dufllldorp, and he a:A prepared all things
with gicat ability for that enterprife ; the rains ufually hea-
vy for that feafon, and fome other crofs accidents, had
fruftrated his intentions. But perceiving that the fame ac-
cidents which defeated his defign proved alfo unfavourable
to the enemy, he refolved to turn his difappointment intt»
an advantage, and from the ruins of his firft projed to
build another of yet greater importance. Baron Imhoff was
pofted to the right of the Rhine in a ftrong fituation near
Mcer. He was to cover the bridge at Recs ; to f "icure a
confiderable magazine; and to keep open communication
between the Englifh reinforcements and the main army.
The plan of Monf. Chevert was to diflodge Imhofl", to
burn the bridge at Rees, to make himfelf mafter of the
majjazine, and to r'^nder the junftion of the Engliih troops
with the Hanoverians impraflicable. To execute this ju-
dicious fcherne, he united fevcral detachments from the
garrifon of Wefel, to a confiderable corps which ho intenil-
ed to have employed in the fiege of Dufleldorp. The
whole made near 12,000 men: the troops under Imliorf
were but fix battalions, and four fquadroni., hardly 3000
in all.

When that general was apprifed of the t'llffigns and moti-
ons of the French, he Taw it was in vftin loex|)«.'^t luccoiui^

■iii

li!

'-'^■Hwf '/

IB;

64 'T/je History of ibe War. '758.

from the army of prince Ferdinand : the fwell of the river
had rendered all relief impoflible ; all his hopes were there-
fore in his own genius and the bravery of his troops. He
confidered that though the pod he occupied was fufficient-
ly (Irong, the enemy might make themfelves mafters of
Rees, by turning his camp, and thus execute one of the
principal parts of their defign; he confidered the great
difference between attacking and being attacked ; he con-
(idereo the effefl of an attempt altogether unexpeded by
the enemy ; he therefore took the rcfolution of abandoning
his pod, and goingoutto meet them. Perceiving that the
French were marching into difficult ground, he did not

lofe a moment to begin the a£tion. He ordered
April 5. a fmall party, which he had ported in a little

coppice, to fall upon the enemies left, which he
obferved to be uncovered ; and appointed the fire of this
party, as a fignal for all the reft to advance, and make the
onfet with bayonets fixed. The French thus vigoroufly
and unexpefledly attacked, fell into confufion ; their cou-
rage ill feconded the wifdom of their general ; they did not
ftand half an hour; they left on the field of battle, eleven
pieces of cannon, many prifoners, and much baggage to
the Hanoverians, who drove them under the cannon ot
Wcfel. ^ .;

This fignal advantage over fuch a prodigious fuperiority
was not more gallantly obtained, than well purfued and im-
proved. Imhoff law that the rains had increafed to fuch a
degree, ab to leave no hopes for the allied army to pafs by
the bridge of Rces. Having taken proper care of his ma-
gazines, he quitted his poft at Meer, and being reinforced
by fonic parties, who paffed the river in boats, he march-
ed with the utmoll diligence towards the route of the En-
glifti forces, and happily cffcftcd a jundion, which had hi-
therto been attended with fo many difficulties.

Prince Ferdinand in his retreat met whh no obftruclioii,
but jull: what was fufficicnt to difplay more fully tlic gal
lantry of his officers, and the fpirit of his troops. Atuwn
called Wachtcndonc k was on his left, as he retreated ; thi>
place, tiunigh not fortified, i-i a poft of much importance,
and being an inland furroundcd by the river Nicrs, is ex-
tremely dilTiciilt of nccefs : the French had thrown a bodv
of troops into this place. The hereditary prince, the firll.
in every a^ive fervica, was employed to force it. The

brill }/f

exai

cannon oi

1758. Tl&f History o//y&f War. 65

bridge on his approach had been drawn up. The prince fee-
ing that if he attempted to get down this bridge, the ene-
my would gain time to recolleft themfeives, threw himfelf
into the river ; his grenadiers, animated bv fo gallant an
example, plunged in after him, and furioufly attacking the
enemy 'vith their bayonets, in a few minutes drove them
from that poft : this advantage, joined to that gained by
general ImhofF, and the uncommon refolution which ap-
peared in both thefe aftions, awed the French. They
found that their troops, raw, undifciplined, and little fit for
hard fervice, were not to be relied upon ; and they feared
to bring on an aftion, which by being decifive againft them
might draw on the moft fata! confequences. So that the
prince repafled the Rhine in a moft excellent order, even
with let's trouble than he had at firft paflfed it ; and indeed
with little moleftation, but what he met with from the
weather. Such excefllve rains had fallen, that he in vain
attempted a paflage at Rhineberg or at his bridge .
of Rees ; he effected it a little lower at a place ^f' ^'
called Griethuyfen. ^^"^ ^°'

Although prince Ferdinand was obliged to pafs the
Rhine, and to aft more upon the defenfive for the future ;
yet his vigorous conduct in the beginning was very glorious
to him, and very advantageous to the common cauie. The
French fuffered greatly in their military reputation ; the
Hanoverians had gained a fuperiority over them, and now
fo much of the campaign was wafted, that notwithftanding
the greatnefs of their numbers, it was not probable that
they would find themfeives able to m.ike any confiderable
progrefs in their defigns againft the King's ele£loral domi-
nions for this year. The advantage gained by Broglio and
Soubile was not attended with the consequences, which
might hjive been apprehended. Prince Yfcnburg kept fo
good a countenance in a ftrong poft he had chofen, that
the French did not choofe to attack him again ; and fince
prince Ferdinand had repalTed lh« Rhine, he might always
be well fopportcd.

.«f

* « tffll A**?*

^ht History of the War.
CHAP, XL

1750,

■Saxony, and

tnji.

y!^l

Retreat from Bohemia. Meafures of C =
of Cujirin. King of Prujlia murda
joins Prince Henry.

BY the retreat of the Prumans from Moravia, the war
had aflumed a new face. The generals who conduc-
ed it had changed hands. The King of PruiCa was obliged
to aO: upon the defenfive ; M. Daun was now in a condition
of difplaying his talents in an offenfive war. I'he affairs of
the King ofPruflia were fcarce ever in a mc- critical fitu-
ation than at that time. The RuflTians feenr.ed at firft dif-
pofed to enter into Silefia ; but now they had united their
fevcral disjointed corps, penetrated into the New Marche
of Brandenburgh, and having commenced the fiege of Cuf-
trin, a place that threatened them with no great oppofition,
they were arrived within a few days march of Berlin.
Count Dohna ported with a greatly inferior force at Frank-
fort on the Oder, watched without being able to obflruft
their progrefs. In Ponierania, the Generals Weedel and
Manteufel oppofed almofl the fame ineffectual efforts to the
arms of Sweden. The army of the Empire, and a confi-
derable body of Auftrians under General Haddick, advanced
into Saxony, and pofTefTing themfelves by degrees of ihofe
llrong pods, which compofe the frontiers of Mifnia, they
continually flreightened the quarters of prince Henry. That
prince was flrongly encamped at Dippoifwalde, with about
20,000 men, in order to cover Drefdf^n, and command the
courfe of the Elbe. Thus circuniftanctdv the King could
not find his account in remaining long in Bohemia, where
it was inipoflible (0 effc£t any thing dccifive. Every thing
depended upo: fui being able to drive the Ruffians out of
his icrritories, ^^'il j with a mighty force ruined every place
they arrived at, and fecmed not only to make war againfl
him, but againfl human nature itfelf.

M. Daun was foon apprifed of the King of PrufTia's in-
tentions : but he confidered that if he was to purfue the
King into Silefia, he mufl encounter with difficulties almoft
infuperable j feveral ftrong places flood in his way, and it
would proVe cafy for the Prufllan troops left for the defence
of that dutchy, to take an advantageous camp under one of
thoic places, and thus oblige them to wafte unprofitably the

time,

derai

175^.

Saxony, and

ivia, the war

i^ho condu^-

a was obliged

in a condition

i'he affairs of

' critical fitu-

d at firft dif-

i united their

>Iew Marche

fiege of Cuf-

atoppofition,

h of Berlin.

xe at Frank-

: to obftruft

Weedel and

efforts to the

and a confi-

k, advanced

rees of thofe

Vlifnia, they

enry. That

with about

jmmand the

King could

mia, where

Every thing

flians out ot

every place

war againd

PrufTia's in-

purfue the

Ities almoft

ay, and it

he defence

dcr one of

fitably the

time,

175?. T/bf History of ihe War. 6j

time, whicii n*ight be employed in the executioii of more
judicious projects. Befides that in this manne.- of proceed-
ing he could never zGt in concert, nor p-c/e rve '.ny eflfe«'*.Urt!
communication tvith the feverai bodies of his '.vAi^i. "To
pufh forw;. -d with his whole force direflly to Berlin, could
at befl be regarded as a coup de main, which could prove
nothing decifive in the campaign, even fuppofing the proje£l
ihould fucc^ed ; but it was rather probable that it would
not fucceed, as the King of Pruffia might clear his hands of
the RuiTians before the army of M. Daun could, for want
of fubfiftance arrive in the Lower Lufatia. Ever) confi-
deration therefore pointed out the relief of Saxony as the
great objtft of tap Auftrian operations. It was an objeft
apparently to be compafFed with greater eafe, and if com-
pafTed, produ£Uve of more folid advantages than any other.
The army of the Empire already fuperior to that of prince
Henry could co-operate in the defign, and the recovery of
Saxony once effefted, the King of PrufTia would fee himfelf
entirely divefled of one of the principal refources he had to
rely upon in the war, for money, provifions, and forage ;
whilfl his hereditary dominions ftripped of this (Irong bar-
rier defencelefs in themfelves, and affaulted on three fides
by powerful armies, could fcarce find them employment to
the end of the campaign.

M. Daun having refolved upon his plan of operations fuf-
fered the King of Pruflia to continue his march towards the
Ruffians, without any moleflation : he contented himfelf
with leaving a confiderable body of troops under the Gene-
rals Harfch, and de Villi , on the fouthern frontiers of Sile-
fia, in order to form fome enterprife on that fide, which
might draw the aUentlon and forces of the PrufHans as far
as polTible from the great obje£t of his operations. When
he had made thefe difpofitions he marched towards Saxony^
through the country of Lufatia, by Zittau, Gorlitz, and
Baut/.en. His firft project was bold. He propofed to crofs
the Elbe at Meiffen ; by which the communication between
Drefden and Leipfic would be cut off at one ftroke. Then
he propofed to attack prince Henry in his camp at Scidlitz,
whilft the army of the Empire fell upon him in another quar-r
ter. Thus the Prince was to be pur between two fires, and
his retreat into DrcTden to be rendered imprafticablc; bul
upon mature conHdcratio?!, this projcft was laid afide. M.
Daun rcfledcd that the fortrcfs of Sonncftein, of which he

K 2 Mft^^

1 :■

■ ' \ i

i fk ' 1

;t'i!-' 1

5:) ■

»,^f :'!l

68 STy&tf History of the War. 1758.

was not yet in pofleiTion, would prove no fmall
Sepf. 3. impediment to his defigns. He confidered that
(he pofition of prince Henry oppoiite to the army
of the Empire was too advantageous, to make an attack upon
him adviPe^ble : and unlefs the prince could be induced to
attack the Imperialids firft, a point not to be expe£ked iitf
his circum dances, he might always find it eafy to throw
himfelf into Drefden, and by proper motions to preferve a
free commlinication with the King. M. Daun was obliged
to renounce his firft design, but he was left at fiill liberty
to form and to execute fuch other plans for the relief oif
Saxony as his prudence could fuggeft.

About that time the Imperial court elated with their re*
cent fuccefs, began to (hew with what moderation they
were likely to behave if it continued and increafed. They
entirely threw off all the little appearance of rcfpeft they
had hitherto retained for the King of Great Britain, an«
feveral others of the mod rcfpe£table princes and perfons
of the Empire. They made the abufe of their authority go
hand in hand with the fuccefs of their arms. On the 21ft
of Auguft a Conclufum of the Aulic council was ifTued againil
the King of Great Britain, as Etedor of Hanover, againfl
the Landgrave of Hefle-Caflel, againft Prince Ferdinand of
Brunfwick, the Count of Lippe Buckebourg, and in general
againd all the adherents to the King of PruiTia, threatening
them with penalties in dignity, perfon and edate. In con-
fequence of this •''icree, letters avocatory were iflued, noti-
fying to the fovcreign princes, that if they did not within
a limited time difperfe their armies, break off their con-
nexion with the King of PruflTia, pay their quota of Roman
months, and fend their contingents to the army of execution,
they were |o be put under the ban of the Empire. To all
other perfons who held any dignity in the Empir*!, orders
were given and penalties were threatened fuitable to their
condition. They in fhort went all lengths, but that of
aftually and formally putting them under the ban, which
they ^vould not have failed to do, if their fuccefs had sxn-
fwercd its beginnings. So little regard had the court of
Vienna to former fervices of the mod intereding nature ;
and fo entirely did flie fecm to forget that flic owed to the
Mng of Great Britain, not only that power which (he
n iv unjulHy and ungratefiillv turned againd him, but ai-
med the \Hiy bung qt the hoqfe of Audria. So entirely

di4

■4.

mial

for

Th«

.**■

1758- '^^^ History of the War. €g

did (he forget that this Monarch had expended his trcafures,
employed his armies, and even expofed his perfon in her
caufe, when it was not only abandoned, but attacked by
almoft all the reft of Europe. However, the violent pro-
ceedings of the Aulic council, drew no one State or perfon
from the Kings of Great Britain and PruflTia ; they rather
had a contrary efFe£t, ir roufing the whole Evangelic body
to a fenfe of their own danger. Much lefs were they able
to ftop the progrefs of the allied arms.

The King of Pruflia condufied his retreat out of Bohe-
mia in admirable order. The Generals Jahnus and I.audohn
for feveral days hung upon his rear with two ftrong bodies.
They tooK advantageous pofts, fometimes on one fide, fome-
times on the other, fometimes together, fometimes fcpa-
rately, and threw all poflible impediments in his way. But
the vigour of the PrufTians drove them with lofs from every
poft. So that by the 6th of Auguft, they were obliged
entirely to defift from their purfuit. The King of Pruflia
freed from all moleftation, marched with the utmoft diligence
by Wifoca, Politz, Landfliut, and arrived on the 20th at
Franckfort on the Oder. Here he joined the troops under
Count Dohna. The array was now in a condi-
tion to aft, and they did not lofe a moment's time Sept. 2 2d.
to march againft the enemy. All their vigour and
expedition was not more than neccflary. The Rufllans had
befieged Cuftrin from the 15th. Though tliefc people
fcarccly emerged from baibarifm, had not the moft perfcft
fkill in operations of this nature, they fupplied th.it deficien-
cy by a ierofity that fcruplcd nothing, by numbers whofc
lives they did not regard, and by a moft formidable artillery,
which rudely but furioufly managed, only fpread the more
general find indifcriminate dcftruttion. In cffeft, they
threw fuch a multitude of bombs and red hot balls into that
unfortunate city, that in a fhort time it was on fire in every
quarter. Of the wretched inhabitants fomc were burned,
fome buried in the ruins, feme killed by the balls that fell
like hail in the llrccts: the furviving majority fafe neither
within nor without their houfcs, abandoned their homes
and their fubftancc, and fled, many of them ..imoft naked,
out of the fide which was not inverted. Never was beheld
a more deplorable fpeOatle; nor was it cafy to fay which
tornitd the more wretched appearance, thofe who perilhed,
or jhofc v/ho clcapcd, Mean while the Governor, firgi in

hi>

■h

I-;. .

t "

7© 7'be History of tbe War. 175^.

his courage and fidelity, did every thing for the defence of
the walls and ruins of the place ; but the walls built in the
old manner did not promifea fuccefsful defence; the enemy
had pofled themfelves in the fuburbs, and in the firing
of the town, the principal magazine of the befleged was
blown up.

The protev^or and avenger of his dominions, was now
however at hand. On the 23d, the King of Pruflia's whole
army pafled the Oder at Gluftebiffel, about twenty Englifh
miles to the north-eaft of Cuftrin. The Ruffians on the
firft notice of his approach, broke up the fiege of that place,
and marched towards the villages of Zwicker and Z<3rn-
dorff. It was the King*s intention to wind round the left
flank of their army, and to take them in the rear, by which
he hoped to throw them into confufion. But in this he
found himfelf difappointed. The Ruffian Generals had
forefeen his purpofe and made excellent difpofitions. As
thp ground did not admit them to extend greatly in length,
they threw themfelves into a fquare body compofed of four
lines, forming a front almoft equal on every fide, and on
every fide furrounded by cannon and chevaux de frize. In
this formidable difpofition they waited the attack of the
PrufTians.

It was on the 25th of Augufl that the King of PrufHa,
after a march of 56 days, from the midft of Moravia,
brought his army in prefencc'of the Ruffians. The King
had never been perfonally engaged with that enemy before.
His troops had never obtained any advantage over them.
The whole fortune of the war depended upon the event of
this day. The Prufllans were now in the clofeft fenfc to
fight for their country, which was ready to fall under one
of the feverefl fcourges with which Providence has chaflifcd
a nation. Nothing was wanting which could infpire the
foldiers with revenge. Every where the marks of the
enemies cruelty were Ncfore their eyes ; the country defo-
lated-on every fide, and the villages in flames all round the
field of battle.

At nine o'clock in the morning the battle began by a fire
of cannon and mortars which rained on the right wing of
the Ruflians without the leaft intcrmiffion for near two
hours. Nothing could exceed the havock made by this
terrible fire, nor the conilancy with which the Mufcovitc
foot, raw and unexperienced, fuflaincd a (laughter that

, would

1758.

the defence of
ills built in the
ice; the enemy
1 in the firing
e befieged was

ons, was now
Pruflia's whole
twenty Englifh
uflians on the
e of that place,
ker and Zorn-

round the left
rear, by which

But in this he

Generals had
fpofitions. As
eatly in length,
mpofed of four
Y fide, and on
X de frize. In

attack of the

ing of Prufiia,

t of Moravia,

s. The King

enemy before.

50 over them.

the event of

left fenfc to

all under one

has chaftifed

\ infpire the

marks of the

country defo-

all round the

egan by a fire
right wing of
or near two
ade by this
le Mufcovite
lughter that
would

i«758, The History of the War. 71

would have confounded and difperfed the compleated vete-
rans. They fell in their ranks ; new regiments ftill prefTed
forward to fill their places, and to fupply new flaughter.
When the firft line had fired away all their charges, they
rulhed forward on the Prufllans. That firm body of the
Pruflian infantry which had often (lood, and often given fo
many terrible (hocks, by one of thofe unaccountable move-
ments of the human mind, that render every thing in war
fo precarious, gave way in the prefence of their Sovereign,
and when they had in a manner fecured the victory, retired
in difordei' before the half broken battalions of the Mufco-
vites. Had the Rufliao officers known how to profit of this
diforder ; had they immediately thrown in their horfe with
vigour to compleat it, and entirely break that body ; this
had probably been the laft day of the Pruffian greatnefs.
The King was not fo negligent. For juft in this anxious
moment, whilft the battle was yet in fufpenfe, by a very
rapid and mafterly motion, he brought all the cavalry of his
right to the centre, with which General Sedlitz at their
head, burfting in upon the Ruflian foot, uncovered by their
horfe, and difordered even by their advantage, they pu(hed
them back, with a moft miferable flaughter. The repulfcd
battalions of Pruflia had time to recollect, and to form
themfelves ; and now returning to the onfet with a rage
exafperated by their late dilgrace, they entirely turned the
ballancc of the fight. The RuiTians were thrown into the
moft horrid confufion. The wind blew the duft and fmoke
full in their faces. They no longer diftinguiflied friends or
enemies. They fired upon each other. In this diftradion
they plundered their own baggage which ftood between the
lines, and intoxicated themfelves with brandy. Orders
were now no more heard or obeyed. The ranks fell in
upon one another; and being crammed to5ether in a narrow
fpace, every Ihot difcharged by the Prufllans had its full
effe6t ; whilft the Rufllans kept up only a fcattered fire,
without dire^ion or effe£t, and quite over the heads of their
enemies. It was now no longer battle, but a horrid and
undiftinguifhed carnage. Yet ftill, (which is a wonderful
circumftance) the Rullians thus diftraded and flaughtcred,
kept their ground. The adion continued without inter-
n^-'fllon from nine in the morning until fevcn at night. At
laft the night itfclf, the fatigue of the PBuiHans, and a judi-
cious attack on their right wing, which drew their attention

The History of the War.

1758-

1758

on that fide, gave the Ruffian arni^ fome refpite to recover
their order, and an opportunity of retiring a little from the
fcene of their difafter. On their fide near 10,000 fell upon
the fpot; they had more than 10,000 wounded, mod of them
mortally ; 939 officers, not including the inferior, were
killed, wounded, and taken prifoners ; of two particular re-
giments confiding before the battle of 4595 effeftive men,
only 1475 were left; their whole lofs on this bloody day
was 21,529 men. That of the Pruffians in every way did
not amount to 2000.

The Gazettes of both parties warmly difpuced the vain
honour of the field of battle. On the moll diligent en-
quiry, it appears that both parties fpent the night on or very
near the place of a£tion. But this is an affair of little con-
fequence. The Prufllans had all the fruits, and mod of the
proofs of a viftory the mod complete and decifive. A vad
train of artillery taken, the military ched, a number of
prifoners, many of them officers of high rank ; the retreat
of the Ruffian army, the next and the following days ; their
General Fermor*s requed for leave to bury the dead ; their
incapacity 10 advance or form any new enterprize; the King
of Pruffia's unmoleded operations againd his other enemies ;
all thefe form the mod clear and certain demondration of a
victory in all the points, for which a vidory is defirable.

Nothing lefs indeed, than a very compkat viflory could
have done any eflential fervice to the King^s aflEairs at that
time, when four armies of his enemies were making their
way to one common centre, and threatened to unite in the
heart of Brandenburg. The King renewed the attack on
the Ruffians the next morning. The event of tRc lad day
had dievved them, that there was no way of fafety but in a
retreat, and m effeft they retreated before the PrufTans a'^
far as Landfperg on the frontiers of Poland. The King ot
Pruffia was convinced that their late check mud wholly dll-
ablc them from attempting any thing material againd his
dominions on that fide; and he faw clearly that whatever
he might hope to gain by improving his advantage againd
the Ruffians, he mud lofe far more by allowing his other
enemies to mak^ « progrefh on the fide of Saxony. He
fatisfird himfclf therefore, with leaving a fmall body of
trtsops undei Count Dohna, to obfcrve the motions of the
^Mufcovite army ; And marched witbithl;^reated^art of his

I
%

jSS

1758-

e to recover
tie from the

00 fell upon
iioft ofthem
erior, were
articular re-
Fcftive men,

1 bloody day
ery way did

ted the vain
diligent en-
t on or very
>f little con-
moft of the
ve. A vail
number of
the retreat
days ; their
dead ; their
i-y the King
er enemies;
[iration of a
irable.
ory could
rs at that
aking their
ite in the
attack on
e laft day
y but in a
rufTans a-^
le King ot
w^holly dil-
jainft his
whatever
ge againil
his other
ony. He
body of
ns of the
)art of his
fd^»

iy^8. The History of th War. 73

forces and the utmoft expedition to the relief of prince
Henry.

M. Daun having laid afide his firft proje£t for pafling the
Elbe at MeifTen, enterprifed nothing new on the fide of
Saxony for fome days ; he contented himfelf with taking a
pofition at Stolpen to the Eaftward of the Elbe, by which,
whilft he preferved to himfelf an eafy communication with
the army of the Empire, he interrupted the communica-
tion between Bautzen and Drefden ; he favoured the opera-
tions of General Laudohn, who had advanced through the
Lower Lufatia to the confines of Brandenburgh ; and by
drawing the attention of the Pruflian forces which were
left in Silefia to the northward of that dutchy, he facilitated
the progrefs of the Generals Harach and de Ville in the
fouthern parts. Admirable difpofitions without queftion,
if the time had not called for more vigorous meafures, and
if the refcue of Saxony from the King of Pruflia had not
been the great obje6t of the campaign ! It is not impoflible
that the court of Vienna had ftill fuch an hankering after
Silefia, as induced them to flacken their efforts on the fide
of Saxony, in hopes, that if M. Daun could protrafk the
operations there, fo as to find full employment for the King
of Pruflia, their other forces might reduce Silefia with great
facility ; and thus perhaps by aiming at two fuch difficult
objefts at once, as it generally happens, they loft them both.
Upon any other fuppofition, it is not very eafy to account
for the feeming inactivity of M. Daun, whilft he had fo
fair a game in his hands. However advantageoufly prince
Henry might have chofen his port, or however ftrongly he
might have fecured it, yet, the prodigious fuperiority of the
combined armies feems to have more than over-balanced
that advantage, and to have juftified, nay, to have demand-
ed fome bold and dccifive attempt.

In fa6t, this appeared at length to be the- Marfhal's own
opinion. For when the ftrong fortrefs of Sonneftein moft
unaccauntably furrendered, with a girrifon of 1400 men, to
the Auftrian General Mac-Guirc after the refift- *
ance of no more than a fingl' day ; M. Daun pro- Sept. <•
pofed that the prince of Deux-Ponts ftiould attack
Prince Henry, whilft the grand army of the Auftrians laying
bridges between two fires, at a fmall diftance from each
ether, ftiould pals the Elbe, and falling at the fame
tfnif on the Pruflians, fecond the attack of the Im- Sept. 10.
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74 'J'be liiSTOVi\ of the War. 1758.

towards Drefden. This was to bring matters to a fpeedy
decifion. But now the King of Pruflia by the mod rapid
marches had reached the frontiers of Saxony. The whole
defign was difconctrted ; and far from being able to diflodge
prince Henry, they found themfelves utterly unable to pre-
vent the King his brother from joining him, with
Sept. II. his whole army. On his approach General
Laudohn abandoned his advantages in the Lower
Lufatia, and fell back upon M. Daun ; who himfetf retired
from the neighbourhood of Drefden and fell back as far as
Zittau. The army of the Empire poHefled of the ftrong
port of Pirna, which the Saxons had occupied in the begin-
ning of the war, kept their ground ; but did not undertake
any thing. Thus in fifteen days the King of Pruflia, by
his unparallelled fpirit, diligence, and magnanimity, fought,
and defeated a fuperior body of his enemies, in one extre-
mity of his dominions, and baffled without fighting another
fuperior body in the other extremity. ,..,■■.

Thefe advantages, glorious as they were, were not the
only ones which followed the victory at Zorndorf. The
Swedes who dire£led their motions by thofe of their Ruffian
aUies, haflened their operations when ^hat army had ad •
vanced into Brandenburgh. General Wedel was detached
from Saxony, to flop their progrefs ; and the prince of Se-
vern, now Governor of Stettin, gave them fome oppofition.
All this, however, had proved inefFe&ual, if the news of
the defeat of the Ruffians had not alarmed the Swedes in
fuch R manner, as to make them return with more expedi-
tion ihan they had advanced. Tho' the King of Pruffia's
affairs began to put on a better appearance by thefe efforts,
the fortune of the war flill hung in a very dubious fcale.
The enemy was flill fuperior. 1 he Swedes and Ruffians
had flill fome footing in his dominions. The Auflrians and
Imperialifls were yet in Saxony ; and if the King's armies
had it in their power to take urong fituations ; the enemy
had the fame advantages. The condition of things was ex-
tremely critical, and the leafl error or misfortune threatened
ilill to plunge the King of Pruffia into an abyfs of cala-
mities.

CHAP.

ns^'

'The History of the War.

:.._-».

■>"' '^Q "

CHAP. XII.

General Oberg defeated at Laniverenbagen. King ef Pruffta
furprifed at Hocbkircben. M. Keith and Prince Francis of
Brunfwick killed. Affair at Gorlitz. King of Pruffta
r ircbes into Silefia. M. Daun invejls Drefden. Tbe
fuburbs burned. King of Pruffia raifes tbe ftege of Neifs
and Cofel. He returnf into Saxony. Tbe Aujlrians re^
tire into Bohemia. Difpojitions for tbe winter.

TH E operations of the armies in Weftphalia, feemed
for a long time to languiih. The grand army of the
French under M. de Contades, was wholly unable to drive
prince Ferdinand from the ports which he had chofen fo ju-
dicioufly along the Lippe. The other divifion of the French
forces under the Prince de Soubife, had made no great pro-
grefs on the fide of Heffe-Caffel, againft the prince Ifcnburg,
who flill kept his ground in that principality, in order to
proteft the courfe of the Wefer, and to cover the elcfto-
rate. The French were fenfible that an attack on the prin-
cipal army of the allies, would prove a very dangerous at-
tempt, in which even if they ihould h^ve forae fuccefs*
their progrefs into the King's cleftoral dominions muft be
very flow and difficult. But as the body of the allies cm-
ployed in Hefle-Caffel was far the weakeft, and as an ad-
vantage on that fide promifed them the command of the
Wefer, and a better paflage into the heart of the enemies
country, they determined to make an attempt there. To
further this defign, a confiderable detachment was made
from the army of M. de Contades, which increafed the
prince of Soubife*s corps to at leaft 30,000 men. Prince
Ferdinand, who was fufficiently aware of the enemies plan,
had fome time before fent General Oberg with a ftrong
reinforcement to join the prince Ifenburg ; but notwith-
ftanding this reinforcement, the whole force of the allies in
Hefle did not exceed 1 5000. This body was attacked by
the French at Lanwerenhagen, and their great
fuperiority, efpecially in point of cavalry, obliged Sept. 30.
the allies to retire with the lofs of about 1500
men. The allies unable to keep the field, had however
fome woods in their rear which covered their retreat, and
they preferved fo good a countenance as prevented their
defeat from becoming tot^l.

L 2 Great

' i

76 The History of the War. ^T5^'

Great confequences might have been apprehended from
this affair. But the vigilance of prince Ferdinand, who had
cftablifhed the moft ready communications all along the
Lippe, fuffered the viflorious army to reap but little advan-
tage from their vi6itory. That accompliihed General ad-
vanced with the utmoft expedition tbwards Rheda, and the
P. Ifenburg having fallen back upon him, they joined in fuch
a manner as perfe£lly to fecure the Wefer, without lofing
any thing on the fide of the Rhine. And although thefc
necertary motions, in fome fort uncovered the eleftorate,
fo as ,jp lay it open to the incurfions of the enemies light
troops, who penetrated even to the gates of Hanover ; yet
the French were not in a condition to eftabUlh any confi-
derable body, or to take any pod of moment in that part.

During this time, the armies of the King of Pruflla and
M. Daun, made no very remarkable movements. The
Marfhal kept his advantageous camp at Stolpen, by which
he preferved a communication with the army of the Em-
pire. The army was fecured by its inacceflible fituation,
but it enterprifed nothing of confequence. The King of
Pruflia on the other hand, having taken pofleflion of the
important port of Bautzen, which lies fo opportunely for
commanding at once both Mifnia and Lufatia, extended his
right wing to Hochkirchen. By this pofition he preferved a
communication with the army of his brother prince Henry,
he prote<^ed Brandenburg from the incurfions of the Auf-
trians, and at the fame time that he fecured thefe interefl-
ing objefts, he was better fituated for throwing fuccours
into Silefia, than he could be any where elfe confiftently
with his general plan. The two armies kept the moft
watchful eye upon each others motions. The principal aim
of the King of Pruflla, feemed to have been the preventing
M. Daun from communicating with Bohemia. The^reat
intention of M. Daun was to cut off the King from Silefia.
Things were fo ballanced, that it did not feem pofTible by
mere (kill in marches and pofttions to anfwer thefe ends
very fully : therefore a battle feemed inevitable. But it
feemed too thnt confidering the fitaation of both armies, a
battle could not be attempted without extreme danger to
the party who fliould begin the attack,
fi; M. Daun faw that if any more time was loft without
action, the very feafon muft oblige him to evacuate Saxony,
and thus give up all the fruits of the campaign. He came

da
of
nij
th
be

1758-

^be History of the War.

to a rcfolution of giving the King of Pruflia battle. But
even in the vigour of this refolution, appeared the extreme
caution which charafterifes that able General. Having
communicated his defign to the prince of Deux-Ponts, and
fettled meafures with him, he marched in the dead of a very
dark night, in three columns, towards the right of the King
of Pruflia's camp. Notwithftanding the darknefs of the
night, notwithftanding the neceflary divifion of
the Auftrian army, the greatnefs of their num- Ofl:. 14.
hers, and the length of way they had to nr.arch,
yet fuch was the wife conduft and great good fortune of
this defign, that they all arrived at the fame time at the
Pruflian camp, none having loft their way, without difco-
very, without confufion, and began the attack with the
utmoft regularity and refolution at five o'clock in the morn-
ing.

How the King's out-guards were kept fo as to make fuch a
furprife pradicable, is hard to fay. It is hard to accufe
the vigilance of fo able a commander, or the attention of
fo many finiftied officers as ferved under him. To fpeak
of treachery is a way of accounting, for misfortunes, more
common than reafonable. However it was, the Prufllans
had not time to ftrike their tents, when they found the
enemy in the midft of the camp, and an impetuous attack
already begun. Scarce had the battle began, when a de-
feat feemed certain ; not fo much from the confufion of
the troops, as the irreparable lofs of two officers in the
higheft comm^'nd, rnd of the greateft merit. M. Keith
received two niuiquet balls, and fell dead upon the fpot.
Prii ce Francis of Brunfwick had his head fhot off* by a
cannon ball as he mounted his horfe. The King of Pruffia
had then the whole of aff'airs to fuftain alone, at the time
when he moft wanted afliftance. But his prefence of mind,
his firmnefs, his activity, remedied in fome m^eafure the ef-
fects of this unforefeen attack, and the lofles and diforders
it had occafioncd ; he was every where prefent, and infpi-
red his troops with an ardor like his own. The King or-
dered fome detachments from his left, to reinforce his right
wing ; but in the moment the orders were received, the
left itfclf was furioufly attacked. General Retzow who
commanded in that quarter, with difficulty repulfed the
Auftrians, and was not able to afford any confiderable affif-

tance

^^8 The History of ihe War. 1758.

tance to the right, which was alone obliged to fupport the
whole weight of the grand attack. '•

. The Auftrians in the beginning of the engagement had
beaten them out of the village of Hochkirchen ; as the fate
of the day depended upon that poft, the hotteft of the dif-
pute was tliere. The Pruflians made three bloody and un-
fuccefsful attacks on the village ; on the fourth they carried
it ; but the Auftrians pouring continually frefti troops upon
that fpot, drove them out at length after reiterated efforts,
and a prodigious {laughter on all fides. Then the King
defpairing of the fortune of that field, ordered a retreat :
his troops, which had been fuddenly attacked in a dark
night by fuperior numbers, and had run to arma
fome half naked, and all in the utmoft confufion, had,
notwithftanding, made a moft vigorous refiftance ; and
maintained the fight for near five hours. They made their
retreat in good order without being purfued, fupported by
the good countenance of their cavalry, and the fire of the
numerous and well ferved artillery, which was placed in the
centre of their camp. They loft in this bloody ad:ion at
leaft 7000 men, killed, wounded and prifoners, together
with many cannon. The Auftrian account allowed their
own lofs in killed and wounded to amount to near 5000.

The King of Pruffia, in retiring from Hochkirchen, in
fa£l: only altered the pofition of his right wing, which fell
back as far as Weiflenberg. His left ftill remained at Baut-
zen. This pofition was nearly as good as the former. The
great lofs, was the lofs of reputation, which always attends
a defeat, and the lofs of two great generals which attended
this in particular. M. Keith was a Scotchman born. He
engaged with his brother the Lord Marftial in the Rebellion
of 1 71 5. Being obliged to relinquifh his country on this
occafion, he entered into the troops of Spain, and after-
wards paiTmg into Ruffia, he obtained a confiderable com-
mand, and performed many fignal fervices in their wars
with Turky and Sweden ; and ferved them alfo in peace by
feveral embafllies. But finding the honours of that country
no better than a fplendid fervitude, and not meeting with
thofe rewards, which his long and faithful fervices deferved,
he left that court for one where merit is better known and
better rewarded ; and having been employed fince the be-
ginning of the war in a diftinguiftied command in the King

1758.

lort the

ent had
the fate
the dif-
and un-
carried
ps upon
efforts,
le King
retreat :
a dark
> arms
>n, had,
:e ; and
ide their
jrted by
e of the
:d in the
idion at
together
ed their
5000.
chen, in
hich fell
lat Baut-
r. The
attends
ttended
n. He
ebellion
on this
id after-
le com-
;ir wars
^eace by
:ountry
fg with
iferved,
l«vn and
the be-
ic King
of

1758. *The History of the War. 79

of Pruffia's armies, he fell at laft in a fervice that was wor-
thy of him.

If the King of Pruflia loft fome reputation in fuffering
himfelf to be furprifed in this affair ; he fully rei. ieved it
by his extraordinary conduct in the courfe of the adion, and
his admirable efforts after it. On the whole, perhaps,
when all circumftances are confidered, the King of Pruflia
will appear greater in this defeat, than in any victory he
ever yet obtained. The wing of his army that was attack-
ed, was furprifed at a diftance from him, the two Generals
that commanded it flain in the Hrft onfet, his other princi-
pal Generals wounded, the whole wing in confufion with-
out a leader ; to come, in thefe defperate circumfliances, in
hafte from another quarter ; to recover all ; twice to re-
pulfe the enemy, and at laft to retire, overborne only by
numbers and fatigue, without being purfued, is fuch an
inftance of great Generalftiip, as perhaps has never been ex-
ceeded. I-

Whilft thefe things Were doing in Saxony, the Ruffians
mftde no farther attempts on the (Ide of Brandenburgh ;
they remained in their tamp near Landfperg, until the 2 1 ft
of September; when, after feveral feigned motions, made
to cover their real defign, they began their retreat towards
Pomerania, where th'Cy arrived on the 26th. ,

It was impoffible th&t they fhould keep their ground in
that province during the winter, unlefs they could fecure
fome fea-port, from whehce they might be fupplied with
provifions. The little town Of Colberg was t^ipg opportune
for that purpofe, as it is a fea-port on the B^||i}^ and fo
meanly fortined, that the redu&ion of it appeared to be as
eafy as expedient. On the 3d of Oftober, they formed
the fiege of this inconflderable place, with a body of 1 500Q
men. But fuch was the braverj^ of Major Heydon the
Governor ; and fuch the incapacity of the Rufllans for ope-
rations cf this nature, that this little town, defended only
by -' rampart, without any outwork, and lined with a very
feeble garrifon, held out againft the repeated attacks of the
enemy twenty-fix days, and then obliged them to q r^
raife the fiege, without any fuccours whatfoever ' ^'

from without. This was the laft enterprife of the Ruffians.
Their vaft army retired with difgrace, firft from Branden-
burgh, and then from Porrerania ; not being able to mafter
one place of ftrength in either country ; but having de-
ft roycd

8o ^he History of the War. 1758.

ftroyed with the mod faviige barbarity both the open
towns and defencelefs villages ; leaving as ftrong imprefll-
ons of contempt for their incapacity, as of horror for their
cruelty.

After the defeat which the King received at Hochkirchen,
he omitted no meafures to prevent the enemy from making
any material advantage of it. He perceived clearly, that
the advantage they propofed to derive from it, was to cover
the operations of their armies in Silefia ; and that they had
no longer any ferious defign u^/on Saxony during this
campaign. The King therefore, made no fcruple to rein-
force his army by confiderable detachments from that of
prince Henry, which were brought up by that prince him-
felf. And ?s he faw that Neifs, the fiege of which had been
already formed and profecuted with great vigour, muft cer-
tainly furrender if it were not fpeedily fuccoured, he refolv-
cd to march into Silefia.

To the execution of this defign, the greateft difficulties
darted up on all fides. The army of M. Daun, lately vic-
torious, had no other bufinefs than to intercept him. To
fight was dubious ; to avoid it hard. If he could even
avoid a battle, he had much to apprehend from the efforts
cf the enemy to harafs him on his march. If he ihould be
fo happy as to efcape or to conquer thefe difficulties, yet his
march entirely uncovered Saxony, and abandoned that moft
interefting pofleffion, very poorly defended, to all the force
two powerful arniies.

On the other hand, if the confideration of Saxony fhould
detain him in his prefent fituation,Sikfia ran the fame rifqoe,
and the fame or greater difadvantages muft enfue to his af-
fairs, by fufFering the Anftrians to obtain a footing there.
This dilemma, which would have rendered a meaner geni-
us entirely inaftive, and hindered him from taking any refo-^
lution, only obliged the King of Pruflla to take his refoluti-
on with the greater fpeed, and to execute it with the great-
er vigour.

Oa the 24th of November at night, he quitted his camp
at Dobrefchut?., and making a great compafs, he arrived,
without any obftruftion from the enemy, in the plain of
Gorlitz. A body of the Auftrians hid in vain endeavoured
fo fecure this port before him ; thofe that arrived were de-
feated, with the lofs of 800 men. By this happy march,
all the advantages of M. Daun's ftudied pofition, of all the
<. .' - fruits

1^58. 'rbe History of the War. 8i '

fruits his boafted viftory at Hochkirchen, were loft in a mo-
ment, and an open paflage to Silefia lay before the King.
He purfued his march with the greateft diligence. General
Laudohn, with 24,000 men, was fent to purfue him. That
aftive General continually jiarafTed his rear guard ; but the
King continued his march without interruption, and fufFer-
cd him to take many little advantages, rather than by de-
laying to conteft fmall matters, to endanger ■^ defign, which
might be decifive of the whole campaign.

On the other hand, Daun, not content with the obfta-
cles which General Laudohn threw in the King's way, fent
a large body of horfe and foot by another route to reinforce
the army which under the Generals Harfch and De Ville had
formed thfe fiege of Neifs, and the blockade of Cofel. But
he perceived that all thefe meafures '/ould probably prove
inefFeftual, as his principal proje£i .vhich was to cover
Silefia, had been defeated. He therefore turned his views
towards Saxony, and Satisfying hinsifelf with detaching Ge-
neral Laudohn, which might create an opinion that the
whole Auftrian army purfued, he followed the King no far-
ther than Gorlitz ; which place he immediately quitted,
and having by forced marches gained the Elbe, he
pafled that river at Pirna, and advanced towards Nov. 6.
Drefden. At the fame time the army of the Em-
pire, by its motions having obliged the Prufllan army then
extremely weakened by the detachments that had beer\
drawn from it, to retire from its poft before Drefden, feme
miles to the weftward of that city, cut off their communica-
tion with Leipfic, whilft M. Daun attempted to cut off their
communication with Drefden ; but they found means to
throw th^mfelves into that city, and afterwards to retire
to the clher fide of the Elbe. The Auftrians and Imperial-
ids began at once to inveft thofe two important places ;
another party advanced towards Torgau, and attempted
that town. It feemed utterly impoffible to prevent the
Auftrians from becoming mafters of Saxony, who in a man-
ner covered the whole country with their forces.

In the mean time, the King of Pruflla drew nearer and
nearer to Neifs. The fiege of that fortrefs was commenced
on the 4th of Au^iiuft ; on the 3d of Oftober it was com-
pletely inverted ; ai;d the place was pufliyed on one fide with
the greateft vigour, and on the other maintained with the
moft confummate (kill and bravery, until the approach of

M , the

The History of the War.

175^-

,jf*i

the King of Pruflia obliged the Auftrians, on the id of No-
vember, to raife the fiege, leaving a confiderable quantity
of military (lores behind them. The fame terror obliged
the parties employed in the blockade of Cofel, to leave
that place at liberty, ai;d to fall hack, together with the
armies of the Generals Harfch and Dc Ville, into Bohemia,
and the Auilrian Silefia.

The King of Pruflia, when he had thus by the report of

his march, without fighting, driven his enemies
Nov. 9. out of Silefia, loft not a moment to return by the

fame route, and with the fame expedition to the
relief of Saxony. Two bodies of his troops had moved for
the fame purpofe out of Pomerania, one under Count Doh-
na, and one under General Wede!. The corps under We-
del had thrown itfelf into Torgau, repulfed the Auftrians,
who had attempted that place, and purfued them as far as
Eulenburg. The grand operation of the Auftrians was
againft Drefden. M. Daun, with an army of 60,000 men,
came before that city, on the very day on which the King
of Pruflia began his march to cppofe him, fo that he might
well imagine his fuccefs certain againft a place meanly for-
tified, and defended only by 1 2,000 men. The fame day
he began to cannonade it, and his light troops, fupported
by the grenadiers of the army, made a fliarp attack upon
the fuburbs. The Governor, Count Schmettau, faw that
from the weaknefs of the fuburbs it would prove impoffible
for him to prevent the enemy from poflefllng themfelves of
them by a coup de main, and if they fucceeded in this at-
tempt the great heighth of the houfes, being fixer feven
ftories, and entirely commanding the ramparts, would ren-
der the reduftlon of the body of the place equally eafy and
certain. Thefe confiderations determined him to fet thefc
fuburbs on fire.

It is well known that the fuburbs of Drefden compofe
one of the fineft towns in Europe, and are greatly fuperior
to that which lies within the walls. Here the moft wealthy
part of the inhabitants refide, and here are carried on thofe
feveral curious manufa£lures for which Drefden is fo fa-
mous. Count Daun forefaw this confequence of his at-
tempt. He endeavoured to intimidate the Governor from
this meafure, to which he knew the cruel reafon of war
would natural!) lead him, by threatening to make him per-
fonally anfwerable for the fteps he fliould take j but Count
#• — ■'- Sehmettau

•I

1758, ^he History of the War. 83

Schmet! u anfwered with the firmnefs that became a man
of honour and a foldier, that he would anfwer whatever he
fliould do, and would not only burn the fuburbs, in cafe
M. Daun advanced, but would likcwife defend the city it-
felf ftreet by ftreet, and at lafl: even the caftle, which was
the royal refidence, if he fliould be driven to it. When
the magiftrates were apprifed of this refolution, they fell at
the feet of Count Schmettau, and implored him to change
his mind, and to have mercy on that devoted part of their
city. The part of the royal family, who remained in Dref-
den, joined their fupplications to thofe of the magiftrates ;
they prayed him to fpare that laft refuge of diftrefled royaU
ty, and to allow at leaft a fecure refidence to thofe, who
had been deprived of every thing elfe. All entreaties were
vain. Schmettau continued firm in his refolution. He
told them that their fafety depended on themfelves, and on
M.Daun \ that if he made no attempts, the fuburbs Ihould
be ftill fecure i but that if he took any farther fteps, the
ncceflity of his matter's fervice, and his own honour, would
compel him to aft very difagreeable to the lenity of his dif-
pofition. The magiftrates retired in defpa^r. CDmbuftibies
were laid in all the houfes.

At three o'clock next morning, the fignal for Nov. 10.
firing the fuburbs was given, and in a moment
a place fo lately the feat of eafe and luxury, flouriftiing in
traffick, in pleafures, and ingenious arts, was all in flames.
A calamity fo dreadful needs no high colouring. However,
as little mifchief attended fuch a combuftion, as the nature
of the thing could admit. Very few loft their lives ; but
many their whole fubftance. When this was done, the
PruiTian troops abandoned the flaming fuburbs, and retired
in good order into the city.

M. Daun faw this fire, which, whilft it laid wafte the
capital of his ally, made it more difficult for him to force
it, he fent in fome empty threats to the Governor. But
the Saxon minifter at Ratift)on, made grievous complaints
to the Diet^of what he reprefented .s the moft unparalleled
a£t of wanton and unprovoked cruelty, that had ever been
committed. Th\e emiflaries of the court of Vienna fpreac
the fame complaints ; and ihey made no fcruplc to invent,
^nd to alter fafts in fuch a manner as to move the greateft
pity towards the fufferers, and the greateft indignation
againft the King of Pruifia. All thcfe* however, were in

-^ M ?, a .Oiort

^' -,

The History of the War.

1758-

a Ihort time abundantly confuted, by the authentick certi-
ficates of the magiftrates of Drefden, and of thofe officers
of the court, who were perfe6tly acquainted with the tranf-
aftion. By thefe certificates it appears, that only 250
houfes were confumed. Though this was a terrible cala-
mity, it was nothing to the accounts given in the gazettes of
the Auftrian fadion. By thefe certificates it appears alfo,
that the people were not furprifed, but had fufficient notice
of the Governor's intentions, to enable them to provide
for their fafety. In a word, all the charges of cruelty
againfl the Pruflian commander, and foldiery were fully ^
overthrown.

^i.This fire made a coup de w^/'/i imprafticablc ; regular
operations demanded time, and the King of Pruflla wa»
now in full march towards Saxony. M. Daun retired from
before the place on the 1 7th. The King, after crofling ..
Lufatia, pafling the Elbe, and joining his troops under
Count Dohna and General Wedel, arrived triumphantly at
Drefden on the 20th. The armies of M. Daun and the
Empire gave way towards Bohemia, into which kingdom
they foon after finally retreated, without enterprifing any
thing further. Six fieges were raifed almoft at the fame
time; that of Colberg, carried on by General Palmbach,
under the orders of Marfhal Fermor ; that of Neifs, by
M. de Harfch ; that of Cofel ; that of Drefden by M.
Daun ; the blockade of Torgau by M. Haddick ; and that
of Leipfick by the prince of Deux-Ponts,
f 1 About the time that the Auflrians retired into winter
quarters, the French did the fame ; and the Hanoverians
permitted them to do it without moleftation, the feafon be-r
ing too far advanced, and their army perhaps not of fuffi-
cient ftrength for offenfive operations ; and prince Ferdi-
nand kept the field no longer. The Britifh troops had no
occafion of fignalizing their bravery this year ; but without
a battle the nation fuffered a confiderable lofs, and was
touched with a very deep and general forrow. The Duke
of Marlborough died in Munfter, the 20th of Odober, of
a fever, contra 6ted by the fatigues of the campaign. Mever
did the nation lofe in one man, a temper more candid and
benevolent, manners more amiable and open, a more pri-
mitive integrity, a more exalted generofity, a more warm
and feeling heart. He left ail the enjoyments, which an
ample fortune and an high rank could bellow in the publick

eye \

1758-

The History of the War.

)

nto winter

eye ; and which every milder virtue, every dlfpofition to
make and to be made happy, could give in a domeftic life : .
he left thefe for the fervice of his country, and died for
its defence, as he had hved for its ornament and hap-
pinefs.

If we compare the events of this year with thofe of the
laft, we fhall find in the adions of the prefent year, perhaps
fomething lefs of that aftonifhing eclat ; fewer batiles ; not
fo many nor fo ftriking revolutions of fortune ; but we may
difcover upon all fides far greater mairagement, and a more
ftudied and refined conduct ; more artful movements, a more
judicious choice of ports, more quick and vigorous marches.
If in the laft year, the King of Pruflia was the hero of the
imagination, he is this year the hero of the judgment ; and
we have, I think, reafon to admire him upon jufter princi-
ples. Obliged to evacuate Moravia, he throws himfclf in-
to Bohemia, and executes a retreat with all the fpirit of an
invafion. He marches more than an hundred miles through
an enemy's country, followed and harrafled by large armies,
who are unable to obtain any advantage over him. Gain-
ing at length his own territories, he engages the vafl: army
of the Ruffians and defeats it. He is unable to follow his
blow, but he difables them from ftriking any againft that
part of his dominions, which he is obliged to leave. Whilft
he is engaged with the Ruffians on the frontiers of Poland,
the Auftrians and Imperialifts enter Saxony. Before they v
can do any thing decifive, the King is himfelf fuddenly in
Saxony, and by his prefence, at once difconcerts all their
projefts. The fcene is again changed, they furprife him
in his camp at Hochkirchen, two of his Generals are killed,
his army defeated, his camp is taken. They attack Silefia
with a formidable army. NotwithftandJng his late defeat ;
notwithftanding the great fuperiority of his enemies ; not-
withftanding the advantage of their pofts ; he makes an
amazing fweep about all their forces, eludes their vigilance^
renders their pofitions unprofitable ; and marching with
an aftonifhing rapidity into the remoteft parts of Silefia,
obliges the Auftrian armies to retire with precipitation out
of that province. Then he flies to the relief of Saxony,
which his enemies had again profited of his abfencc to in-
vade i and again by the fame rapid and well conduced
march, he obliges them to abandon their prize. Defeated
by the Auftrians he acquired by his condud all the advan-
tages

I'he History nf the War.

1758.

tages of the nioft compleat vidory. He guarded all his pof,
fefllons in fuch a manner, as to enable them all to endure
his abfencc fo! fon\e (hort time ; and he conduced his
marches with fuch fpirit, as did not make it neceflary to
them to hold out aiiy lonp;er ; he made twice the circuit of
his dominions, and i:i their turn he nlieved them all.

T\'or was the conda£t of Prince Ferdinand of Brunfwick
Icfs worthy of admiration. Placed at the head of a body
of troops, who were but lately obliged to lay down their
arms, he found the enemy in poffeflion of the whole open
coun ry, and of all the ftrong places in it. Commencing
the campaign in the midft of a fevere winter, without any
place of ftrength in his hands, he drove the enemy from alf
thofc they held. He obliged them torepafs the Rhine, he
followed and defeated them in a pitched battle. Being af-
terwards obliged by the great force of France on its own
frontier, .ind the numerous armies they had in diflferent pla-
ces, to repafs the Rhine ; he defended Lippe againft num-
bers greatly fuperior, and though they defeated a part of his
army, they were not able t6 turn their viftory to the Icaft
advantage. Prince Ferdinand's campaign may well pafs for
a perfeft model of defenfive operations.

The Aultrlans, in taking winter quarters, difpofed their
forces fo as to form a chain of an ama/-ing length, from the
frontiers of Moravia pafTmg through Bohemia, all along
the (kiris of Silefia and the borders of Saxony. There the
Imperial army joined this chain, and continued it through
Thuringia and Franconia, where it was united to the quar-
ters of the Prince dc Soubifc. Thofe troops had fallen back
from Hcfl'e Calfcl, finding thcmfelves unable to maintain
tlicir ground in the landgraviate. The Prince de Soubife's
cantonments extended wellward ^liong the courfe of the
jMaine and Lahn, to meet thofe of the M. de Contades
wiiich (Irelchcd to thr Rhine, and continued the chain be-
yond it quite to the Maefe, fo as to command the whole
courle of the Rhine, on both fides, both upward and down-
ward. Prince Ferdinand was unable to extend himfclf to
fuch A length ; and cfpecially found it impra(!?licablc to cfta-
blitli quarters on the other fide of the Rhine; but he dif-'
poled his troops in the mofl .advantageous manner in the
hifijoprics of MiinlK:r, Piidcrborn, and Hildeflieim, and
in the landt^raviate of Ilcflo Caflcl. Ti e fcveral bodies
may all unite withcaic, and fupport each otiicr. To pre-
fer vc

laintain
)ubife*s

of the
mtades
lain be-

whole

down-
kifclf to
lo cfta-
Ihc uif"

in the
m, and

bodies
fo prc-
tervc

1758. The HiSTORV of the War. g?

lerve a communication between this and the Prufllan army,
as well as to break fome part of that formidable chain of the
enemy, the King fent fome bodies of his troops into Thu-
ringia, who difpoffeffed the army of the Empire of feveral
of their ports there, and they now threaten to penetrate ftiil
farcher.

The King of Pniflia when he had a fecond time driven
the Auftrians and Imperialifts out of Saxony, refolved to
keep no meafures with that unhappy country. He declared
that he was refolved no longer to confider it as a depofit,
but as a country which he had twice fubdued by his arms.
He therefore ordered thofe of the King of Poland's privy
council, who ftill remained at Drcfden, to retire at a very
(hort warning. But if the King of Pruffia had a right, as
perhaps he had, to confider Saxony as a lawful conqueft,
he certainly feemed not to confider the people as fubje£ls,
when he continued toexa^l themoft fevere contributions ;
and in a manner too very little becoming a lawful fovereign ;
for he furrounded the exchange with foldiers, and coiirt-
ning the merchants in narrow lodgings on ftraw beds, lie
obliged them by extreme fuflFcring, io dra^w bills on their
foreign correfpondents for very large fums. This city had
been quite exhaufted by former payments, and had not
long before fuffered military execution. An enemy that
afted thus, had afted fcverely ; but when a coantry is en-
tirely poffcflcd by any power, and claimed as a conque(>,
the rights of war feem to ceafe ; and the people have a claim
to be governed in fuch a manner as becomes a juH Prince i
cfpecially when no extreme neceflity in his affairs comptls
him to thefe rigorous courfes. To retaliate on thefc mifc-
rable people fome part of the cruelties committed by the
Ruflians on his dominions feems to be very unreafonable,
as it is but too obvious, that the barbarity of that people
could not be reftrained, however it might be exafperatcd
by the total deftruQ:ion of Saxony. Sui h retaliations are
odious a^nd cruel. We heartily wifh wc could pruiic vhc
Kmg of Pruflia as much for his temperate nfe of his con-
queft, as for thofe wonderful and heroic qualities by which
he obtained it. We might be confidcrcd as partial in louv
account, if we had omitted to take notice of what is alltdji-
cd aga^nft the King of Pruifia, when we have fpokcn lo
fully of the outrages committed by his enemies. It is now
time to turn our eyes from this gre.it theatre towards h-iVor

' events.

^he History of the War.

1758.

events, but fuch as will employ us altogether as agreeably ;
the operations of the BritiOi fleets and armies in Europe and
America againd the French.

CHAP. XIII.

^he hurtling of tbf jbips at St. Mahet. Taking of Cher-
burg. Defeat at St, Cat, Operati^m in America. Siege
ami taking of l.ouijhourg. Englijb army defeated at Ti-
conileroga. Tbey take Frontenac. The French abandon
Fort ilu ^i(fne. Conclufton of the annah of the year 1758.

IN the beginning of this year, the good condition of our
navy and our army ; the fpirit and popularity of the
miniftry ; the wife choice of commanders, in contempt of
vulgar and trivial maxims ; the prevalence of the contrary
to all thefe amongd the enemy ; gave us the bed grounded
hopes of a vigorous and fucccfsful campaign. Concerning
the theatre of our iperations thf're was fome doubt. It
was the opinion of ••me, that our pufli in Europe fhould
be made on the fictt T Germany ; and that we ought to
ftrengthen the army of prince Ferdinand with fuch a re-
fpcftable body of troops, as might enable that finiflied com-
mander to exert all his talents, and to improve to the utmoll:
the advantages he had already obtained over the French.
They imagined, that if an early and confiderable reinforce-
ment were fent to the prince, whilil the French army was
yet in a diftrefled condition, and if in this condition that
ihould receive any confiderable blow, they would find it
extremely difficult to retrieve it : and receiving this blow,
on the frontier of their own territories, the Prince might
carry the war into France itfelf; and thus very probably
bring matters to a fpeedy decifion. That in purfuing this
plan a diverfion on the coaft of France was by no means
excluded : and that on the contrary it muft, on this plan,
be attended with confequences infinitely more important
than it could othcrwifc ; that otherwife, France might
laugh at the little dcfultory efforts of an handful of men,
who were to be embarked and dif-embarkcd with great dif-
ficuity and hu/.iU J, and which would always be obliged to
fly at the firll approach of an enemy. That whilft the
Prcnch had only an army, greatly inferior in number to en-
gage on the fide of Germany, they would always find them-
t-^im--^ ■'::■'■ . " fclvi."»

ca.

)f Cher-

a. Siege
cd at Ti-
f abandon
^ar 1758.

• « *

on of our

ity of the
intempt of
e contrary
1: grounded
'oncerning
doubt. It
ope (hould
e ought to
fuch a rc-
iflied com-
the utmoll

,e French.

rcinforcc-

1^58. The History of the War. 89

felves well able to ad abroad, and defend themfelves at
home.

On the other hand it was ftrongly urged, that we ought
to make the dellrudion of the French marine our great
object, and to confider all continental operations only in a
fecondary light. That by fending a large body of Englifti
troops to the King's army on the Rhine, we muft necefla-
rily weaken our eflforts in America, and on the coan of
France ; and by drawing away all our forces, we muft (hake
that internal fccurity, which invigorated all our operations
abroad. That whilft we maintained an army of 50,000
foreigners in Germany, it would be the greateft imprudence
to fend alfo a large body of our own national troops into
the fame country, and by that means not only fquandcr
away our men, but employ almoft every penny granted for
the land fervice, out of Great Britain ; a method which
could not fail of exhaufting us in a very (hort time. That
the force already in Germany was fufficient to keep the
French engaged, and that the propofed expeditions to
France would, by attacking the coaft, now in one part, now
in another, and keeping all parts in continual alarms, necef-
farily detain a very confiderable part of their forces at home,
and thus make a powerful diverfion, whilft it was purfuing
what ought to be the grand perpetual obje6k of all our
operations, the dcftrudtion of the French maritime power.

The latter opinion prevailed ; but it was however fo far
modified by the arguments on the other fide, that after
fome time a few regiments were fent into Germany, as we
have before related. Thefe and better reafons, no doubt,
determined the operations on the coaft of France ; but
whilft the neceflary preparations were making, their defti-
nation was kept an inviolable fecret ; and now, as they had
the year before, infpired France with no little terror. Two
fquadrons, by the latter end of May, were in readinefs for
failing. The greater under Lord Anfon, the fmaller under
Commodore Howe, which was fo defigned to convoy the
tranfports, and to favour the landing and re-imbarkment.
The land forces confifted of fixteen battalions, and nine troops
of light horfe : they were commanded by the late Duke of
Marlborough. They failed from Portfmouth ;
but as foon as the fleet fet fail, the fquadron of June I.
my Lord Anfon feparated from the reft, and bore
ofl" to the Bay of Bifcay, in order to fprcad the alarm more

N widely,

go the History of the War. 1758.

widely, and to obferve the French fquadron in Breft. The
other part of the fleet, which was commanded by Commo-
dore Howe, with the tranfports, arrived without any acci-
dent in Cancalle Bay, at a fmall diftance fix>m the city of
St. Maloes. Here the troops landed without op-
5th. pofition, and having fortified a poil near Cancalle^
(a poft by nature well fitted for defence) for the
fecurity of their retreat, they marched in two columns to
St. Maloes. When the army arrived there it was foon vl*
fible, that the town, ftrongly fituated on a peninfula, com-
municating with the main land only by a long and narrolv
caufeway, was by no means «» proper object of a coup de
main ; and though for want of outworks, it was ill qualifi*
ed to fudain a regular ficge ; yet our forces were, for wartt
of ftrength and artillery fufficient, altogether as ill qualified
for fuch an operation. They were therefore contented with
fetting fire to about an hundred fail of fhippingi
8 th. many of them privateers, which lay under the
cannon of the town, and to feveral magaz.ine8
filled with naval ftores. The damage was very confidera*
ble ; yet, what is to be remarked, the enemy did not fire a
fingle ihot on the detachment employed in this fervicc.
Having nothing more to do on this fide, they retired to
Cancalle ; and reimbarked with as little oppofition
1 2th. as they met with at landing ; the land and fea com«
manders having made all the difpofitions with
great judgment.

Before the fleet returned, they reconnoitred the town of
Granville on the coaft of Normandy ; but finding that a
large body of troops were encamped in the neighbourhood,
they made no attempt there. From thence they moved to-
wards Cherbourg, and made the proper difpofitions for
landing near that place } but a hard gale blowing in to the
fhore, and the tranfports beginning to fall foul on each
other, it became extremely hazardous to attempt landing.
Befides, the provifion was near exhaufted, and the foldieri
by being fo long cooped up in the tranfports, were grown
fickly. It became highly Bcceflfary to return home, and
they arrived at St. Helen's on the apth of June.

The fuccefs of this e^jpedition, by which the French fuf-
fered largely, with fcarce any lofs on our fide, though it
fufliciently anfwered the intention of the armament, fell
fomewhat fliort of the expedations of the public, who

had

i75«-

. The
)mmo-
y acci-
city of
out op-
ancallc^
for the
imns to
foon Vi-
la, com-
l narrow
coup d&
I quaVifi*
for -wartt
qualified
ited with
{hipping*
mder the
nagaxines
:onfidera''
not fire a
^s fervicc.
retired to
oppofition
i fea com*
ions with

|e town of
ig that a
jourhood,
Imoved to*
Ifitions for
in to the
ll on each
|t landing,
le foldiers
ifc grown
[omci and

rench fuf-
Ithough it
blent, fell
llic, who
had

1758. 'J'^^ History of the War. 91

had formed much greater hopes, than it was poflible for
the nature of fuch enterprifes to fulfil. However, their
hopes were again revived ; by feeing that every thing was
prepared for another expedition, and that our armies and
fleets were to be kept in conftant afiion during the fummer.
The time was now come when we were to turn the tables
upon France, and to retaliate by real attacks, the terrors
which had been raifed by her menaces of an invafion. The
Duke of Marlborough had now taken the command of the
Englifli forces in Germany ; and General Bligh fucceeded
him in this command. Prince Edward refolved to go upon
the expedition, and to form himfelf for the fervice of his
country under fo brave and able a commander as Howe.
It is eafy to imagine, how much the fpirit, the prefence
and example of the gallant young prince, who went with
the utmoft chearfulnefs through all the detail of a midihip-
man's duty, infpired both the feamen and the troops.

On the firft of Auguft, the fleet fet fail from St. Helen's.
In a few days they came to anchor before Cherbourg. The
French had drawn a line ftrengthened by forts, along the
moft probable places for landing. They had drawn down
three regiments of regular troops, and a confiderable body
of militia to the fliorc, and had in all appearance threatened
a very refolute oppofition to the defcent of the Englifh
forces. But the Commodore difpofed the men of war and
bomb ketches fo judicioufly, and made fo fharp a fire upon
the enemy, that they never ventured out of their
entrenchments ; fo that the landing was efFefled Aug. 6.
in excellent order, and with very little lofs. The
French who made fo poor an oppofition to the landing, had
ftill many advantages from the nature of the ground which
they occupied ; but they negle^ed them all ; and abandon-
ing by a moft (hameful defpair their forts and lines on the
coaft, they fuffered the English to enter Cherbourg the
clay after the landing, without throwing the leaft obftacle
in their way. It muft be remembered too, that the whole
number of the Englifli forces on this expedition was rath<
fhort of 6000 men.

Cherbourg is on the land fide an open town ; neither is
it very ftrongly defendcvl towards the fea. The harbour is
naturally bad. But the place is well fituated, in the midft
of the channel, for protecting the French, and annoying
the Englifii commerce in time of war, and perhaps for fa--

N 2 cilitating

92 ^he History of the War. 3758.

cilitating an invafion on England itfelf. Morfieur Belidor
the famous engineer, had dem onilrated iis importance, and
propofed a plan for the improvement and defence of the
harbour, as well as for the fortifications of the to^vn. This
plan was approved and partly put in execution by the build-
ing of a mole, digging a bafon and making (luices and flood
gates with excellent materials and a vaft expence. The
work had been for a confiderable time d'fcontinued ; but
in this expedition, that work of fo great ingenuity, charge,
and labour, was totally deftroyed. Whilft our humanity
regrets the unhappy necelTity of war, we cannot help ihink-
ing that the Englifli nation was freed by the fuccefs of this
expedition, from what might one day be caufe of no trivial
alarms.

When this work of deftruftion was over, all the veffels

in the harbour burned, and hoflages taken for the contribu-

^ tions levied on the town, the forces reimbarked,

16th. with great fpeed and fafety without any interrup-
tion from the enemy, and with the fame expedi-
tion, care and conduft, as they had been firft landed ; the
army having continued ten days unmolefted in France.

The nation exulted greatly in this advantage, efpecially
as it almoft accompanied the news of our glorious fucceffes
in America. Nothing was omitted to give the aftion its
utmoft eclat ; the brafs cannon and mortars taken at Cher-
bourg, were drawn from Kenfington to the tower, quite
through the city, in great pomp and order, adorn-
Sept. 16. ed with ftreamers, attended by guards, drums,
mufic, and whatever elfe might draw the atten-
tion of the vulgar. They who cenfured this procefllon as
too oftentatious, did not confider, how forcibly things of
this nature ftrike upon ordinary minds, and how greatly
they contribute to keep the people in good humour to fup-
port the many charges and loflcs that are incident to the
moft fuccefsful war.

The fleet when it left Cherbourg, was driven to the
coaft of England ; but the troops were not difembarked ;
it was refolved, that the coart of France Ihould have no
refpite ; and accordinR;ly they failed towards St. Maloes,
and landed in the bay or St. Lunar at a fmall difliance from
the town of St. Maloes. This choice of a place for land-
ing, mud necelTarily have furprifed all thofe who remem-
bered "pon what reafons the attempt againft that place had

been

v/»f .M>.^

1^58- ^^^ History of the War. g^

been fo recently laid afide. There was no other objefl of
fufficient confideration near it. The town was at leaft in
as good a pofture of defence as it had been then • and the
force Which was to attack it had fince then been confider-
ably leffened. There is undoubtedly fome thing very unac-
countable, a& well in the choice as in the whole condufl of
this affair. The nerfons in the principal commands, (hifted
the blame from one to another. There is nothing more
remote from our defign, than to fst up for judges in mat-
ters of this nature ; or ungeneroufly to lean on any officer,
who meaning well to the fervice of his country, by fome
misfortune or miftake fails in fuch hazardous and intricate
enterprifes. We fhall be fatisfied with relating the fads as
they happened.

As foon as the troops were landed in the bay of St.
Lunar, it became evl lent that the defign againft St. Maloes
was utterly imprafticable. Other proje6ls were then pro-
posed, but they all Teemed equally liable to objection. Whilft
they debated concerning a plan for their operations, the
fleet was in the greateft danger. The bay of St. Lunar is
extremely rocky ; and the experience of the people of the
couiiiry, together with what he faw himfelf, convinced the
Commodore that it was impofllble to remain any longer
in this road with tolerable fafety. Therefore he moved
up to the bay of St. Cas, about three leagues to the
weftward. , •

The fleet was feparated from the land forces ; but it
was ftiil eafy to preferve a communication between them ;
and as no attack was yet apprehended^ they made no fcru-
ple to penetrate farther into the country. In two days they
arrived at the village of Matignon, having had feyeral fkir-
miflies with fmall bodies of the enemy, who from time to
time appeared on their flanks, and who always difappeared
when they were brilkly encountered. By this time the
Duke d'Aiguillon, Governor of Britanny, was advanced
within fix miles of the Englilh army, with a body of
twelve battalions and fix fquadrons of regular troops, and
two regiments of militia. This determined the council of
war to retreat; they wanted but thice miles to the bay

of St. Cas. But in this little march a confiderable tune
was confumed, and the French army was clofe upon them
before they could be completely reimbarked. A very jfleep
Iiill formed a fort of amphitheatre about the bay of St.

Cas,

94 ^^e History ef the War. 1758.

Cas, where the embarkation was making ; but before the
laft diviiion, which confifted of all the grenadiers of the
army, and the firft regiment of guards, could get ofT,
the French had marched down this hill, through an ho'-
low way, and formed themfelvcs in a long line againfl:
the few Englilh troops that remained. There remained
in this exigency only the expedient of affiiming a bold
countenance, and attacking them with vigour. The bra-
very of our troops on this defperate occafion, was wor-
thy of a better fortune. The (hips and frigates ftconded
their efforts, and made a fevere fire upon the enen.y.
All was to no purpofe ; their ammunition was at laft fpent ;
the enemies numbers prevailed ; our little body attempted
to retreat, but they fell into confufion, they broke, an hor-
rible (laughter followed, many ran into the water and met
their fate in that element. The fhoie was covered with
dead bodies. General Dury was drowned. Sir John
Armitage a young volunteer of great fortune and hop€J,
was (hot through the head. Several officers, men of large
fortune and confideration fell. At length the firing of the
frigates ceafed, and the French immediately gave quarter.
About 400 w^ere made prifoners, 600 were killed and
wounded.

In the midft of this carnage, in the miJft of a fire that
Haggered the braveft feamen who managed the boats.
Commodore Howe exhibited a noble example of intrepid
dity and fortitude, by ordering himfelf to be rowed in his
own boat through the thickeft of the fire, to encourage all
that were engaged in that fervice, and to uring off as many
men as his veflel could carry.

This affair difpirited the people of England, and elated
the people of France far more than an affair of fo little
confequence ought to have done. It was in faft no more
than the cutting off a rear guard. There is often more
bloodlhcd in (kirmiflies in Germany, which make no figure
in the Ga7,ettcs. And certainly, if our expeditions to the
coall: of France were planned with any judgment, on our
part we had rather reafon to congratulate ourfelves that
we were able to land three times on that coaft, with fo in-
confiderable a lofs. The French indeed had reafon to mag-
nify this lofs ; and they did greatly magnify it in order to
confole their people, who had feen their trade fuher fo
much, and their country fo long infulted with impunity.

Whatever

1758.

•e the
of the
5t off,
n ho'-
igainft
nained
i bold
\e bra-
5 wor-
conded
enen.y.
fpent ;
empted
an hor-
,nd met
Btf with
r John
1 hop? J,
of large
g of the
quarter,
led and

\ ^y.

fire that

boats,

intrepi-

d in his

rage all

as many

elated
fo little
lo more
»n more
[o figure
IS to the

on our
Ives that
Ih fo in-
I to mag-
lorder to
juher fo
junity.

Whatever

%<■ .,~ \y'

Vjx)

Ma^or General AM HE R S T

land ;
near in

i<758. ^b<: History of the Wa r. 95

Whatever our fucceffes were on the coaft of France, they
did not afFeft us in the fame manner with thofe which we
had in America. From this part of the world we had long
been ftrangers to any thing, but delays, misfortunes, difap-
pointments, and difgraces. But the fpirit which had been
roufed at home, diffufed itfelf into ail parts of the world
where we had any concern, and invigorated all our opera-
tions.

Admiral Bofcawen with a powerful fleet of men of war
and feveral tranfports failed for Halifax from England, Feb.
the 19th. He had the chief command in the expedition
againft Louifbourg, and in particular the direftion of the
naval operations. General Amherft, from whole charafVer
great things were expefted, and who juftified thcfe expefta-
tions, was to command the land forces. Thefe amounted
to about 14000 men, including fome light troops, fitted for
the peculiar fervice of the country. The whole fleet con-
fifting of 151 fhips, fet fail from the harbour of Halifax."
On the fecond of June they appeared before Louifbourg.
They were fix days on the coaft before a landing was found
practicable; fuch a prodigious lurf fwelled all along the
ihore, that no boat could pofllbly live near it. The French
not trufting to this obftacle, had drawn entrenchments in
every part where it might be poflibk o land, fupported
them with batteries in convenient plajes, and lined them
with numerous infantry. At length the furf
though violent, at beft, was obferved to be fome- June 8.
what abated, and the Admiral and General did
not lofe a moment to avail themfelves of this opportunity
of landing ; they made all their difpofitions for it with the
higheft judgment. They ordered the frigates towards the
enemies right and left, to rake them on their flanks. Then
the troops were difpofed for landing in three divifions.
That on the left was commanded by General Wolfe, and
was deftined to the re^l attack. The divifions in the centre
to the right, were on'y defigned for feigned attacks, to
draw the enemies attention to all parts, and to diftra6t their
defence. ^

When the fire of the frigates continued about a quarter
of an hour^, General Wolfe's divifion moved towards the
land ; the enemy referved their {hot until the boats were
near in fhore, and then directed the whole fire of their
cannon and mufquetry upon them. The furf aided their

w, fire.

The History of the War. 1758.

fire. Many of the boats overfet, many were broken to
pieces, the men jumped into the water> fome were killed,
iome drowned ; the reft fupported and encouraged in all
difficulties, by the example, fpirit, and condud of their
truly gallant commander, gained the ftiore, took port, fell
upon the enemy with fuch order and refolution, that they
foon obliged them to fly in confufion. As foon as this port
was made good, the centre moved towards the left, and the
right followed the centre, fo that the landing was compleat-
ed, though not without much time and trouble, in an ex-
cellent order, and with little lofs.

The operations of a fiege are too minute and interefting
to make a detail of them agreeable to readers, who are not
converfant in the art military. The operations againft
Louifbourg for feveral days went on very flowly, owing en-
tirely to the prodigious furf and the rough weather, which
made it extremely difficult to land the artillery, ftores, and
inftruments to be employed in the fiege ; however, the ex-
cellent condu6k of the Generals Amherft and Wolfe, by
degrees overcame all the difficulties of the weather, which
was extremely unfavourable, the ground which was rugged
in fome places and boggy in others, and the refiftance of
the garrifon which was confiderable. The French had five
men of war of the line in the harbour, who could Ijring all
their guns to bear upon the approaches of the Englifh troops.
The firft thing done was to fecure a point called the light-
houfe battery, from whence they might play upon thele
veflels, and on the batteries on the other fide of the harbour.
General Wolfe performed this fervice with his ufual vigour

and celerity, and took poffefTion of this and all the
June 12. other poftis in that quarter. His fire from this

port on the 25th filenced the ifland battery, which
was that moft immediately oppofed to his ; but the {hips
ftill continued to bear upon him until the 21ft of the follow-
ing month, when one of them blew up, and communicating
the fire to two others, they alfo were in a (hort time con-
fumed to the water edge. This was a lofs not to be repair-
ed ; the approaches drew near the covered way, and things
were in a good condition for making a lodgment in it ; the
enemies fire was confiderably flackened: the town was
confumed to the ground in many places, and the works had
fuffered much in all. Yet the enemy ftill delaying to fur-
render, gave occafion to add one brave adion to the others,

which

1^5^- The Hi&TOKY of the V^ KK. gy

which had been difplayed during the courfe of this fiege.
The admiral who had all along done every thing pofllble to
iiecbnd the efforts of the land forces, notwithftanding the
feverity of the weather, refolved on a ftrokc, which by be-
ing decifive of the poffeflion of the harbour, might make
the reduftion of the town a matter of little difficulty. He
refolved to fend in a detachment of 600 feamen in boats, to
take or burn the two fhips of the line which remained, and
if he fhould fucceed in this, he propofcd the next day to
fend in fome of his own great fhips, who might batter the
town on the fide of the harbour. This was not more wifely
planned by the Admiral, than gallantly and fuccefsfully ex-
ecuted by Captain Laforey. In fpite of the fire
from the fhips and the batteries, he madehimfelf July. 25.
mailer of both thefe fhips ; one he towed off, the
other, as fhe ran aground, was fet on fire.

This ftroke, in fupport of the fpirited advances of the
land forces, was conclufive. The town furren-
dered the next day. The garrifon were prifoners July a6.
of war, and amounted with the irregulars and
feamen to 5637.

The taking of Louifbourg (a) was an event the mofl-

O i«i5y-M^.sr> jcfired

(a) Major General Amherft's Journal of the fiege 0/ Loulibourg.

On the 28th of M«y, I had the good fortune to meet Admiral
Bofcanuen with the fleet and the troops coming out of the har-
bour of Halifax. Lieut. Gen. Bragg's regiment, fjom thfi bay
of Fundy, joined the fleet this day.

1 he 29th we had fine weather ; the fhips kept well together ;
the whole confifted of 157 fail. The i>«^//« went very fickly
into Halifax.

The 30th the wind blew hard in the afternoon ; the fhips were
greatly difperfed.

The 3 m the wind fometimes contrary, obliged us to tack, and
it blew frefh.

The I fl of June Capt. Rous in the Sutherland came from off
the harbour of Louijhourg, faid, two fhips had got in the 30th ;
that there were 13 fail in the harbour. We faw the entrance of
Gaharus at night.

The 2d it was foggy in the morning ; about twelve i^vf Lpuif-
loiirp and the fhipa in. the harbour. The fleet, with about a, third

^ I'bc HistoKy of the War. ' " 1758.

dcfirtd by all our colonies ; that harbour had always been.
a receptacle cOfivetiient to the enemies privateers, who in-
felled the Englilh trade in North America. It Was the moft

.... ^ efFeCiiial

of the troops, anchored in Guharus bay ; and this evening, with
Brigadiers Generals Laiuren^e and Wolfe., I reconnoitred the (here
as near as we could, and made a difpofition for landing in three
places the next morning, in cafe the troops arrived.

The enemy had a chain of pofts from Cape Nair to the flat
Pointy and irregulars from thence to the bottom of the Bay ; fome
works thrown up at the places which appeared practicable to land
at, and fome batteries.

On the 3d moft of the tranfports came in this morning, all well
prepared for landing ; but the furf on Ihore was fo great, it was
impolliblc to land. This day Brigadier General Whitmore arrived
from Halifax^ at which place I have left Col. Monckton to com-
mand. As c .le Bay was found to have lefs furf than the others,
a difpofition was made to land the next morning in one place in-
ilead of three.

The 4th the wind and furf were fo very high, Admiral jB<j/*fffw^n
told me it was impradicable to land.

The 5th a great fwell and fog in the morning, and the Admi-
ral declared it ftill impradticable to land.

The 6th an appearance of change of weather, in the morning
early : I was refolved to feize the firft opportunity ; the fignal
was made to prepare to land between five and fix o'clock, and at
eight all the men were in the boats : The fog came on again, and
the fwell encreafed during the time the men were getting into
the boats, and the Admiral again declared it impracticable to land.
I ordered the troops on board their refpeftive fhips, firft acquaint-
ing them with the reafon for fo doing.

i The 7 th the weather bad in the morning j in the afternoon the
fwell rather decreafcd, and gave us great hopes of landing at day-
break the next morning, for which orders were given: and Bragg's
tegiment, who were in a number of floops, to ftil under convoy,
by the mouth of the harbour to Lorembec j fending at the fame
time a proportion of artillery deilined for the light houfe Pointy
with orders to make all the fliow they could of landing, but not
to land tillfurther orders, intending to draw the ^nemy's atten-
tion on that fide. "" ^"^^ ' *^

Froitn the 2d to this time, 'the <*nemy have been reinforcing

their pofts, adding to their works, cannonading and throwing fbelis

at the fhips, and making all the preparations they cnin to oppofe

ouf landing Seven tranfports were now mifling with troops on

• . , board,

1758-

lys been-
who in-
the moft
effeQ.ual

ling, with
1 the Ihorc
g in three

to the flat
Bay J Tooie
ble to land

ig, all well
:eat, it was
lore arrived
on to com-
the others,
le place in-

ABofca'wen
1 the Admi--

le morning
the fignal
ocic, and at
[1 again, and
getting into
ble to land,
•ft acquaint -

Tternoon the

[ding at day-

md Bragg's

der convoy,

lat the fame

lioufe Pointf^

ng, but not

^my's atten-

reinforcing

lovring (bells

In to oppofe

|h troops on

board,

175S. T^ History 0/ t^e War. ^g

<5fFe£tual blow which France had received from the com-
mencement of the war. By the taking of Louifbourg, fhe
loft the only place from whence fhe could carry on the cod

O 2 fifhery ;

board, three of which came in at night. The Admiral gave ail
ncceffary orders for the frigates to cover our landing.

On the 9th the troops were aflembled in the boats before break
ofday, in three diviiions ; and Commodore Dur^// having viewed
the coaft by order of the Admiral, and given me his opinion the
troops might land, without danger from the furf, in the bay on
our left, the Kennington and Halifax foow began the fire on the
left, followed by the Grammont^ Diana and Shannon frigates in
the centre, and the Sutherland znd Squirrel yxvon the right. When
the fire had continued about a quarter of an hour, the boats upon
the left rowed into the fhore, under the command of Brigadier
General fVolJe^ whofe detachment was compofed of the four eldeft
companies of grenadiers, followed by the light infantry, (a corps
of 550 men, chofen as markfmen from the different regiments,
ferve as irregulars, and are commanded by Major Scott, who was
Major of the Brigade) and the companies of rangers, fupported by
the Highland regiment, and thofe by the eight remaining compa-
nies of grenadiers.

The divifion on the right, under the command of Brigadier
Gen, IVhitmorty coniifled of the Royal, Lafcelles, Monckton, Forhes,
Anjiruthir and Webb, and rowed to our right by the white Toint^
as if intending to force a landing there.

The centre divifion, under the command of Brigadier General
Lawrence, was formed ofAmherJf^, Hof/on's, Otivay's, fVhitmore'if
Latvrence'St and ffarburton's, and made, at the fame time, a fhow
of landing at the frcfh water Cove. This drew the enemy's at-
tention to every part, and prevented their troops, ported along
the coaft, from joining thofe on their right.

The enemy adled very wifely, did not throw away a fhot, till
the boats were near in fliore, and then directed the whole fire of
their cannon and mufketry upon them. The furf was fo greut,
that a place could hardly be found to get a boat on ihore. Not-
withftanding the fire of the enemy, and the violence of the furf,
Brigadier fVolft purfued his point, and landed juft at their left of
the Cove, took poft, attacked the enemy, and forced them to re-
treat. Many boats overfet, feveral broke to pieces, and all the
men jumped into the water to get on fhore.

So foon as the left divifion was landed, the firfl detachment of
the centre rowed at a proper time to the left, and followed ; thrn
the remainder of the centre divifion, as fafl as the boats could

fetch

loo fbe History of the War. 175^'

fifhery ; and the only place (he had in a convenient fituatid*
for the reinforcements that were fent to fupport the war in*
the other parts of America j and with Louifljourg fell th<^
; vr-xiiri • r. v> iflani

fetch them from the fbips; and the right divifion followed tbe
centre in like manner, o ..-/.n oj c-'r ^.:: . ; \ p.i'ihv -"^fft

It took up a great deal of tinic to land the troops ; theeneniy's
retreat, or rather flight, was through the rougheft and wdrfl:
ground I ever faw ; and the purfuit ended with a cannonading from
the town, -which was fo far of ufe, that it pointed out how near f
could eiicamp to inveft it: On which the regiments marched to
their ground, and lay on their arms. The wind encreafed, and
we could not get any thing on fliore.

The lofs of his Majcfty's troops at landing is, Capt. Baillie and
Lieut. Cuthhert, of the Highland rtgxmtni i Lieut. Nkholfon of
mine, 4 ferjeants, i corporal, and 38 men killed, 21 were of my
regiment, (the grenadiers) of which 8 were fhot, and the reft
drowned in trying to get on fljore. , , 11.-^'^

Five lieutenants, 2 (erjeants^ i corporal, and 51 men wounded ;
and of the live companies of rangers, i enfign and 3 private
killed, I wounded, and i mifling.

On the enemy's fide, 2 captains of grenadiers, and 2 lieutenants,
are prifoners ; i officer killed, and an Indian chief: Several men
Ukewife killed ; and, I imagine,, about 70 men taken prifoners .
They were lent on board as fa ft as pofllble. By fomc of the pri-
foners I had intelligence, that M. St. Julient Colonel, command-
ed in the Cove \ That there were 5 battalions in the town, name-
ly, Bourgogney j^rtois, Royal Marine ^ Cambifey and Folontaires
Etrangersy with about 700 Canadians. The three firft regiments
wintered in Louijbourg i rolontaires Etrangers came there ndt
long fince with part of the fleet, and Cambife the night before
we landed.

We took from the enemy three 24 pounders, feven 9 pounders,
and feven 6 pounders, two mortars, and fourteen fwivels ; all
which were placed along the fhore, to prevent our landing ; with
ammunition tools, and ftores of all kinds.

The 9th Lieut. Gen. Bragg\ regiment returned in their floops
from Loremhec. The weather continued extreniely bad j the
furf fo great, that we could get only fome of our tents on fhore
in the afternoon.

The loth the furf ftill continued, and it was with great difficul-
ty that we got any thing on fliore.

The I'lth the weather grew clear and better, and fhe light 6
pounders, which I had ordered on ftiore immediately after the

troons

;

1^5^. the History of the War. lo'i

ifland of St. John's^ and whatever other ihfferlor ftations

they had for carrying on the fifhery towards Gafpefie and

.the bay De Chaleurs, which our (hips foon after this event

•tsHJ entirely

troops, were now only landed, and fome artillery ftores tirith
them.

On the 1 2th, from intelligence I had received, that the enemy
had deftroyed the grand battery, and called in their out-pods, I
detached Brigadier IVdfe with 1 200 men, 4 companies of grena-
diers, 3 companies of rangers, and fome light infantry round the
N. E. harbour to the Light Honje Point, with an intention to fiience
the //7fl«^ battery, and, at the fame time, to attempt to delhor
the lliips in the harbour ; fending, at the fame time by fea, the
proportion of artillery, tools, &c. that had been ordered for tliis
fervice.;d afi^'A/ :'f .J/lprifi u Tuouf.

I received, this day; a report from Brigadier Wolfe, that he had
taken pofleilion of the Light Houfe Point, and all the pods on that
fide the harbour, which the enemy had abandoned, leaving feve-
ral cannon, which were rendered ufelefs, toolc^ &c. and a great
quantity of filh at Lorembec. The weather continued extremely
bad ; but we got fome tools on fliore this night, fo that, on the
13th, we began to make a communication from the right to the
left in front of the camp ; and I ordered three redoubts on the
moft advantageous ground in the front. A party of the enemy
came out this day towards our camp, but were foon beat back by
the light infantry, before two picquets could well get up to their
alFiftance. We worked at three redoubti; in front all night.

The 14th the enemy cannonaded us a great part of the day
The furf ftill continued lb great, that it was with the greateft
difficulty we could land any thing, The fleet, under the com-
mand of Sir Charles Harrly, which appeared yeilerday for the firft
time, was in the night blown oil" to Tea.

The I 5th I fent four more mortars in a (loop to the Ltght-^
Houfe, but we could not get any artillery landed on this ftore;
At night two deferters from the k'olontaires Etrangers came in {
faid they had 5 killed and 40 wounded in the (kirmilh on the 1 3 th.

The 1 6th, the firft fine weather, we landed 12 days provifion,
and got many things on (hore, but could not land any artillery.

The 17th I got Colonel Bnjlide on horfeback, and, with Col;
JVilliamfon and Major A'VKellar, we reconnoitred the whole
ground as far as we could ; and Colonel Haflide was determined
in his opinion of making approaches by the (jieen Hill, and con-
fining the deflrudioa of the (hips in the haibour, to the l.iaht

•.. . r-u , 'i .. , - - . ...J .- Houft

102

The HrsTORY of the War.

entirely deftroyed. It is incredible how much tnis fucccfs
in America, joined to the fpirit of our other meaAlrcs, ope-
rated to raife our mil'tary reputation in Europe, and to fink

that

»:ii

Houfe Pointy ni^d the batteries on that (Ide. I added two 8 inch
mortars and three royals to the Light Houfe batteries.

The 1 8th we had fine weather. Some Indians took thret of
the tranfports men at the bottom oiGabarus bay who landed there
contrary to orders. The road for the artillery was puflked on as
faft as pollible. We got three 24 pounders on (horc, though the
furf was great the beginning of the day.

The 19th the batteries on the Light Houfe were intended to
have been opened this night, but could not be got ready fo foon.
VEcbo, a French frigate of 32 guns, was brought in to-day ; had
got out of the harbour the 13th at night, and was bound to
^eiec : By her we have intelligence, that the Bizane got out the
day we landed, and the Comette fince our arrival oft" the harbour.

The 20th the Ifland Battery and fliips fired at the batteries on
the ftiorc, who began their fire this laft night. The enemy
burnt an old (hip at the bottom of the harbour.

The 2 1 ft very bad weather, and the furf high. The enemy
difcovered us making the road for the artillery, and cannonaded
us ; threw fome (hot into the \tit. of the camp, but did not
oblige me to decamp any part. An advanced redoubt towards
Gr^*« //»// was thrown up this night. M'\' "\^ t»a >

The 2 2d the bud weather continued ; we were employed on
the road, and getting up a Block Houfe on the left, by the Miray
road, to fecure the communication to the N. E. harbour and
Light Houf, and to hinder any parties from going into the town.

The 23d the Admiral aflured me there were above a hundred
boats Igft in landing the troops and provifions. This day fine
weather ; and we now have on (hore twelve 24 pounders, and
fix 12 pounders. The enemy fired a great deal from their
Shipping and Ifland Battery, and threw feme (hot into the left
of the camp. Colonel MeJ]er<vey, and molt of his carpenter?,
taken ill of the fmnll-pox, which is a very 5;reat lofs to the army.
Gabions and fafclncs arc landed, and carried forward as faft as
poflible, to make an cpaulement to Green Hill. The batteries at
the Light Houfe fire with fuccefs againll the Ifland Battery, and
I hope will foon filencc it.

On the 24th the enemy fired on the Light Houfe Batteries from
the town and (hipping, and on our advanced redoubt, which was
fini(hed, they fired from the town. Colonel Bafiidc remained
fixed in his opinion of advancing by Green Hill, We had this

day

fUCCCfs
:», Ope-
to fink
that

o 8 inch

thret of
led there
led on as
lOugh the

tended to
y lb foon.
day ; had
bound to
ot out the
B htrbour.
Ltteries on
"he enemy

'he enemy
annonaded
It did not
bt toward*

jloyed on
he Miray
rbour and
the town,
hundred
is day fine
ders, and
rom their
o the left
:arpenter?,
the army,
as fad as
attcries at
//pry, and

ieries from

;hich was

remained

|c had this

day

i*j5%. The History of the Wa r. 103

that of France, and confequently how much it influenced
our mod effential interefts and thofc of our allies.

Th« plan of our operations in America were, however.

day in the park of artillery thirteen 24 pounders, and fevcn 1 2
pounder.s.

The acth the cannonading continued night and day : In the
evening the IJland Battery was filenced ; their own fire had helped
to break down part of their works : Fafcines and gabions were
forwarded to Grten Hill as fatt as polfible. All the men employed
at work, and making the necelfary communications. The enemy
fired a good deal at our advanced redoubt.

The 26th a fmall alarm on the left of a party that had advanc*
ed from the town ; had got up to the Block Houfe^ which was
not quite finiflied. They had with them a barrel of pitch to fet
it on fire : The guard on it was not fufficient to oppofe a large
party ) but a detachment was fent out fo quick, that they were-
forced to retreat without effedting their defign, though two of
the men had been in tne Block Houfe^ and they were drove back
into the town very faft. Three hundred pioneers ordered to
Green Hill. Admiral Bofca'wen landed 200 marines, and took
the poft at Kenning ton Cofve, which is a great eafe to the army
I defired of the Admiral four 32 pounderu and two 24 pounders
to leave at the Light Houfty to keep the Jflnnd Battery in ruin,
that with a proper number of men intrenched there, Brigadier
IVolfe^ with his detachment, might be able to come round the
harbour, bringing his artillery with him ; and to try to deflroy
the (hippinE, and to advance towards the Pl'^eji Gate.

The aytn one brafs 24 pounder was loft in 12 fathom water,
by nipping off the catamaran* , as they were coming from the
(hip to land it. The cannon I aiked ot the Admiral were landed
this night at the Light Houfe.

The 28th a great many popping (hots and cannonading. As
the poft at Green Hill was covered, we began the road over the
bog, and throwing up an epaulement. Colonel Mejfervey and his
fon both died this day ; and of his company of carpenters of
108 men, all but 16 in the fmall-pox, who are nurfcs to the
ficlc. This is particularly unlucky at this time.

The 29th cannonading continued ; the frigate fired conftantly
at the epHulement ; weputfued working at the roaJ, which coft a
great deal of labour : At night the enemy funk 4 fhips in the'
harbour's mouth j yf^o//o, a two-deck'd one, In Fidtlle of 36-
guns, laChevre, and la Biche, of 16 guns each, and they cut.

cff

♦ A kind of raft much ufcd at fea.

I04 ^he History of the War.' 1758.

by no means confined folely to this obje6k, important as it
was. Two other attempts were propofed : the firft at-
tempt was with a great force to drive tire French from Ti-
vj conderoga

off moft of their mafts. Remain in the harbour five of t\e line
of battle, and a frigate of 36 guns. 1

The 30th, at night, fome firing at Kennington Cove : The ma-
rines thought they faw Indians : The frigate fired all night at the
cpaulenient, as the men worked in the night-time.

'i he ill of July, the enemy creeped out in the morning to get
fome old palifades and v/ood. Brig. H^olfe and Major S.ett'a light
infantry puflied them in with a very brilk fire ; and the Brigadier
took poH: on the hills, from whence it was intended to try to de-
^olifh the (hipping ; we marched forward on the right ; forced
the enemy back to Cape Noir with a fmart fixe.

The 2d, the epaulement and road went on heavily, from the
extreme badnefs of the ground : The enemy continued their can-
nonading, and threw fome flielis : We Ikirmilhed all day with par-
ties out of the town.

The 3d, a great cannonading from the town and (hipping on
the batteries. Brig. IVolfe was making an advanced work on the
right, thrown up at 650 yards from the cover'd way, with an in-
tention of ejeding a battery to deftroy the defences of the place,
it being pretty well on the capital of the CiM^*/Aj/?/o«; and the
falling of the ground from this place, towards the works, would
hinder difcovering as much of the works as would be necelTary to
do them, any confidcrabie damage. In the evening the fea officers
thought fome of the (hips would try to get out of the harbour
The batteries on the left immediately played on them, but it grew
fo dark they could not continue.

The 4ch a great fog j when there were glares of light, the
cannonading began ; 500 men kept continually making fafcines.

The 5ih very bad weaiher ; the epaulement was haftened on
as much as pollible, it fwallowed up an irnmenfe number of faf-
cines, cod fome men, as the frigate cannonaded on it without
ceailng.

The 6th a (loop failed out of the harbour with a flag of truce
to Sir Charles Hardy ^ to carry fome things to their wounded of-
ficers and prifoners.

The many difliculties of landing every thing in almoft a conti-
nual furf, the making of roads, draining and palling of bogs,
and putting ourfelves under cover, render our approach to the
place much longer than 1 could wifh.

On the 7th we had very foggy weather j cannonading conti-

tlylaU A ♦ i»ued

nued al
pofts.

The
Noir^ t
a mu(k(
The
dier La
though
diers o(
polled \\
ed three
drove thi
nadiers b

of the ei
ferjeant,
of five p
de Cham
17 men I
what woi
died imm
their deac
frigate wj
very niuc
The 10
the enem)
The II
the block-
The 12
tachment
work to G
iucWIy ma
Citadel B(m
The 131
ed our wo
^ny was at
that point,
faid a (loop
The 141
intention t

1^58. The HisroKY of the WhK. 105

conderoga and Crown Point ; in which, if we could fuc-
ceed, the enemy would lofe thofe ports from which they
were in the bert condition to molert our colonies, and by
.•»iol .' • • lofing

nued all day, and a good deal of popping (hots from the advanced
poils.

The 8th I intended an attack on feme advanced pofts at Cape
Noir^ but it did not take place. Col. Baftide got a contufion by
a mufket ball on his boot, which laid him up in the gout.

The 9th, in the night, the enemy made a Sortie wh'^re Briga-
dier Lanjurence commanded ; they came from Cape Noir^ and
though drunk, I am afraid rather furprifed a company of grena-
diers of Forhcs'St commanded by Lord Dundonald^ who were
pofted in a FUecke on the right. Major Murray y who command-
ed three companies of grenadiers immediately detached one, and
drove the enemy back very eafily. IVhitmare*s and Bragg^s gre-
nadiers behaved very well on this occafion. Lord Dundonald was
killed,' Lieut. 7etu wounded and taken prifoner, Capt. Bontein
tii the engineers taken prifoner : i corporal, 3 men killed ; 1
ferjeant, 1 1 men mifling ; 1 7 men wounded : The Sortie was
of five picquets, fupported by 600 men ; a Captain, Chevalier
de Chauvelirij was killed, a Lieut, wounded and taken prifoner :
17 men killed, 4 wounded and brought oiF prifoners, befides
what wounded they carried into the town, one of which, a Capf.
died immediately. The enemy fent out a flag of truce to bury
their dead, which when over, the cannonading began again. The
frigate was fo hurt, (he hauled clofe to the town; the Ihips fired
very much againft Brig. fP'ol/e's batteries.

The loth, the road at the epaulement went on a little better ;
the enemy fired a great deal, and threw many ihelis.

The nth, a waggoner was taken off by fome Indians between
the block-hou(e and the left of the N. E. harbour.

The 12th it rained very hard ail night; not a man in the de-
tachment could have a dry thread on ; we made an advanced
work to Green Hill ; at night the waggoner who had been taken
luckily made his efcape, faid, they were 250 Canadians. The
Citadel Bajiion fired very fmartly.

The 13th, the enemy threw a great many fhells ; we perfeft-
ed our works as faft as we could ; bad rainy weather ; the ene-
my was at work at Cape Noir to hinder us taking pofleflion near
that point, which is of no confequence ; fome deftrters came in,
faid a floop of Miray got in three days ago.

The 14th, the hatteties were traced out laft night, with an
intention to place twent) 24 poundets, divided in four different

P batteries,

io6 The History of the War. 1758.

lofing them, would lay open an eafy road into the very

heart of their fettlements in Canada. The fecond attempt

vias to be made with a condderable, though an inferior

,: • force,

batteries, to deflroy the defences, and a battery of 7 qiprtars,
with fome 12 pounders to ricochet* the works and the town, c;'

The 15th, the cannonading and firing continued; the enemy
tried lo throw fome ihelis into cs^mp, fuppofed to be intended
againll our powder magazine : At ten at night the l,ight Houff
battery Bred fome rockets as a fignal of (hips failing out of the
harbourf ; Sir Charles Hardy anfwered it ; the frigate got out,
and Sir Gharles Hardy % fleet got under failand went to fea. Be-
fore day break, Capt. Sutherland^ pofledat the end of th^ N. £.
harbour, was attacked, and there was a great deal of firing ;
the grenadiers of Brig. Wolfe\ corps marched to fuftain him, and
all the light infantry ; it was over before they could get up, and
by a defer ter from the enemy, they were only loc men come
from Mirayy where they left Monf. de Boijbere^ who had, on thq
other fide the water, 300 men with boats to pafs. Major Scott ,
with the light infantry, purfued, but could not get up with them.
I encamped a corps forward.

The 1 6th, towards nizht. Brig. Wolfe pufhed on a corps and
took poireilion of the hills in the front of the Barafoy, where we
made a lodgment ; the enemy fired very brilkly from the town
and (hipping.

The 17 th, a great fire continued from the town and (hippin

we refolved to extend the parallel from the right to the left
fleet returned.

7'he 18th, all laft night the enemy fired muflcf try from the co"
vert way, and tried to throw (hells into the camp.

The 19th, I relieved the trenches by battalions, the 14 batta-
lions forming 3 brigades ; a fmart fire from the covert way, the
batteries on the left fired againft the ballion Dauphint with great
fuccefs.

The 2 1 ft, one of the fhips in the harbour, that had fome pow-
der blown up in her, made a great explofion, and fet the fiii'p oa
fire, which foon caught the fails of two more ; they burned very
fail, and we kept firing on them the whole time, to try to hinder
the boats and people from the town to get to their ailiftance ; the

EntreprennaniXt

* Is half charging a gun, by which the bullet flcips upon the
ground like Hones \vhen Ikimm'd upon the water.

t This was probably the (hip which brought news to Franct
of the Englijh landing, and efcaped notwithl ling the vigilance
of rp great a fleet. X Of 74 ^uus.

1758.

le very
ittempt
inferior
force,

inQrW8»
town,
the ewmy

intended
ight Hwff
out of the
e got out,
► fea. Be-
•ftbpN.E.

of firing ;
in him, and
ret up, and
' men come
had. on thq
Major Sco»»
p with them.

a corps and
where we
>m the town

,nd fcipping «
the left. Tne

.t V ■•5>

I from the co-

Ithe 14 ^a"*"
lertwav, the

\nt with grea^

Id fome ppw-
fet the (hip oa
ly burned very
b try to hinder
■lUftancei the
\treprennantXt
\ips upon the

tws toFrantt
the vigilance

1758.. T'i'/ History 0/ the War. 107

force, from PenfylVania againft Fort du Quefne": fhe fuc-
cefs of this attempt would eilablifh us in the poffcflion of
the Ohio, (See the map of America at the latter end) and

break

Entreprennantf Capricieux ||, and Superb ||, were the three
burned ihips ; the Prudent and Bienfaifant remained.

The 22d, two batteries on the right opened with thirteien 24
pounders, and another of 7 mortars, and fired with great fuccefs ;
the enemy fired very well from the town for fome time, and threw
their fliells into our works. Our (hells put the citadel in flame).
I ordered Col. WilliamfnH to confine his fire as much as he could
to the: defences of the place, that we might not de(^roy the hou-
fes. A Lieut, of the Royal AmericaHSi going his rounds on an ad-
vanced pod, loft his way, and was taken prifoner near Cape Noir.
A battery was begun on the left for four 2^4 pounders.
' The 23d, the cohorns virere ufed at night, and the French mor-
tars fent to throw ftones from the trenches. The enemy fired all
forts of old iron, and any ftuflF they could pick up. Qo\. Bafiide
was out to day for theifirft time fince he received the contufion.
Our batteries fired, with great fuccefs. This night the (hells fet
fire to the barracks, > and they burnt widi great violence.^ ij35L' 4
On t^ e 24th, the'fire was very brilk on oui fide, and the ehcmy'a
decreafed. The Admiral gave me 400 feamen to help to wor*- at
the batteries, &(f: and 200 miners added to a corps of lod already
eftablifhed, that 'wemi^t make quick work of it, and thfey were
immediately emplbydd. The 4 gun battery opened, and another
of 5 erecting. One of the men of war in the harbour, the Bien-
/tfii/kftf, fired ntduii trenches' at h^h<^M^&t6r,! and the Citadel and
B'ajiiori Daupbifff firtd ^^inik the 4 giin battery } but our men
firing fmall armd into thieembraaiures, beat the enemy off their

guns. ■■'' ■.:,:;■'

The 25th, the batterieaiired with gceat; fuccefs. The Admiril
fent me word, he intended' to fend in bodts. with 600 men, to take
or deftroy the Prudent and the Bienfaifant in jthe harbour. I op-r
deredall the batteries at night to fire intoihe works as much as
pofHble, to keep the enemy's atteiition to the land. The miners
and workmen went on very well with their approaches to the co-
vered way, thoujgh they hlrd a continued and very fmart fire from
it, and grape (hot, and all forts of old iron from the guns of the
ramparts. We continued our fire without ceafing, and i Ricochet :
The boats got to the (hips at one in the moiriing, and took them
both : They were obliged to burn the Prudent, as (he was aground ;
and they towed off the Bienfdifant to the N. E. harbour.

P 2 The

H Of 64 guns each.

f^*

io8 The History of the War". 1758^'

break oflF the connexion between Canada and Louidana. i
Gen. Abercrombie, commander in chief of our forces in
America, conducted the firft of thofe expeditions. He em-
barked

The 26th, the Admiral came on fliore, and told me he propo-
fed fending 6 Ihips into the harbour the next day. Jufl at this
time I received a letter from the governor, ofiering to capitulate »
and the articles were agreed upon. ::' -.

AHicksitf capitulation hetnveen their excellencies *dmiral Bofcaw-

en and major general Amherft ; and his excellency the cheva"

• Her Drucour, governor of the ijland o/Ca^ Breton^ o/Louif •

■'bourg, the ijland of St. John, and their appurtenances. .so;

. « ^ . . .... . ■ ■!'"*'"

I. The garrifon of Louijhourg fhall be prifoners of war, and
ihall be carried to England in the ihips of his Britannick Mz~
jefty. ^ ;• -:.'>

II. AH the artillery, ammunition, provifions,. as well as the
arms of any kind whatfoever, which are at prefent in the town of
Louijiout'gf theiilsindsof Cape Breton and St. fohn, and their ap-
purtenances, ihall be delivered without the Ijait damage, to fuch
commiiTaries as ihal) be appointed to receive thein, for the uie^of
his Britannick Majeily.

Willi. The governor ihall give his orders that, the troops which
are in the iiland of St. John and its appurtenances, ihall go on
board fuch ihip of war^ as the admkal &all fend to iieceive
them. . ■■■'':■;:;.•'.•: ■';'■'•■'•. '':.■!■: j 7 '■■:

b.lV. The gate, called;P«r/^ Dauphine^ ihall be given up to the
troops of his Britannick Majefty, to-moirow 5 1 eight o'clock in thie
ororning, and the gardfon, including all -thofei that carried ^ms,
drawn up a«- noon, on the Efplanade, where they ihall lay down
their arms, coI<^urs, .implen)eiU:s, and ornainents of war. And ' *he
gdrrifon fliail gr on boardf^Jnribrden to be carried to England in a
convenient time. 1 ^ ■;l\.A--'' ■ • ■" - •

V. The fame care ihaJi. be^taken of the Tick and wounded thati
are in the hofpitals^ as of thofe belonging 'to ; his Britannick
Majefty; .-;;'..': .'.:■ ' ', :■ :....■;

VI. The merchants ind their clerks, that -have not carried
arms, ihall be fent to Frahcey m fuch manner as< theadmical ihall
think proper. ;;>->j«ofUiv/ nuiiiio i>^;;.;!*no; ?i«<j<n< t
:;;.,.-i, ic-. ;. : > , Louifhrnr^^ • 26 July, l'J'§8; !toi ^f,-; .-Jwd -rX V

': (Signed),, Le Chevalier de DRUCOUR.

Si^H

K. Al

■rij^-

^^ f>"

■>o ■■ J

1758- ^^^ History of the War. 109

barked upon Lake George with near 16,000 troops, regu-
lars and provincials, and a numerous artillery on the 5th of
July ; and after a profperous navigation, arrived the next

day

A Defcrtption of the Toivn and Harbour of Louifbourg, nuith
- References pointing out the Approaches of his Majefty^s Forces.

A. The Town of Louijbourg.

B. The citadel

C. A lake, where the fifhing-

barks winter.
•D. Stajges for drying fifli.

E. A battery of 20 guns, eredt-

edfince 1748.

F. The Dauphin battery of 30
-:£ guns, which defends the
x;R"; Weft-Gate, being that
I .1: whibhwas fir ft delivered to

the^^nglijb.

G. The Ifland-battery of 40

guns, filenced the 24th of

June^ by the Light-houfe

.\r battery at I, under the di-

•V- re£tion of Major General

mife.

H. A fmall battery of 8 guns.

I. The Light-houfe battery, ta-

, • > ken by Major Gen. IVoife^
June 12th, from whence
the ihips in the harbour
were deftroyed, at X.

K. A battery of 1 5 guns, ufed
for the deftrufliou of thp
(hipping.

\j. The grand battery of 40
guns, deftroyed by the
French the lath, when all
the out parties were ordei-
ed iftfQ the works of the
toVirn.

M- A bittery of ' 1 5 guns, de-
ftroyed the fame time.

N. Hoyfes inhabited by fifher-
nien. f ,

O. A lake,

P. Rivers, from whence the in-
habitants have their frefh
water.

(^ A pond, which defends part
of the works, and makei
this jpart very difficult of
accefs.

R. The grand bepch.

S. Rocks under water.

T. The Careening place de-
fended from all winds.

V. TheGreen-hill, from whence
the town was annoyed by
a redoubt caft up the lift
of y««f, under the dire£ti«
on of Col. Baftide.

W. The place where the enemy
funk four (hips on the 29th,
«t;/«. the Apolio a two-
deck'd ftip, la Fidelle of
36 guns, le Chevre and
ia Bichey of 1 6 guns each.

X. The ftation of the French
men of war that were de-
ftroyed from the Light-
houfe and other batteries,
eredted for that fervice. .

Y. The place wheiv. the Pruf
dent was fet on fire, by the
boats froni the fleet, J««f

25 th. /r,(

Z. The North eaft harbour, to
which place the Bienfaifant
fliip of war was towed by ,
the boats qf the fleet from
Y.

A a. Capt.

Erf

xio 7'/&<r History of the War. 1758.

-day at the place where it had been propofed to make the
landing. They landed without oppofition. The enemiei
advanced guards fled at their appearance. The EngUlh ar-
vsti 'my

A a. Capt. Sutherland' %^^ that
was attacked before Day^
on the 1 5th of Jw/y, who
made a gallant defence,

' t. and cleared himfelf of the

jtli enemy, without any airift-
ance, the reinforcement
coming too kte.

Bb. Where the block-houfe was
erected, the zzd of Juncy
nezrMiray* road, to fe-
cure the cbmmunication
to the North Eafl harbour

.>;, and light-houfe.

C c. Cape Noir Bajiiony where
the enemy made a faliy of
their picquets the 9th of
Julyt fupported by 600
chofen men ; by them Ld.
Dundonald was unfortu-
nately furprifed. He was

Greett'hilly with a corti-
mand cf Forhes'i grena-
diers. On this occafion
Bragg's and WhitifHor/^
grenadiers behaved with
uncommon intrepidity,
(they were detach<!d by
Major Murray) and repul-
fed the French ^-^hoAXi this
expedition loft foiiie able

1 officers, with many '. fol-
diers. It was after this af-
fair the enemy fent a flag

[:• of truce to bury thd dead.

vd
is

-1/

* Miray a lake fame tvay ih
land front Louifl>ourg harbour ^
lying bet'ween the tovtn and the
North-eaji harbour: here Monf.
de Boifl)ere had on the other fide
of that lake 302 wf», 'with boati
,H: pofted on the right of the to pajs over. «! iUwl / '

)S:ctraif of a Letter from Admiral BofcaWcii, to the Righi Hon.
Mi'. Secretary Pitt, dated Namur, Gabreufe Bay, iSth of July,

I Will not tfovible you with a particular detail of the landing
and fiege, but cannot help mentioning a particular gallant
aflionin the night between the 25th and 26th inftant: The boatg
of the fquadron were in two divifions, detached under the Com-
mand of Capts. Lafotey and Balfour^ to endeavour either to take
or burn the Prudent of 74 guns, and Bienfaifant of 64, the only
remaining French (hips in the harbour ; in which they fuccteded
fo well, as to burn the former, flie being a-ground, arid take the
latter, and tow her into the N. E. harbour, notwithftanding they
were expofed to the fire of the cannon and mufquetry Of the (/land
battery, point Rochefort, and the ToTwn, being favoured with a
dark night. Our lofs was inconfiderable, 7 men killed, ahd 9
wounded.

I have

APLan of ihe Harbour ai
Island of Cape Bri

,^^.

,i»

■••<■>— '

?^j»

^ jT '*J> -^^ • •->- - Jt-i?--*

j*.,^«v

-<t*

"^A^zJ^

-.-/

Y ^

.♦

'.''*'.' ".!*'"•■"•'**■■*'*

\>f^.

;f j.^

^Bladc Point /r^ipgM>lr
Itxtt of Gid[>arus fia/

APLan ofihe Harbour and Toa\^n of Lo

ISLATSTD of Cape BRETOTST Drawn oi

'crwn of LOUISBOURG mthe
'y'N Dra^^n on the Spot.

A^crale of .500 Tot s eg.

'■■■ ■' 1^1 11

^o too iLoo ^00 -foo s^^

*4'?,

'*,«t..

t' M

J .ilVi I

^:' ■-:».

1758.

my pr<

couatr)

woody,

unknovi

were b«

another

der, th(

before .1

the fam

ed, in \

of near

glifh fii

confequ

from th<

formed

vice wh

under h

gage; h

mon fcj

hunger,

fy in his

the com

the mom

the mof

enough

deed to

of his c<

his fortu

fame vir

J.?.:

* ■. I < ■

."SiW-

IftM*

I have
and the
Bicker/on,
gentlemei

I have I
officers, I
fiege, wit

* Soon
lowing ad
Qn worth;

1758- ^b^ History of the War. ni

my proceeded in four columns to Ticonderoga. As the
country through which their march lay was difficult and
woody, and the guides which conduced the march to this
unknown country, were extremely unlkilful, the troops
were bewildered, the columns broke and fell in upon one
another. Whilil they marched on in this alarming difor*
der, the advanced guard of the French, who had lately fled
before .them, was bewildered in the fame manner ; and in
the fame diforder fell in with our forces. A fkirmifh enfu-
ed, in which this party was quickly defeated with the lofsv
of near 300 killed, ^nd 148 prifoners. The lofs on the Hi^^
glifh (Ide was inconfiderable in numbers ; but great in
confequence. Lord Howe was killed. This gallant mant^
from the moment he landed in America, had wifely con-
formed and made his regiment conform to the kind of fer-
vice which the country required. He did not fuffer any
under him to encumber themfelves with fuperfluous bag-
gage ; he himfelf fet the example, and fared like a com-
mon foldier. The firft to encounter danger, »:o endure
hunger, to fupport fatigue ; rigid in his difcipline, but ea-
fy in his manners, his officers and foldiers readily obeyed
the commander, becaufe they loved the man ; and now at
the moment when fuch abilities, and fuch an example were
the mod wanted, was fatally loft, a life which was long
enough for his honour but not for his country. It adds in-
deed to the glory of fuch a death, and to the confolation
of his country, that we ftill poHefs the heir of his titles,
his fortunes, and his virtues, whilft we tremble to fee the
fame virtues expofing themfelves to the fame dangers.*

Excepting

I have given the command of the Bienfaifant to Capt. Balfour ^
and the Echoy a frigate, to Capt. Laforey ; Mr. Affleck and Mr.
Bicker/on^ Lieuts. who boarded the Bienfaifanty fucceeded thofe
gentlemen in the /Etna (irefliip and Hunter doop.

I have only farther to aifure his Majedy, that all his troops and
officers, both fea and land, have fupported the fatigue of this

fiege, with great drmnefs and alacrity.

, ' •■ ' •

♦ Soon after the news of Lord Hotue^s death arrived, the fol-
lowing advertifemcnt appeared in the public papers ; nn applicati-
on worthy of a Roman matron, in the virtuous times oi xhc re-
public,

112 The History of the War. 1758.

Excepting this lofs, the army had hitherto proceeded
fuccefsfully. In a little time they appeared before Ticon-
deroga. This is a very important poft, and as
July 8. ftrongly fecured. The fort is fituated on a tongue
of land between Lake George and a narrow gut,
which communicates with the Lake Champlain. Oh three
fides it is furrounded with water ; and for a good part of
the fourth it has a dangerous morafs in front ; where that
failed, the French had made a very ftrong line upwards of
eight feet high, defended by cannon, and fecured by 4 or
5000 men. A great fall of trees with their branches out-
ward, was fpread before the entrenchment for about an
hundred yards. / ; ■• ^

The General caufed the grounil to be reconnoitred ; and
the engineer made fo favourable a report of the weaknefs of
the entrenchment, that it appeared practicable to force it
by mufquetry alone. A fatal refolution was taken, in con-
fequence of this report, not to wait the arrival of the artil-
lery, which on account of the badnefs of the ground, could
not be eafily brought up, but to attack the enemy without
lofs of time. They were confirmed in this precipitate re-
folution, by a rumour that a body of 3000 men were on
their march to join the French at Ticonderoga, and very
fhortly expelled to arrive.

When the attack began, the difficulty of the ground, and

the

.sa-

^iii'AfJj- ii\i

public, and which could not failoffuccefs, where the leail fpark
of virtue exilled.

* Ttt the Gentlemen^ Clergy^ Freeholders, and Burpejfes^ of the

* Totvn and County of the Tonvn of Nottingham. i '

* As Lord Howe is now abfent upon the public fervice, and

* Lieut. Col. Honve is with his regiment at Louijbourg, it refts up-

* on me to beg the favour of your votes and interefts, that Lieut.

* Col. Hoiue may fupplv the place of his late brother, as your re-

* prefentative in p?irliament.

* Permit me therefore to implore the protedlion of every one

* of you, as the mother of him, whofe life has been loll in the

* (mice of his country.

Albemarle'Streetf Sept.
14. «75S

CHARLOTTE HOWE.

1758-

ceeded
Ticon-

and as
tongue
)W gut,
In three

part of
jre that
(rards of
by 4 or
168 out-
bout an

ed ; find
iknefs of
» f(jrce it

in con-
the artil-
d, could

without
litate re-
were on
and very

lund, and
the

leaft fpark

iw, o/ the

[vice, and

|t refts up-

lat Lieut.

Is your re-

|every one
)ft in the

tOWE-

i75»-

The History of the War. 121

the ftrength of the enemies lines which had been fo little
forefeen, was but too feverely felt. Although the troops
behaved with the utmoft fpirit and gallantry, they fufFered
fo terribly in their approaches, and made fo little impreflion
on the entrenchment, that the General feeing fheir reitera-
ted and obftinate eflforts fail of fuccefs, beii ^ upwards of
four hours expofed to a moft terrible fire, thought it necef-
fary to order a retreat, to fave the remains of the army.
Near 2000 of our men were killed, wounded and taken pri-
foners ; the number of the taken being very inconfiderable.
This precipitate attack, was followed by a retreat as preci-
pitate ; infomuch that our army gained their for-
mer camp^to the fouthward of Lake George, the July 9.
evening after the aftion. (b)

(h) General Abercrombie'/ Account of bis Expedition againjl

"^Ticonderoga.

5 -» , Tv^ -:r :o! Qamp at Lake George, July I2, 1758. '

THE embarkation of the artillery, ftores and provilions being
compleated on the evening of the 4th inftant ; next morn-
ing at break of day the tents were ftruck. and all the troops,
amounting to 6367 regulars, officers, light infantry, and rangers
included, and 9024 provincials, including officers and batteau men,
embarked in about 900 batteaux, and 135 whale boats, the ar-
tillery to cover our landing, being mounted on rafts.

At five in the evening, reached Sabbaih Day Point (25 miles
down the Lake) where we halted till ten, then got under way
again, and proceeded to the landing place (a cove leading to the
French advanced guard) which we reached early next morning
the 6th.

Upon our arrival, fcnt out a reconnoitring party ; and having
met with no oppofition, landed the troops, formed them in four
columns, regulars in the centre, and provincials on the flanks,
and marched towards the enemy's advanced guard, compofed of
one battalion, pofted on a logged camp, which, upon our ap-
proach they deferted, firft fettmg fire to their tents, and deft rov-
ing every thing they could; but as their retreat was very precipi-
tate, they left feveral things behind, which they had not time
either to burn or carry off. In this camp we lijcevvife found one
prifoner and a dead man.

The armv In the foicgoing order contimied their march through

Q, the

122 The History of the War. 1758.

To repair the misfortune of this bloody defeat, General
Abercrombie detached Col. Bradftreet with about 3000
provincials againfl: Fort Front :;. The Colonel with

-c t .,•; ; ; ... '.j;ji'' , i;;...:c :.;;';?;, i' '^^ '!% -.viui'i'.- great

great pr
brought
Lake Or

the wood, on the weft-fide, with a defign to inveft Ticonderoga,
but the wood being very thick, impaflable with any regularity to
fuch a body of men, and the guides unlkilful, the troops were be-
wildered, and the columns broke, falling in one upon another.

Lord Honve, at the head of the right centre column, fupported
by the light infantry, being advanced,^ fell in with a French party,
fuppofed to confift of about 400 regulars, and a few Indians^ who
had likewife loft themfelves in the retreat from the advanced
guard; of thefe our flankers killed a great many, and took 148
prifoners, among whom were five officers and three cadets.

But this fmall fuccefs coft us very dear, not as to the lofs of
numbers, for we had only two officers killed, but as to confe-
quence, his lordihip being the firft man that fell in this fkirmifh ;
and as he was, very defervedly, univerfally beloved and refpefted
throughout the whole army, it is eafy to conceive the grief and
confternation his untimely fall occafioned ; for my part, I cannot
help owning that I felt it moft heavily, and lament him as fin-
cerely.

The 7th, the troops being greatly fatigued, by having been
one whole night on the water, the following day conftantly on
foot, and the next day under arms, added to their being in want
ofprovifion, having dropped what they had brought with them,
in order to lighten themfelves, it was thought advifeable to return
to the landing place, which we accordingly did about eight that
morning.

About eleven in the forenoon, fent off Lieut. Col. Bradjireet,
with the 44th regiment, fix companies of the firft battalion of the
royal Americans ^ the batteau men, and a body of rangers and pro-
vincials, to take polTefllon of the Sanv-niilly within two miles of
Ticonderoga *, which he foon effected -, as the enemy who were
, .,, ; , ,^^r .-,[_ ■■■ - .;.-r;,;,j.j ■ polled

■ * A fort built about two years ago on the narrow pafTage or
communication between Lake George and Champlain. It has all
the advantages that nature or art can give it, being defended on
three fides by water, which is furrounded by rocks, and on the
half of the fourth fide by a fwamp, and where that fails, there
the French had erefted an entrencliment and breaft work about 9
feet high. It is in the way to Cro'wti Point, and muft be tal?n by
our forces before they can march thither. (See the Plate.)

pofled thei

bridge, ha

Lieut. C

having fen

accordingly

quarters th*

The prif

that ihe Fr,

troops, in a

intrenching 1

they expea<

ans, who hj

Levy, to nia

upon intelligi

repeatedly r(

moft advifeai

ezrlyin thei

acrofs the riv

noitre the en

Upon his r

carrying thofe

agreed to fto

light infantry,

immediately ti

non /hot of t

George, and tl

troops, deftine

on their rear.

The Piquets

tliers, and by

upbriflcjy, ru/h

they were with

After thefe <

been left at \.\xq

whale boats, ar

put in motion,

tunately found

had been repre^

^^^f^'iigh; but

frees, the branc

Jeneral
: 3000
1 with

great

mderogay
ilarity to
were be-
nother.
fupported
nch party,
Vrtni, who
advanced
took 148
idets.
the lofs of
J to confe-
s Ikirmilh ;
d refpefted
e grief and
•t, I cannot
him asfin-

iving been

ftantly on

ng in want

with them,

e to return

eight that

BraJJireet,
alion of the
ers and pro-
wo miles of
y who were
pofted

' paflage or
It has all
iefended on
[and on the
(fails, there
lork about 9
Ibe talen by

nate.)

1758. The History of the War. 1^3

great prudence and vigour, furmounted great difficulties,
brought his army to Ofwego, where he embarked on the
Lake Ontario, and arrived at Frontenac the 25th of Au-

guft.

pofted there, after deftroying the mill rnd breaking down their
bridge, had retired fome time before.

Lieut. Col. Bradflreet having laid another bridge a-crofs, and
having fentme notice of his being inpofTeflion of that ground, I
accordingly marched thither with the troops, and we took up our
quarters there that night.

The prifoners we had taken being unanimous in their reports,
that the French had eight battalions, fome Canadians and colony
troops, in all about 6000, encamped before their fort, who were
intrenching themfelves, and throwing up a breaft-v\rork, and that
they expeded a reinforcement of 3000 Canadians^ belides Indi-
ans, who had been detached under the command of Monf. de
levy, to make a diverfion on the fide of the Mohaivk river ; but
upon intelligence of our preparations and near approach, had been
repeatedly recalled, and was hourly expeded j it was thought
moft advifeable to lofe no time in making the attack ; wherefore
early in the morning of the 8th, I fent Mr. Clerk y the engineer,
acrofs the river on the oppofite fide of the fort, in order to recon-
noitre the enemy's intrenchments.

Upon his return, and favourable report of the prafticability of
carrying thofe works, if attacked before they were finiflied, it was
agreed to ftorm them that very day : Accordingly the rangers,
light infantry, and the right wing of Provincialsy were ordered
immediately to march and poft themfelves in a line, out of can-
non fliot of the intrenchments ; the right extending to Lake
Georgey and the left to Lake Champlain, in order that the regular
troops, deftined for the attack of the intrenchments, might form
on their rear.

The Piquets were to begin the attack, fuftained by the grena-
diers, and by the battalions : the whole were ordered to march
upbrilkiy, rufli upon the enemy's fire, and not give theirs, until
they were within the enemy's breaft-work.

After thefe orders ilfued, the whole army, except what had
been left at the landing-place to cover and guard the batteaux and
whale boats, and a Pronjtr-ial regiment at the Sniv-mill, were
put in motion, and advanced to 7icondcro;^ay where they unfor-
tunately found the intrenchments, not only much ftronger than
had been reprefented, and the breafl:-work at leaft eight or nine
feet high ; but likewife the ground before it covered with felled
trees, the branches pointed outwards, which fo fatigued and re-
■ . ■• (^2 rnnied

^'mh

1 It f}

124 7^/6^ History o/ //&<? War. 1758.

guft. This fort ftands at the communication of Lake On-
tario with the river St. Lawrence, the entrance into which
river it in fome manner commands. However, for a port
of fuch moment, it was poorly fortified, and poorly garri-

foned. It was taken without the lofs of a man on
Aug. 27. our fide, in lefs than two days after it had been

attacked. The garrifon, confifting of 130 men,
were made prifoners ; nine armed floops were taken and
burned ; and a large quantity of provifions amafled there
for the ufe of their garrifons to the Southward, was deftroy-
cd. Col. Bradftreet having perfornied this important fer-
vice, returned. Many were of opinion, that fo fine a pod
ought to be kept and itrongly garrifoned ; others thought
that it would be impofTible to prefcrvc a place at fucH a
diftance from our own eflabliflimcnts. (c)

tarded the advancing of the troops, that notwithftanding all their
intrepidity and bravery, which I cannot too much commend, we
fuftained fo confiderablc a lofs, without any profpeft of better
fuccefs, that it was no longer prudent to remain before it ; and it
was therefore judged necefTary, for the prefervation of the re-
mainder of fo many brave men, to prevent a total defeat, that we
fliould make the beft retreat poflibie : Accordingly, after feveral
repeated attacks, which lafted upwards of four hours, under the
moftdifadvaatageous circumilances, and with the lofs of 464. re-
gulars killed, 29 milling, 1 1 1 7 wounded ; and 87 Prcmincials kil-
led, 8 mining, and 239 wounded, officers of both included, I
retired to the camp we occupied the night before, with the bro-
ken remains of feverals corps, fending away all the wounded to the
batteaux, about three miles diflance ; and early the next morning
we arrived there ourfelves, embarked, and reached this place the
evening of the 9th. Immediately after my return here, I fent the
wounded officers and men that could be moved, to fort Edward
and Albany. *'. '■'■ '■■■'• •-■ ' ' ' -- >- ■ 'v-., < -um , >..•,•

on of Fort Frontenac.

Ofiveg^, Aug. 31, 1758.

Landed with the troops within a mile of fort Frontenac with-
out oppofition,the2 5th' The garrifon furrendcrcd prifoners of

r the 27th, between 7 and 8 in the morning It wag

a fquiirc

It is

greatly f

TheGei

through

md cont

ans. Ar

800 men

vanced tc

of reducii

fuddenly j

killed and

the rell.

body of th

cumfpedi

being con

to furprife

to no purf

Nov. 24. c

; V : f

men, towa
b

25th. d

a fquare fort

men, fome v

(half of whic

menfc quantit

gone to oppo

and to fuppor

intended ent(

French at 800

fels from 8 to

of which I hs

and the provif

fort, artillery,

ons, fliould I i

that their troo

fer greatly, if

veffeJs we ha\

^hem home fi

garrifon furren*

tqual numbers

'75^.

keOn-
which

r a pod
y garri- '
man on
ad been
30 men,
iken and
"ed there
1 deftroy-
rtant fer-
ne a poft
thought
at fucH a

ng all their
nmend, we
a of better
e it ; and it
of the re-
at, that we
after feveral
I, under the
of 464. re-
iticiaUhl-
included, I
ith the bro-
inded to the
:xt morning
lis place the
1 fent the
\ort Ediuard

\theRedu!':i-

[tenac with-
prifoners ot
— It Wf»8
a fquave

1758. The History of the War. 125

It is very pofTible, that the fuccefs of Col. Br«idftreet
greatly facilitated that of the expedition under Gen. Forbes..
The General had had a very tedious and troublefome mardi,
through a country almofl impafiable, very little known,
and continually harafled on his route by the enemies Indi-
ans. An advanced guard of this army, confifting of about
800 men under Major Grant, had moft unaccountably ad-
vanced to Fort du Quefne, v/ith a defign as it (hould feem
of reducing the place by a coup de main ; but the garrifon
fuddenly fallying out and attacking them warmly on all fides,
killed and made prifoners many of this party, and difperfed
the rert. This was, however, their laft fuccefs ; for the
body of the army beingcondufted with greater ikill and cir-
cumfpcdion, baffled all their attempts ; fo that the French
being convinced by feveral flcirmifhes that all their efforts
to furprifethe troops, or interrupt their communication were
to no purpofe, and being confcious that their fort was not
tenable againlt a regular attack, they wifely aban-
Nov. 24. doned the place after deftroying their works ; and
fell down the Ohio, to the number of 4 or 500
men, towards their more fouthern fettlements. Gen. For-
:?.:' bes once more erefted the Fnglifli flag on Fort
25th. du Quefne. Without any refiftance we became

. . mafters

a fquare fort of loo yards the exterior fide, and had in it no
men, fome women, children, and /«^/'««s, 60 pieces of cannon,
(half of which were mounted) fixteen fmall mortars, with an im-
menfc quantity of provifions and goods, to be fent to the troops
gone to oppofe Brig. Gen. Forbes, their wertern garrifons, /W/V/wj',
and to fupport the army under the command of M. Levyy on his
intended entcrprife againft the Mohaiuk river, valued by the

French at 800,000 livres. We have likewife taken 9 vef-

fels from 8 to iS guns, which are all they have upon the lake, two
of which I have brought here ; one richly laden ; and the refl:
and the provifions I have burnt and deftroyed, together with the
fort, artillery, (lores, l^c. agreeable to your excellency's inftrufti-
ons, (hould I fucceed. The garrifon made no fcruple of faying,
that their troops to the fouthward and weftern garrifons will fuf-
fer greatly, if not entirely (larve, for want of the provifions and
veffels we have dedroyed, as they have not any left to bring

them home from Niagara. The terms on which the

garrifon furrendcred were prifoners of war, until exchanged for
equal numbers and rank. ; ^ , , , .^

III

¥\

Hi; ill

ia6

The History of the War.;

1758.

maftcrs in the third year after the commencement of
hoftilities, of that fortrefs, the contention for which had
kindled up the flames of fo general and defl:ru<Etive a war.
This place with its mafters has changed its name, and is
called Pittfburg, with a propriety which does not need to
be pointed out. (d)

Notwithflanding the unhappy affair at Ticonderoga, the
campaign of 1758 in America was very advantageous, and
very honourable to the Englifh intereft. Louifbourg, St.
John's, Frontenac, and du Quefne reduced, remove from

our

i'lTHC^:

Ai..

(J) Brigadier General Forbes'^ Letter on his taking of Fort du

Quefne.

• ' T Have the pleafure of acquainting you with the fignal
X fuccefs of his niajefty's arms over all his enemies on the
OhiOy by having obliged them to burn, and abandon their Fort du
^efnCy which they efFefled upon the 24th inft. and of which
I took poflefllon with my light troops the fame evening.and with

uiy little army the next day. The enemy made their ef-

cape down the river, pai t in boats, and part by land, to their forts
and fettlements upon the Mijftftppi^ having been abandoned, or,
at leail, not feconded, by their friends the Indians^ whom we had
previoufly engaged to a£l a neutral part, after thoroughly convinc-
ing them, in feveral (kirmifhes, that all their attempts upon our
advanced pofts, in order to cut ofFour communication, were vain,
and to no purpofe j fo they now feem all willing, and well difpo-
fed to embrace his majefty's moft gracious protection.

Give me leave, therefore, to congratulate you upon this impor-
tant event, of having expelled the French from Fort du ^ejne,
and this prodigious tradt of fine rich covmtry ; and of having, in
a manner, reconciled the various tribes, and nations of Indians,
inhabiting it, to his majefty's government.

So far I had wrote you the 26th, but being feized with an infla-
raation in my ftomach, and liver, the (harpeft and moft fevere of
all diftempers, I could proceed no farther ; and, as I have a thou-
fand things to fay, have ordered Major Halkett down the country,
in order to explain the motives lipon which I proceeded, and the
various, and almoft infurmountable difticulties I had to grapple
with.

I (hall leave this as foon as I am able to ftand ; but God
knows when, or if ever I reach Philadelphia.

I expeft the heads of all the Indians in here to morrow, whenl
hope very foon to finilh v/ith them.

1758.

our coIo
the Frei
yoke of
their coi
ofFenfive
vered of
affords tl
meafures
campaign
It wou
of the mi
the enem
as extenfi"
Two fj
fent early
drive the
They ente
tion of a (
could not
which conr
the 29th ,
with the a
Lieut. Col.
Goree and
to his Maje

(e) CommoJot

S I R,

J Arrived he
of Decemb
agreeable to hi
the fort and ba
duced to alk tc
be allowed to ;
the honours of
frelh attack; it
the ifland, fort
niajefty's fquadi
Lieut. CoJ, H'

1758-

ent of
ch had
a war.
and is
leed to

ga, the
us, and
irg, St.
ve from
our

C Fort du

the fignal

ies on the

if Fort du

of which

r,and with

£ their ef-

their forts

loned, or,

im we had

convinc-

upon our

/ere vain,

/ell difpo-

lis Impor-

[having, in
If Indians,

Ih an infla-

fevere of

Ive a thou-

|e country,

and the

[to grapple

but God
Ivv, when I

1758. The History of the V/ar. 127

our colonies all terror of the Indian incurfions, draw from
the French thofe ufeful allies, f'ee our frontiers from the
yoke of their enemies forts, make their fupplies difficult,
their communications precarious, and all their defenfive or
ofFenfive operations unefFeftive ; whilft their country unco-
vered of its principal bulwarks, lies open to the heart, and
affords the moft pleafmg profpe£t: of fuccefs to the vigorous
meafures which we may be aflured will be taken in the next
campaign. Gen. Amherfl: is now commander.

It would be doing great injuftice to the fpirit and condu(5l
of the miniftry, not to obferve, that they omitted to diftrefs
the enemy in no part, and that their plans of operation were
as extenfive as they were vigorous.

Two Ihips of the line with fome frigates, were
fent early in (he fpring to the coaft of Africa, to Mar. 9.
drive the French from their fettlements there.
They entered the river Senegal, and in fpiteof the obftruc-
tion of a dangerous bar, which the fhips of Avar
could not pafs, they obliged the French fort May i.
which commands the viver to furrender. And on
the 29th of December following, Commodore Keppel,
vsrith the ailiftance or fome troops under the command of
Lieut. Col. Worge, made himfelf mafter of the ifland of
Goree and its forts ; the garrifon furrendering at difcretion
to his Majefty's fquadron (e). By thele fuctefies, we have

taken

(e) Commodore Keppel'j Letter to Mr. Secretary Pitt, on his taking

the IJJandofGoxQQ.

SIR,

I Arrived here with the fquadron under my command the 28th
of December paft in the evening ; and the next morning,
agreeable to his majefty's inftruflions, I attacked with the fliips,
the fort and batteries on the ifland oi Goree, which were foon re-
duced to aflc to capitulati ; and the Governor's demands were, to
be allowed to march the French troops out of the garrifon with
the honours of war. His terms labfolutely rejefted and began a
frefh attack i it was, however, but of a very fhort duration, when
the ifland, forts, gariifon, Ssfc. furrendered at difcretion to his
majefty's fquadron.
Lieut. Col. Worge had his troops embark'd in the flat-bottomed

boats,

laS

T'he History of the War.

1758.

taken from the enemy one of the mcft valuable branches of

their

boats, in good order and readinefs, at a proper diftance, with the
tranfports, to attempt a defcent, when it fhould be found praftica-
ble or requifite.

Two days after the furrender of the ifland, lorde/ed it to be
delivered up, with the cannon, artillery, ftores, and provifions,
y<r. to the officer and troops Lieutenant Colonel Worge thought
fit to garrifon the place with ; and the colonel is taking all ima-
ginable pains to fettle and regulate the garrifon in the bed man-
ner, and as fafl as things will admit of.

The inclofed, Sir, is the Hate of the ifland, with the artillery*,
ammunition, and provifions, found in the place at its fur-
render.

French, made prifoners of war, 300.

Blacks, in arms, a great number j but I am not well enough
informed as yet to fay precifely.

The lofs the enemy fullained, as to men, is fo very differently
ftated to me by thofe that have been alked, that I muft defer fay-
ing the number till another opportunity.

Iron ordnance of different oores, 93 ; one brafs 12-pounder -,
iron fwivels mounted on carriages, 1 1 ; brafs mortars mounted
on beds, two of 13 inches ; ditto, one of 10 inches; iron, one
of 1 o inches. In the magazine, powder, 1 00 barrels. Provifions
of all fpecies for 400 men for four months.

Explanation of the Plan of the IJIaml of GoxQt.

A. The negroe village.

B. The company's gardens, ^^.
C The flavery.

D. The negroes fountain.

E. The company's fountain.

F. The governor's fountain.
G.Thehofpital.

H. The chapel.

I. The officers hoi'.fcsunfiniih-
ed.

K. Hutts for labourers.

L. The barracks for carpenters.

M. The apartment for bombar-
diers.

N. Offices, ftore-houfes, and
barracks for foldiers.

O. The pharmacy and engi-

neer'j laboratory.
P. The armourer's apartment

and forge.
Q^The governor's apartment

and garden, l^c.
R. A ciftern. R. R. A ciftern

unhnilhed.

5. A powder magazine.
T. Shad'es for water caiks.
W.Thv* landing beach, and en-
try into the parade.

V. The court of the fort of St.

Francis.
X. The Ihambles.
Y. the burying place.
Z. Ditto for the negroes.

6, A rain water ciftern.

Explanation

jns

lent

Idem

en-

)fSt.

lation

M» -'H

m¥si

^ 'U

•"it

1 ! I I '

11. I

iff"

,li J

.♦ <,

m'-i.

I * T-fl

^j" :■

3i»i

^15^
their
impn

1. The

2. Thef
(fmaiJ

3.St.Ph

4. Pt. Pe

5. Citade
chaei,

6. North J

7. Mortar
S.Weftpt
9. A batte
io.Negro(

•The I
the river V<
into the At
"\aps, rifes
"n'es, near
northerJv qj
Gambia^ or
«<?«/ empt
The entranc
.w'hich h Fo
'« a quadran
rabie ftrengt
'eafon for r
or rather fro
^he Englijb
"'ere driven I
from C«/^ 5,

iht Dutch \
[orts. The.
In 1692 the I
;°o^ them, a
i^iivis In 1603

'"^Ts. extend

ij^S. The HiSTOKY of the Wak. izg

their commerce, and one of the moft capable of abundant
improvement*.

. • From

Explanation of the Batteries. ^,

J ii-jii

9 guns,
lo guns.

5 gwns.

5 guns.

6 guns.

9 guns,
I (pltt.
8 guns.
5 guns.

3 guns-
10 guns.

r Four half moon

1 1 < batteries en bar-
C bet on the hill.

I a.Twoflanking bat-
teries for the bay

13. Three paffage
batteries

i4.Three brafs one
iron mortars

15. On St. Francis
fort

13 guns.

4 guns.

}
i

? 7 guns.

) 4inortars
3 I damag.
7 I a guns,
i I fplit.

Total

iiopieces.

I. The grand battery
a. The falute battery \
(fmall) S

3. St. Philip's battery

4. Pt. Peter's battery

5. Citadel of St. Mi-
chael, en barbet

6. North point batte-

7. Mortar battery
8.Weft point battery
9. A battery uniinilh'd
lo.Negroe batteries

*ta".f.> l\ ! 'lit I'mnl '

* The river Seng/iy or Senegal^ is in one of thofe channels of
the river Niger^ by which it is fuppofed to difcharge its waters
into the Atlantic ocean : The river Niger, according to the befl:
maps, rifes in the eafl of Africa ; and after a courfe of 300
miles, nearly due weft, divides into three branches, the mofl:
northerly of which is the Senegal, as above ; the middle is the
Gambia, or Gamhra ; and the moft fouthern, Rio Grande. Se-
negal empties itfelf into the Atlantic ocean in 1 6^ north lat.
The entrance of it is guarded by feveral forts, the principal of
which is Fort Lewis, built on an ifland of the fame name. It
is a quadrangular fort, with two baftions, and of no inconfide-
rable ftrength. At the mouth of the river is a bar ; the beft
feafon for pafllng it, is from March to Augujl, or September,
or rather from April to July, becaufe the tides are then higheft.
The Englijh had formerly fettlements here, out of which they
were driven by the French, who have engroifed the whole trade
from Cape Blanco to the river Gambia, which is near 500 miles.
The Dutch were the firft who fettled Senegal, and built two
forts. The French made themfelves mafters of them in 1678.
In 169a the Englijh feized them ; but next year the French re-
took them, and have kept them ever fince. They built Fort
Icwis'm 1692, and have beyond it a multitude of other fcttle-
'fients, extending 200 leagues up the river. The principal com-

R modities

150 .7)&^ History 0/ ^/&e War. 1758.

From tht Eaft Indies we have this year heard nothing
remarkable. It does not feem that the French, notwithftand-*
ingthe great ,ft«jggle they made to fend out a ftrong arma-
ment undef Gen. Lally, have been in a condition to enter-
prife any thing. It is (aijd» jand probably with good founda-
tion, that the greateft part of that force was dwindled away
with ficknefs during the voyage. Our naval force was ex-
erted with fpirit and ^flfeO: in the Mediterranean. The
French found that the poftefTion of Minorca could not drive
us from the dominion of the Mediterranean, where Admi-
ral Ofborn gave the enemies maritime (Irength fuch blows,
as they mufl long feel, an4 which merited him the greatefl
of all honours, to be joined with the conquerors of Louis^
bourg, in the thanks of the reprefentative body of their
country.

The coming year feems big with great events. In Ger-
many the affairs of the rival powers of Pruflia and Auftria,
appear to be more nearly ballanced than at any time fince
the beginning of the war. This force is as great as ever,
and their animofity is no way leflened. Greiat fteps are ta-
ken to aflemble powerful armies on the Rhine ; whilfl: Great
Britain has fentout two confiderable armaments, one to the
Weft Indies, the other to Africa ; thefuccefs of which mud
go a great way towards determining the ifTue of the war.
Other great preparations are alfo making on the part of
Great Britain. In the mean time, the Dutch enraged at
the captures of their (hips, make complaints, and threaten
armaments. The death of the Princefs of Orange, which
happened at a moll critical junfture, adds more perplexity
to aflairs ir that quarter. If we look to the fouthward, the
clouds feem gathering there alfo. The imminent death of
the King of Spain, will be an event fruitful of troubles. In
this affair the King of Sardinia, the houfe of Auftria, and
the houfe of Bourbon, will find thcmfelves concerned ; to
fay nothing of the maritime powers. In a word, the flame
of war threatens to fpread in every pari of Europe.

modities which the French import from this fettlement are, that
valuable avtlclc gum fenega, hides, bees-wax, elephants teeth,
cotton, gold duft, negroe flaves, oftrich feather!), ambergris,
indieo, and civet.

1758. The History vf the "War. 131

At prefent we are obliged to buy all our gum fenega of the
Dutch f who purchafe it from the French -, and they fet what price
they pleafe on it. But as the trade to Africa is now open, by
this important ac^uifition, the pfice of this valuable drug, which
is fo much ufed in ieveral of our manuia^ures, will be much
leduced.

^ n

\ ^

■■ jfl.-

'\-y. T *? o

jiL. Mk,

i J

y '4

•f H fi

..:_va..;'

[ 132 ] *« vl"^

,tw^

THE " i\:ui»y*> I

ANNUAL REGISTER.

O R

HISTORY

O F T H E

W A R.

For the YEAR 1759.

C H A P. I.

The inclinations of the Powers at war at the clojing the lajl
campaign. The King ofSpain''s death apprehended. Con-
dition of the King of Prujpay Emprefs ^een, Rujta,
Sweden, Holland, France, and England.

WHOEVER rcflcas upon the conclufion of the
feveral campaigns fince the year 1755, will
cafily perceive that at the end of the laft, the
fortune of the feveral powers at war feemed
more nearly upon a ballance, than it had been at the clofe
of any of the former. That campaign was rather iefs
bloody, than that which immediately preceeded it ; and it
was not concluded with any a£tion of fuch an eclat, as could
greatly raife, or deprefs the hopes of any of the contending
parties. Ail parties became more cautious ; becaufe it be-
came every day more evident, that the fortune of war was
not to be decided by any fingle ftroke, however confidcrable.

The

ER.

: Y

fing the lafl
\ided. Con-
>en, Rujfta,

[ifion of the
1755, will
lelaft, the
irar feemed

|at the clofe
rather lefs
it ; and it
[at, as could
1 contending
Icaufe it be-
] of war was
lonfidcrable.
■ The

1759. Tbe History of the War. 133

The prize was referved for the player of the (kilful game ;
for the moft attentive patience : for the greateft depth ot
refources. An equality of this kind feemed at lafl: to pro-
mife Europe fome repofe. All fides might now give and
receive honourable and equitable terms ; and peace might
be fettled on that footing, on which it has been ufually made,
for fome time pad, in our part of the world. But the great
defigns entertained by each power ; revenge imbittered by
the blows which all had felt in tHeir turns, the confideration
of the vaft expences that fell upon all, and which a peace
at that time would have made fruitless ; even the hopes
arifing from the equivocal appearances of the laft campaign,
eftranged every court from the difpofition to peace. Info-
much tha^ there were no terms direftly offered by any of
the belligerent powers ; nor did any of the neutral interpofe
their mediation. Befides thefe, another caufe operated
-"werfully; a great event was hourly expeOied about this
lime 'f an event which threatened to involve the Southern
parts of Europe in the calamities of that war, that had fo
long wafted the Northern ; and which, whenever it ftiould
take place, threatened to render the political fyftem infi-
nitely more intricate, and probably to give the war quite a
new turn.

The late King of Spain, by the force of a conjugal affec-
tion, rairely feen in that dignity, fince the death of his
Queen had been given up to a melancholy, which preyed
upon his health, and affe£lpd his underftanding. His death,
or incapacity, appeared inevitable within a Ihort time. The
King of Naples, Don Carlos, was next In the order of fuc-
ceflion. In the treaty of Aix la Chapelle, it had been
agreed, that the dutchies of Parma, Placentia and Guaftalla,
fhould be reftored to the houfe of Auftria, in cafe Don
Carlos Ihould ever come to the crown of Spain. Thefe
countries were at the end of that war, in the hands of the
Emprefs Qyeen, or her allies. Her imperial Majefty had
fet up a claim to the reverfion of thefe dutchies, on the ex-
tindtion of ifliie male in the houfe of Farnefe. But the
ambition of the Queen of Spain to make all her children
Sovereigns, put powerful bars in her way to it. This am-
bition was one of the caufes which made the laft fo general
a war. The peace of Aix la Chapelle, which put a period
to that war, after fettling thefe contefted dutchies as an
(cftablifbment for Don Philip, fecond fon to the King of

Spaln^

4 !

134 '^'^^ History of the War. 175^.

Spain, provided, that whenever the event, which we have
mentioned above, fhould take place, that is to fay, the ac-
ceflion of Don Carlos to the crown of Spain, then the King-
dom of Naples and Sicily fhould pafs to the Infant Don
Philip, and the dutchies which formed his eftablifhment
fhould revert to the houle of Auftria.

The King of Naples, not without reafon, looked upon
this article of the treaty of Aix la Chapelle, as injurious to
his rights ; accordingly he never acceded to it. No method
m this cafe could be feen, which might prevent matters
from coming to extremities, except the fituation of the Em-
prefs, engaged as (he was with a powerful adverfary, who
kept her forces ftrained to the utmoft pitch. She was in no
condition to engage in a new war, however interefting the
objefl: might be. Her ally France, who fo ineflfe6fcually
a 111 fled her in Germany, could not probably aflift her with
more effeft in Italy ; ine therefore feemed to have no other
part left, than to acquicfce for the prcfent, and wait in
filence a more favourable opportunity to affert her claims.
The event cf the King of Spain's death has fince happened.
It has produced none of thefe immediate effefls which were
apprehended ; and this probably proceeded from the caufe
which we have jull now hinted. A dead calm at prefent
broods over Italy. But in this tranquility and filence there
arc materials gathering, which may in no very diftant period
burfl: in a terrible temped: over that delightful country.
They are very nearly the fame that produced the laft trou-
bles there, and may not only revive them^ but fpread the
horrors of war once more over all Europe.

Such were the inclinations of the powers at war at the
opening of this year ; their ftrength feemed alfo very entire;
in particular, the refources of the King of Pruflia appeared
aftonifliing, after the great blows he had fufFered ; and after
the advantages he had gained, but gained at fo high z, price.
He was ftill able to fhew himfelf the father and benefador,
as well as the prote6lor of his people. In the midft of the
devouring walk of fuch an expenfive war, from the funds
of his ceconomy he was enabled to remit the taxes to thofe
parts of his dominions, which had fufFered from the Ruffian
barbarity ; he even advanccid money to thofe which had
fuffered the mofl: confiderably.

To take a nearer view of his fituation, we muft obfcrve,
that the whole kingdom of PrufTia ftill remained in the

hands

1759-
hands ol
with his
nothing
fpe^is, Y
from th<
lofTes, tl
one cam]
tc this, t
on the ad
undoubtc
in power.
But to
not quite
cious thai
and fair,
hoilownel
parable b<
had given
the fame j
long feries
on the fid(
is to be be
and defpai
nite train
many woi
their favoi
battle, or
hoards wl
time muft
liave been
Saxony co
The iudigt
the rapaci
Britain did
ficiencies o
ftances, pn
and dilator'
The cou
«s the Kin
blows. Tl
able and pc
Guilds, than
able to fubf

1759'

vc have
the ac-
e King-
int Don
iihment

ed upon
irious to
> method
t matters
the Em-
iry, who
was in no
;fting the
ffedually

her with
• no other
id wait in
er clainns.
happened,
hich were

the caufe
1 at prefent

nee there

ant period
country,
laft trou-

pread the

ra,T at the
»ry entire;
I appeared
, and after
gh SI price,
lenefador,
idft of the

the funds
es to thofe
;he Ruffian

rhich had

[ft obfcrvc,

icd in the

hands

1759- ^^^ History of the War. 135

hands of the Mufcovites. The dutchy of Cleves, togethe*^
with his other poHeflions on the Rhine, could yield him
nothing *, they were held by the French ; but in thefe re-
fpe£i8, his fituation was not worfe than it had been, almoft
from the beginning of the war. He had to ballance thefe
loffes, the rich country of Saxony, which he had twice in
one campaign wrefted from the hands of the Auftrians. Add
tc this, the renewal of the fubfidy treaty with Great Britain,
on the advantageous terms of the former year. Thefe were
undoubtedly great fupports ; and the King feemed as entire
in power, and more advanced in reputation than ever.

But to a more critical examination, things had an afpeft
not quite fo favourable. This appearance was rather fpe-
cious than entirely folid ; and whilft all without looked full
and fair, within there was a decay of fubftance, and an
hollownefs that rung at the flightefl: touch. That incom-
parable body of troops, which at the beginning of the war
had given him fo great a fuperiority, no longer exifted in
the fame perfons. If his troops derived advantages from a
long feries of active fervice, thefe advantages were equally
on the fide of the enemy. His army had known what it
is to be beaten ; and it is no wonder, if a fort of wearinels
and defpair began to creep upon them, after fuch an infi-
nite train of unrewarded fatigues, when they faw that io
many wonderful exploits had not yet ended the war in
their favour. Many of his heft generals had been killed in
battle, or died, or had retired, or were difgraced. The
hoards which he had amafled before the war, by this
time muft have been entirely fpent ; his dominions muft
have been greatly exhaufted, both of men and money.
Saxony could no longer yield fuch fupplies as formerly.
The indigence of the fubdued inhabitants, fei bounds to
the rapacity of the conqueror. The fubfidy of Great
Britain did a great deal ; but it could not fupply the de-
ficiencies on this, and on every other fide. Thefe circum-
ftances, probably, made the King of Pruflia more cautious
and dilatory than ufual.

The court of Vienna had as great burthens to fuftain
as the King of Pruflia, and fhe had fuffercd much greater
blows. That power has a ftrength, fomewhat unaccount-
able and peculiar to herfelf. More deficient in pecuniary
funds, than any other great power in Europe, fhe is better
able to fubfift, and to do confiderable things without them.

For

■■i <

■■-,

136 The History of the War. 1759.

For by a long habit, the whole ftate is formed to its necef-
fities ; and the fubjed is more ready to fupply free quarter,
and to endure military licence than any other. The coun-
try is abundantly fruitful in all its parts. And whilft the
war is carried on near home, an arbitrary government,
operating on fo extenfive an obje£t, can hardly fail of fuch
rcfources, as muft ferve an Auftrian army ; which is ftill
paid in a great meafure, as Tacitus defcribes the troops of
the antient Germans to have been ; they have a plentiful
table in lieu of pay. (a)

And indeed it muft be owned, that there is no Sovereign,
who is more highly honoured in his dominions, or obeyed
with a greater mixture of love and reverence, by all his
fubjeds, than her Imperial Majefty. So that having a very
ample power, very willing obedience, a large territory and
many men, not fufficiently employed in the arts of peace, it
perhaps may be guefl'ed, in what manner <he has been
able to fupply her many and great lofles, and to continue a
war, like the prcfcnt, better than ftates more abundant in
money. She is befides, and this is a matter of no fmall
confequence, fupported by the countenance, the authority,
and the forces of the Empire. And Ihe has for her allies
the firft, and moft formidable names in Europe. In the
wars which this power carried on in the lafl., and in this
century, though ufually not very fuccefsful, Ihe has always
been the lall: to defirc a peace; though frequently flow
in her operations, Ihe makes amends by an extraordinary
. pcrfcverance.

This flownefs could not efcape general obfervation, in
the anions of the laft year. That the Auftrians did not
play with fufficient fpirit, the great game which was in
thiir hands, after the battle of Hocjikirchen, and the entry
ot" the Rufllans into the New Marche of Brandenburgh,
fcems hardly difputable. Perhaps it was that the court of
Vienna, by an error common to many courts, but particjr
larlv fo to this, and often fatal to it, interfered too much
and too minutely, in the operations of the campaign.

It is not impofllble that the character of Marflial Daun
himfelf, might have had fomc (hare in this inactivity ; a
charafter almoft in all things the direCt reveife of that of

his

(a) Nam epultey et quanquom incompti, largi tamen apparatut
p%o jUpendio cedunt. Tricit. de nioribus Germ. §. 14

^59'
his Prufl
lute and
and fpirii
Should t
they migl
able to e<\
a llile of
principle,
adion, in
by a long
efforts it
iide. His
fhould rati
of all the <
flow advani
mafterly fti
and all the
condu£l, a
lall campai|
of what th
and Pruflian
very late to
The couii
in fpite of
forts of the
liance. If (]
Ihe could fee
carried on at
fo dreaded, a
the opportun
perfeaing he
to keep her c
The Swed<
they continue
part of the wj
Holland pre
little refpeaet
vided in her c<
t'i'gufted the :
^>cnch. For
ried on the trac
•^d them to fre
""d privateers.

1759-

necef-
uarter,
z coun-
lilft the
nment,
of fuch
h is ftill
•oops of
Plentiful

vcreign,
• obeyed
»y all his
ig a very
tory and
peace, it
bas been
ontinue a
indant in
no fmall
luthority,
her allies
. In the
nd in this
as always
ntly flow
aordinary

|\(ation, in
IS did not
[\i was in
I the entry
fenburgh,
court of
It particJ"
Itoo much

lal Daun

tivityi a

)f that of

his

apparatut

1759- The HisroKY of tbeW A K. >■ 137

his Prufllan Majdly. He faw that the King, aftive, refo-
lute and advantageous, wafted himfelf even by that adivity
and fpirit, to which he owed his moft brilliant fuccefles.
Should the Auftrians carry on the war in the fame fpirit,
they might fufFer in the fame manner, without being ever
able to equal, much lefs to exceed that great Monarch, in
a ftile of a€kion peculiarly his own. Daun therefore by-
principle, feems to have kept his army from coming to
action, in order to oppofe a ftrength entire, and recruited
by a long reft, to that of the King of Pruflia, wafted by the
eflforts it was obliged to make, inceflantly and on every
fide. His defign feemed to be, that the iflTue of the v/ar
fhould rather arifc from the general refult and concurrence
of all the operations, gradually producing a folid though a
(low advantage, than from the effects of a bold, quick, and
mafterly ftroke. In fa£t, the Auftrians felt all the benefits,
and all the inconveniencies which ufu'ally attend this fort of
conduft, a conduct which probably loft them Saxony in the
lad campaign, and which has fecured them the pofleflion
of what they now hold in that country. The Auftrians
and Pruflians watched the time and one another, and came
very late to adion.

The court of Peterft)urg ftill adhered to its old fyftem,
in fpite of the late ill fuccefs of her arms, and all the ef-
forts of the Britifti minifter, to withdraw her from her al-
liance. If ftie had fome lofs of men, it was the leaft lofs
(he could feel : and fhe thought that whilft tha war was
carried on at the expence of others, the reduftion of fo near,
fo dreaded, and fo hated a rival as the King of Pruflia, and
the opportunity of the forming her troops to fervice, and
perfedting her officers, were objefts of confequence enough
to keep her clofely attached to her firft fentiments.

The Swedes prefervcd likewife the fame connexion ; but
they continued as before, an inconfiderable, and inglorious
part of the war.

Holland preferved her neutrality ; but it was a neutrality
little refpe^ed, and indeed in itfelf little refpeftable. Di-
vided in her councils, attentive only to private interefts, flie
difgufted the Englifti, and neither pleafed nor fcrved the
French. For fome of the fubjefts of that republic had car-
ried on the trade of France in their bottoms, which fubjeft-
cd them to frequent captures from the Englifti men of war
and privateers. This produced loud complaints in Holland,

j^ and

138 7*/^^ History e/ ///tf War. 1759.

and waim remonftranocs to the court of •London. Thefe
complaints twt with little attention, being in msny refpeds
but indiffieie.dv founded. The affair was dfEwn out in
length, until t ' difpute was extinguiHied by the dedrudion
of its objeft , ■otae of the French colonies were reduced,
and the trade in the others, grown too fmall and too hazar-
dous to be continued longer with any hope of advantage.

The affairs of France and England were partly connected
with the general fyftem, and partly di(lin£l and independent.
France perceived that the ftrength of the EngliAi, and the
exertion of that ftrength, increafed continually in America;
ihe knew from the natural inferiority of her colonies, and
the feeble ftate of her navy, that fhe could not in reafon
hope for great fuccefs in that quarter ; for which reafon,
although fhe fent a fleet under Monf. Bompart into the
Weft Indies, and fome men of war, with as many ftoreand
tranfport fhips as fhe could fteal out of the river St. Law-
fence, her great efforts were to be made in Europe ; (he
had two objeds, the recovery of Hanover, and the invafion
of thefe iflands ; in either of which if ftie fucceeded, there
could be no doubt, but that it would prove a fufficient bal-
lance for all that (he had fuffered, or had to apprehend in
any other part of the world.

With regard to the firft obje£l, though it was difficult
to attain it, and though if it (hould be attained, it did
not promife to anfwer her purpofes fo well as the latter,
yet it was upon that (he chiefly depended. Hitherto in-
deed the fuccefs which France had in Germany, was not
at all proportioned to the prodigious efforts which (he
made ; fhe began to find herfelf much exhaufted. The
wants of the French obliged them to pay little r^fpeO. to
neutral, or even to friendly powers ; fo that the efteem
and afnftance which they had in Germany, diminifhed con-
tinually. They eat up the country, and feized on fuch
towns as were convenient to them, without any ceremony :
yet freed from all thefe reftraints, their army had made very
little progrefs ; their generals had not difplayed any great
abilities, and their army, in itfelf very badly compofed,
was deficient in difcipline, to a degree which is fcarcely
credible. They kept neither guards nor ports, nor cen-
tinels ; a great part of their troops wandered from the
camp into the neighbouring towns, and returned drunk.
Their councils of war were held in a tumultuous and difor-

derly

1759- ^'^ HisTOAY of the War. t^^

defly manner ; and all their deflgns were parfc^ly know
in the camp of the allies, where a very different pi£^ure
was exhibited, with regard to regularity and caution.

The French troops have feveral effential defefki in
their conftitution, which prevent them from equalling
thofe of Germany, and other nations. Several regiments
are in a manner hereditary in great families, who placed at
their firft outfet at a very high point of military rank, think
it unneceflary to attain the qualifications, which lead others
to it ftep by ftep. As to the reft of the officers, as their
pay is fmall and their hopes little, few ftudy the art military,
as a profeflTion : they fcrvc becaufe it is the faftiion to do fo,
and that it is thought neccflary to be a gentleman. Thus
they difpatch their bufmefs as a difagreeable talk; and
having little to lofe in the fervice, it is almoft impoifible to
preferve a due fubordination. The common men are little
more than abjeft vaflals, and therefore want that high fpirit
which in their gentry makes fome amends for the want of
knowledge and afliduity. And as they are corrupted by the
example of their fupenors, fo by their negligence they arc
left without any reftraint. The officers do not chufe to
incur the ill will of their men, or to ^ivc themfelves trouble,
by exercifing that wholfome feverity in which the health
and vigour of military difcipline confift.

The German common people are indeed in a ftill lower
flate of vafTalage than the French, and might therefore be.
fuppofed naturally, no better foldiers ; but their bodies are
more robuft and hardy ; their treatment is fevere and rigo-
rous, their fubordination is moft exa£t, which makes their
difcipline perfeft ; and Germany is fo habituated to war,
that all the people may be faid to be born foldiers. Thefc
things give the Germans a great fuperiority over the French ;
a fuperiority which was more vifible in this, than in any
former war.

Thefe defers in their army were increafed by the low
flate of their finances, which caufed their troops to be
The French court made fome attempts to
redit, by changing their former methods of
Mr. Silhoute was made comptroller of the
finances, ancf^ the farmers general were removed from thehr
former employment of finding the fupplies. New methods
were devifed, which might ftave off the entire ruin of their
finances, until their armies in Germany could ftrike fome

S 2 cffcaual

very ill paid.
keep up their
railing money

J40 7/r Hf STORY 0/ the War. 1759.

fffc^nal blow, or their projc6l of an invnfion, which
quictril the mind» oi the |"»co]>lc in fomc dcgrcc» fliould be
pill in execution.

With regard to the latter projef^, France had formerly
found that the bare report of fm h a defip^n had lervcd many
material purpofes ; but in F.nf!;lami things had lincc then,
been greatly changed. The threats of an invaHon increal-
ed our internal flrength, without raifingany npprehcnfjoni;
they in a great meafure executed the mditia a(rl, which
hardly any thing clfr could have put in execution ; they
increafcd the regular troops, both in their number and their
fpecies. England for the fird Ufnc faw light horfe ami
hght foot. There reigned in both houfes the moll ported
and unprecedented union. Antong the great men ihac
was no dilVcrcnce that could in the lead »fl*c6l the conduft
of the war. The difputc concerning the preference of the
continental and the marine lylK"m» was entirely fdcnccd;
bccaule a fyftem took place which comprehended both, and
operated in both as fully as the warmeft advocates of either
could defire. Never did F.ngl.ind keep a greater number
of land forces on foot, on tlie continent of Europe, in
England, in America, when flie turned all her power to her
land forces only. Never did flie cover the feas with Inch
formidable fleets, when her navy alone enp,aged,hcr atten-
tion. Such is the cffcft when power and patriotilm unite;
when lihfrty and order kifs \ and when a nation fus with a
happy fccurity under the fliade of abilities which flie has
tried, and virtues in which Ihe dares to confide.

.r ^ : C H A P. H.

^ bf allied arpty moves, Succefsful fkirmiprs ott the fitlr of
the allies. Battle of Berp^ett. Pritiec Ferdinand retires
to JVindeken. Plan of the (ampait^n. General iVoher-
fnow*s expedition into Poland. Prinee Henry^s into Ho-
beniia /tnd Franeonia. General Mae^uire defeated. Bam-
berg pilloji^ed. Prinee Henry returns to Saxony, fifjfc
abandoned by the allies.

TH F. fcizing of Francfort in the lart year, by a moll
flagrant violation of the liberties of the Empire, hail
given the French and their allies the moft material advan-
tage they had acquired in the campaign; for it fecurcd to

them

1759- 7'/

them the courii

caiy to tjjem tt

fiipply. it fee

them, the liupi

tiiat chain, fror

iiuitual fuccour

depended upon

well with rcgar(

army, as lo thai

nccclfarily have

whole cnfiiing c

this, as foun as

atlion, drew jiij

the head of thirt'

before they couli

in daily cxpedat

about ten or tw<

cleOoratc, and u

dctathiTients of J

end of February,

the ports, which

and fomc phitea i

bo<iyof theeneml

but the hereditar

of the allies ihroi

army, defeated t

places of imporla

were made prifo

alarmed at the vi

prelude to fonieth

of Broglio took

village between I

fary the Allies fl

ro his line. This

his flanks and cen

only be made at

/n this difpofiti
approached ; the
and bep;an the a
nine and ten in tl
were received wii
had prepared for
fpatc of about tw

»759- '^^^'^ History of the War. 141

tlicni the couric of the Maine, and the Kiiine, ;in(l made it
caly to them to receive every kiiul ot reinforcement and
liipply. It feciircd likcwHc that coininunication hctwcen
them, the Imperial, and the AuArian armies, and formed
that chain, from wiiich they derived no (mall henclit of
mutual luccour and concurrence in their operations. Much
depended upon their being diflodged Ironi thatpofl; as
well with rep,ard to the h)rtiiiie of hi:. Hritannic Majefty's
army, an to that of the King of PrufTia. Such a flroke mull
ncccllarily have the grealell influence on the events of the
whole cnluing campai);n. I'rince Ferdinand, fcnfiblc of
this, as loon as the Icalun permitted him to enter upon
action, drew his troops out of their cantonments ; and at
the head of thirty thouland men, prepared toilillodge them,
before they could receive the fupjdies, of which they were
in daily expedation. The rell of his army, confilting of
about ten or twelve fhouland men, were left to guard the
decorate, and to watch the hiflioprickof Munftcr. Some
detachments of Hanoverians and Pruflians had, in the latter
end of February, drivci^ the Impcrialifts and Auflrians from
the ports, which they occupied at Erfurth and Eifinach,
and fomc places in the country of lleffe; this drew a ftrong
bocly of the enemy into that part, which pufhed them back;
but the hereditary prince of Brunfwick, who led the army
of the allies through ways, before deemed ImpafTabfe to an
army, defeated them in fome feverc (kirmifhes ; fevcral
places of importance were taken ; feveral whole battalions
were made prifoners, with their ofliccrs. The French,
alarmed at the vivacity of this beginning, judged it but the
prelude to foniething more decifive. Accordingly the Duke
of Broglio took an advantageous poll, near Bergen, at a
village between Francfort and Hanau, which it was nccef-
fary the Allies fliould marter, before they could penetrate
to his line. This place he had ir.ndc his right, and fecured
his flanks and centre in fuch a manner, that the attack could
only be made at that village.

Jn this difpofition was the French army when the Allies
approached ; they formed ihemfelves under an eminence,
and began the attack on the village of Bergen, between
nine and ten in the morning with great intrepidity. They
were received with a very feverc fire, which the enemy
had prepared for them j they made three attacks in the
fpacc of about two hours, and were every time repulfed.

Prince

■1^

w^^^\i

I4S ^hf History of the War. 1759

Prince Ferdinand now ohferved that the enemy ftill kept
a good countenance in their port, and that his own troops
began to full into fome difordcr. This able general, who
never rifqucs his fortune on a fingle throw, began to think
of a retreat, whild his lofs was yet inconfiderable, and
the diforder of his men eafily to be repaired. But a
retreat in the face of a viftorious enemy, was hazardous ;
and the day was not yet above half fpcnt. In this exigence
he made fuch movements, as ftrongly indicated a defign of
falling once more upon the village, in the enemy's right,
and of making at the fame time a new attack upon their
left, Thcfc appearances were farther countenanced by a
cannonade, on both thefe ports, fupported with an uncom-
mon fury. The French deceived by thefe manoeuvres,
kept dole in their ports ; they expeded a new and a lively
attack every moment j they returned the cannonade as
brifltly as they could ; and in this pofture things continued
until night came on, when the prince made an eafy retreat,
without diforder, or molertation, and halted at Windeken.

In this action the lofs of the allies was about two
thoufand in every way : that of the French was by no
means lefs confiderable. The allies indeed fuflPered no-
thing in their reputation ; their countenance through the
whole a6^ion having been excellent. Prince Ferdinand
gained as much honour, and difplayed as much (kill, as
could have been obtained, or rtiewn upon a more fortunate
cccafion. The event however was, in its confequences, far
from indiflFerent ; for the allies having miffed this blow,
the French ftill kept F'lancfort, and all advantages which
they drew from that fituation ; they had time and means to
receive their reinforcements ; and they acquired in a rtiort
fpacc fuch a fuperiority, as obliged prince Ferdinand to
content himfrif with acting on the defenHve, for a long
time after.

The advantages which would have arifen from another
ilTuc of th.1t battle appeared more fully, from the operati-
ons which were carrying on on the fide of Bohemia, and
which probably were defigned to concur with thofe of the
prince, in fome grand and comprehenfive fcheme. There
is no doubt, that the army of the allies, and thofe of his
Prufflan M.ijcftri had determined to aft in concert, and
had fettled fome plan for that purpofe ; and though it fliould
nut be difcovercd with equal certainty, what that plan was,

1759 ^^ History of the Wa r. 143

it may not however be unplcafant to trace it ; as far at
kaft as a reafonable conjecture, guided by the lights de-
rived from the tendency of each operation, may lead us.
For if we fuccced at all, in fuch an attempt, it diffufes a
wonderful clearnefs over the whole narrative.

It is not impoHibie then, that it was defigned in the firil
place, to keep the Rufllans at a didance, until the latter end
of the fummer, by the dc(lru6\ion of their magazines in
Poland. That on rhe other fide prince Ferdinand fhould
attempt to drive the French towards the Rhine, and to get
between them and the army of the Empire ; which having
thus loft its communication with the French, prince Henry
(hould rufti out of Saxony, and fall upon them in Bohemin
and Franconiu, and cut oflF alfo their communication with
the great body of the Auftrians. Then the Impcrialifts
would find themfelvcs fituated between two hoftile and fu-
perior armies ; whilft in Bohemia, Marfhal Daun would he
cither obliged to try his fortune fmgle handed, with the
King of Pruflia, or totally to abandon that kingdom, into
which it was in the power of the PrulTians to enter, in op-
pofitc parts at once.

The firft part of thi. i>lan was executed with great fpirit
and fuccefs. So early as the 23d of February the Pruflinn
general Woberfnow marched into Poland from Glogau in
Silefia, with forty-fix fquadrons, and twenty-nine battalions,
where they routed fome bodies of Coflacks ; and after hav-
ing deftroyed fcvcral immenfc maga/.ines, particularly one
at Polen, faid to be fufficient for the fubfiftencc ot fifty
thoufiind men for three months, they returned without any
lofs into Silefia, on the 18th of April.

As for the fecond A61 of this military drama, it was ex-
ecuted with as great fuccefs, and with fome advantages
more ftriking than the firft. Prince Henry commanded the
Fruflian troops in Saxony, which the public accounts called
forty thoufand men. He had certain intelligence, that fome
movements, which had purpofcly been made by the King
of Pruflia, had drawn the greaieft part of the Auftrian
troops, which had been pofted as a watch upon Saxony,
towards the frontiers of Silcfia. He immediately took ad-
vantage of this opening, and entered Bohemia in
two columns: one marched towards Peter fw£ide : April 15.
the other, which was command<;d by General
Hulfcn, made its way by Paftjerg and Commottau. The

Hrrt

'i** I

144 '^^^ History of the War. 1759.

firft penetrated as far as Lobofchutz, and Leitmeritz, the
enemy flying before them, and every where abandoning or
burning the vaft magazines which they had amafled in al'
thofe parts.

The body under General Hulfen did as much fervice, and
it had a more aftive employment. The pafs of Pafberg,
flrong in itfelf, was defended by a < onfiderable body of
Auftrians. General Hulfen having conduced his cavalry
by another way, fo as to fall direftly on their rear, attacked
them with his infantry in front, and drove them out of ail
their intrenchments ; one general, fifty-one officers, and no
lefs than two thoufand private men, were made prifoners
on this occafion. The Pruflians loft but feventy
April 22. men killed and wounded. They returned into
Saxony with hoftages for the contributions they
had exa£led.

After this fatiguing expedition, the prince gave his troops
a few days to reft, and then led them once more 10 aftion.
He directed his march through the Voigtland, towards the
army of the Empire ; they entered Franconia by the way
of Hoff; they attacked General Macguire, who command-
ed a body of Auftrians and Imperiafifts. Here they were
bravely refifted for the whole day ^ but the numbers and
fpirit of the PruiTians prevailing, Macguire gladly took
advantage of the night to make a retreat, having loft about
five hundred men. A few fkirmiftics more decided the fate
of Franconia. The army of the Empire retreated, as the
Prufl'ians advanced, and abandoned the rich bifhoprics of
Bamberg and X^'^urtzburg to contribution. The
May 16. town of Bamberg furrendered upon terms ; but
fome confufion happening before the capitulation
was complcatly finiftied, a party of Croats came to blows
with a party of Prufllans, who had by this time pofleflion
nf one of the gates ; this was refented as an infringement of
the capitulation. A pretence was given to plunder the
place ; it was given up to pillage, by order of the comman-
dcro, for two days, in a very unrelenting and licentious
manner. This produced loud and juft complaints againft
the Pruflians, and in due time a fevere retaliation. Prince
llcrrv h.ul piilhcd back the army of the Empire, as far as
NuitmbcTf!; ; he had dil'ahled a great part of the circle of
I'ranconia iVom i;iving them afliftance ; and thus far he
had jicwom^^liflicd the objefts of his expedition. But as
r--^ ' that

ritz, the
loning or
[Ted in al'

vice, and

Pafberg,

body of
is cavalry
, attacked
out of all
irS) and nn
; prifoners
ut feventy
irned into
tions they

his troops
; 10 aftion.
)wards the
)y the way
command-
they were
mbers and
ladly took
loft about
d the fate
ed, as the
|{hoprics of
lion. The
rms ; but
lapitulation
,e to blows
pofleflion
gement of
under the
comman-
licentious
nts againft
Prince
as far as
ke circle of
hu3 far he
In. But as
that

i75p. The History of thi War. 145

that part of the plan, which Prince Ferdinand was to have
executed, had failed, it was impoflible on one hand to hinder
the French army,from fuccouring that of the Empire, or
on the other, to prevent a body of Auftrians from availing
themfelves of his abfence, to penetrate into Saxony. In
thefe circumftances any farther ftay in Franconia was \xfe-
lefs, and might be dangerous. His army, loaded with
booty and contribution, returned to their old fituation. The
Auftrians retired into Bohemia at their approach.

Appearances were hitherto favourable enough to the
Pruflians ; however none of the great ends propofed by the
general plan were fully anfwered. The Ruflians, notwith-
landing the deftruflion of their magazines, continued their
piarch towards Silefia. Count Dohna, who had raifed great
contributions and levies in the dutchy of Mecklenburg, was
preparing to oppofe them on the fide of Brandenburgh ;
otiicr parties under other commanders, were pofted at thofe
places where their irruption was the moft apprehended.
The approach of this army brought things nearer and nearer
to a crifis. The eyes of all Europe were fixed with anxiety
and expeflation on their progrefs. It appeared the more
formidable, becaufe the progrefs of the French arms was
very rapid after the battle of Bergen.

Prince Ferdinand finding that another attack was not ad-
vifcable, retreated continually. The French poffefled them-
felves of Hefle without oppofition ; they met as little in
making their way through the bifhopric of Paderborn ; and
whilft their grand army, under Marftfal dc Contades, pufhed
the allies in that quarter and on the fide of Heffe, M.
d'Armentieres was pofted by Weftl, to advance on that fide
as occafion fhould require. The condition of the allied
army was extremely dubious ; whilft the French increafed
in their numbers and fpirit. Their new fuccefs gave them
rcafon to hope for a campaign as fortunate as that of 1757

yfii

ili

'*:

CHAP

146

'The History of tke War.
CHAP. III.

^759-

Expedition to the Wejl Indies under HopfoH and Moore. Ac-
count of Martinico. Failure there. The Caufes of it.
Guadaloupe iuvaded. Defer ipt ion of that ijland. Bajfc
Terre attacked and burned. Gen. Hopfon dies. Operati-
ons agaivjl Grand Terre. Several pa^es forced. The in-
habitant i capitulate. Bravery of a French lady. Mary^
galante taken,

GREAT Britain was not content with the efforts which
fhe had made in Germany : America, the interefts
of which had given rife to the war, was the obje£t which
principally engaged her attention. This was indeed the
proper objed of her natural ftrength, and by her fucccfs in
this quarter, fhe mod efFeflually laid the axe to the root ot
the enemy's naval power, and cut away one great part of
the refources which fed the war. Afquadronof
Nov. nine (hips of the line, with fixty tranfports, con-
1758. taining fix regiments of foot, in the end of the
laft year, failed for the Wcfl: Indies, in order to
attack and reduce the French Caribbee iflands. General
Hopfon commanded the land forces; the fleet in the ex-
pedition was to be under the orders of Commodore Moore,
then in the Weft Indies.

Their rirft cbjcft was Martinico, the firft in reputation
of the French Caribbees, the feat of government, the centre
of all the trade which France carries on with thofe iflands ;
ftrong both by nature and art. This ifland lies in the 15th
degree N. lat. The (hore is on every fide indented with
very deep bays, which they call Cul de Sacs, and the fands,
only difcoverable at low water, form in many places a hid-
den, and almoft infurmt>untable barrier. A lofty ridge of
almoft impalfablc mountains, runs north weft and fouth cad
quite through the ifland ; all the fpace on both fides is inter-
fered at inconfiderabic diftanccs with deep gullies, through
which the water pours down in the rainy feafons, with
^reat impetuofity. In other refpe£ts, the ifland is plealanl
and fruitful ; well watered, and well cultivated, abounding
with plantations and villages all along the fea coart. Tht
two principal placed arc St. Pieire, and Port Rpyal ; hoth

towns

1759- ^^^ History of the War. 147

towns confiderable in this part of the world, for their mag*
nitiide, trade and (Irength.

Ey this (hort defcription may be difcerned, how defirable
fuch a conqued was, and the difficulties which naturally
oppofed themfelves to it. They were the greater, becaufe
at this time there was in the iiland a confiderable number
of regular troops. They have at all times a numerous and
well armed militia, not contemptible for their difcipline,
and well fuited to the fervi*^- of th<' country ; add to this,
that they can bring into the neld a large body of negroes,
habituated to arms, ?*nd in general well affe^ed lo the in-
terefts of their maders.

The Englifh forces landed without oppofition, on the
weft fide of Port Royal harbour, after the men
of war had driven the enemy from their bat- Jan. 6.
teries and entrenchments But on their landing,
they found that the nature of the country proved a greater
obftrudion to their progrefs, than the ftrength of the enemy.
Thefe profound gullies, inclofed by fteep, and almoft per-
pendicular precipices, proved an unfurmountable obftacic to
the regular march of the troops, or the conveyance of
cannon. The enemy had broke up the roads ; and five
miles of fuch roads, and through fuch an impradicable
country, we i to be palTed before Port Royal could be at-
tacked by land. The commander, therefore, of the forces,
judged the difficulties on the land«ride infurmountable ; the
naval commander held it impofllble to put the cannon
afliorc nearer to the fort. Some iealoufy feems to have
arifen. The refult of the whole was, that the forc«s
were reimbarked on the day of their landing.

Very little was done at Port Royal ; but it was hoped,
that more would be done at St. Pierre. They accordingly
fet fail for that place ; but when they had arrived
before it, and examined the coaft, new difficul- 19.
ties arofe, which produced a new deliberation.
They determined that the fort could not be reduced,
without fuch detriment to the troops and the (hipping,
that they could afterwards make little ufe of their fuccefs ;
and in this they had probably good reafon. The condud
of the officers afterwards plainly demonftrated, that no
mean views had any influence on their councils ; they
agreed to abandon their enterprize againft Martinico.
But having been foiled in this their firft attempt, they

T 2 rcfolvcd

14^ The History of the War. 1759.

rcfolved not to return with the difgracc of having done
nothing worthy of the grcatncfs of the armament, and the
cxpeflation of their country. They confidcred, that the
iiland of Guadaloupe was an ohjcfV, though not of fuch an
rclat, of full as much real confequcncc as Martinico ; and
they knew, that it was locithcr fo ftrong in troops or forti-
jfications. Their firft failure might lead to an advantage, as
confiderablc as that which they had mifled. In purfuancc
of thcfc rcfolutions, they fet fail for Guadaloupe.

The iiland is called Guadaloupe, from a refcmhlancc
which it bears to a chain of mountains of the fame name
in Old Spain, To fpcak with oxa£tncfs, Guadaloupe is
rather to be confidered as- two iflands, divided from each
other by a fmall arm of the fea, or falt-water river, not
above three hundred feet over where it is wideft. One of
thcfc iflands is called the Grand Terre ; the other more
particularly and by diftinftion, Guadaloupe ; they arc to-
gether in a circle about ninety leagues. The firft is nearly
dcilitute of frefh water, and not pcrfe6lly cultivated; but
it is othcrwife with Guadaloupe. No part of the world
is furnifhed with more or better. No lefs than tifty
rivers, in that fmall circuit, throw themfelves into the fea ;
many navigable by boats, for two, fomc even for three
leagues into the country. Not to mention the numberlefs
fprings which rife among the rocks, and, after a thoufand
beautiful meanders, lofe themfelves in the larger rtrcams.
The firfl accounts which we have of that country, arclavi(h
in the defcription of its beauties ; and the latcft aghcc with
them, that no part of the Well Indies, perhaps of the
world, affords more agreeable and romantic fcenes. It is
full of high mountains ; one of which towers far above the
fcft, and is a volcano, continually emitting fmoke and fire.
From hence they have conliderable quantities of fulpliiir.
They have alfo hot batjis, fit for all the medicinal purpofcs
in Avhich fuch waters arc ufcd. The land in the valleys is
extremely fertile ; it produces the ufual Weft India com-
modities, fugar, indigo, coffee, cotton, and ginger : ihi
mountains abound with game : fo that there is nothinc; in
the ifland wanting, for the convenience and vlelight of lite,
in an air more temperate and falubrious than is commonly
breathed between the topics.

The French bcpan to plant colonics in this ifland as early
gs the year 163^. But for a long time this, together with

1759- ^^•"' History of the War. 149

all ihcir other colonics, continued in .1 l.mmiilliing coiuli-
fion. It was in the beginning of tliv prclcnt century, that
they began to emerge. After the peace of Utre* ht hud
given France time to breathe, Ihe turned her aititition
lirongly to thcfc iflands ; Guadaloupc partook however KTs
of this care than Martinico, and yet, by its natural ndvan-
tagcs, it docs not fall fhort of that illand, neither in the
quantity, or the goodncfs of its produce ; if it does nr)t
greatly exceed it in both ; as it certainly does in its capacity
to receive all forts of improvement. The importance of
this ifland, until its late conqueft^ was very little known in
England. The reafon was this. By an old regulation, the
people of Guadaloupc were forbid to trade tlircOly with
Kiirope, but were obliged to fend all their produce t<»
Martinico, from whence they had all their luiropean
commodities. A ftrangc regulaticn, to be continued m
:in age fo enlightened as this^ by a nation fo enlightened
as France.

The F.nglilli made attempts upon this ifland in 1691, nnd
1703; but they were neither powerful cnoujrh, nofcon-
<lu£itcd with fufficient ability io produce any |)crmanent ef-
tcft ; the troops wafted the country, and retired with their
hooty. But on the occaHon, of which we are going to
{peak, they were more able, rtrong, and fortunate.

On the 23d of January the fleet came before the town
of Baflc Terre, the capital of the ifiand, a pl.ice oiconfi-
(lerable extent, large trade, and defended b);a ftrong for-
trefs. This fortrefs, in the opinion of the (hicf engineer,
was not to be reduced by the iliipping. But Commod<'rp
Moore, notwithftanding this opinion, brought fo'ir mm of
war to bear upon the citadel ; the rell were difpoltd atvnnfl
the town, and the batteries which obftru^cd the laiuling.
About nine in the morning a fire from all fides bej';an,
which continued with the utmoll fury until night, \vl;en
the citadel, and all the batteries, were cfTcQually filent cd.
During this cannonade the bombs, that were coutinuallv
fliowcred upon the town, fet it on fire in feveral plicc. U
burned without interruption the whole of this and tiic fol-
lowing day; when it was almoft totally rcduce<l tt) afhcs.
The lols was prodigious from the number of warclitnik in
the town, full of rich, but comburtible materials. Nolh'nr;
(ould be more ftriking, than the horixjr of the fpc^>.u ie,

, . from

150 The History of the War. 175^.

from the mutual and unremitted fire o'" fo many great (hips
and batteries, heightened with a long line of flames, which
extended ^loog the (hore, and formed the back ground of
this terrible pifture.

In this lively engagement, our lofs was very inconfidera-
ble. The next day the forces landed without
Jan. 24. oppofition, and took pofleiHon of the town and
citadel. Notwithflanding this fuccefs, the ifland
was far from being reduced. The country is rugged and
mountainous, and abounded with pafTes and defiles, of a
diilBcult and dangerous nature. The inhabitants had retired
with their armed negroes into the mountains ; and all
feemed prepi.red to defend their po({eflions bravely, and to
the laft extre -nities.

General Hopfon died on the 27th of February, and Ge-
neral Barrington fucceeded him. He embarked part of his
forces for the Grand Terre, where Colonel Crump attack-
ed and reduced the towns of St. Anne, and St. Francois;
whilft this attack diverted the enemy's attention, the Gene-
ral fell upon the ftrong poft of Gofier, and pofleiTed hini-
felf of it ; and thus the Grand Terre was in a manner re-
duced> and difabltd from fending any relief to the other
part.

There is a confiderable mountain, not far from the town
of Bafle Terre, called Dos d'Afne, or the Afle*s Back ; thi-
ther a great part of the enemy had retired. It is a poft of
great ftrength, and great importance, as it keeps a watch
upon the town, and at the fame time forms the only com-
munication there is between that town, and the Capes
Terre, the plaineft, pleafanteft, and moft fruitful part of
the whole ifland. it was not judged practicable to break
into it by this way ; and all the reft of Guadaloupe was in
the enemy's pofleflion. Therefore a plan was formed for
another operation, by which it was propofed to furprize
Petit Bourg, Goyave, and St. Mary's, and by that way to
march into Capes Terre, which might be eafily reduced.
But this defign failing, it was neceflfary to attempt thofe
places by main force. Col. Clavering and Col Crump
landed near Arnonville, and attacked the enemy, ftrongly
intrenched at a poft, ftrong by nature, called Le Corne.
This was forced ; another intrenchment at Petit Bourg had
the fame fate ; a third near St. Mary's yielded in tlie fame
hianncr. An opening being at laft made into the Capes

Tewe,

1759* ^^' History of the War. 151

Terre, the Inhabitants faw, that the beft part of the coun-
try was on the point of, being given up to fire and fword ;
they came in and capitulated ; their poUefTions,
and their civil and religious liberties were granted May i.
to them.

Three fmall idands, near Guadaloupe, Defeada,
Santos and Petite Terre, furrenderei a few days 19th.
after, and on the fame terms.

This capitulation was hardly figned, when the French
fquadron under M. Bompart appeared before the ifland,
and landed at St. Anne*s, in the Grand Terre, the Gene-
ral of the French Caribbees, with fix hundred regular
troops, two thoufand buccaneers, and a large quantity of
arms and ammunition. The capitulation was made at the
moft critical time ; for had this reinforcement arrived but
a day iooner, the whole expedition had probably been
loft.

Thus came into the pofleflion of Ore Britain, this
valuable ifland, after a campaign of nt.T three months. In
which the Englifli troops behaved with a firmnefs, cou-
rage and perfeverance, that ought ne^ t to be forgotten.
Intolerable heat, continual fatigue, the air of an unaccuf-
tomed climate, a country full of lo. / mountains and fteep
precipices, ports ftrong by nature and by art, defended by
men who fought for every thing that was dear to them ;
allthefe difficulties only increafed the ardour of our forces,
who thought nothing impofliible under commanders, who
were not more diftlnguiflied for their intrepidity and (kill,
than their zeal for the fervlce of their country, and the
perfect harmony and good underftanding that fubfifted be-
tween them. There is nothing perhaps fo neceffary to in-
fplre confidence into the foldier, as to obferve that the of-
ficers have a perfect confidence in one anotherfj j.

(a) the Hon. Gen. BarringtonV Letter to the Right Hon Mr. Secre-
tary Pitt, particulariftng his proceedings at Guadaloupe, May

9. «759

IN my laft letter of the 6th of Marchy I had the honour to ac-
quaint you, that the troops under my command at Guadaloupe,
(except the garrifon of Fort Royal) were all embarked, with

their

152 Tf>i^ History of the War. ^1S9-

h iniifl not be omitted, that many of the inhabitants
exerted thcmlclvcs very gallantly in the defence of their
country. A woman, a conlidcrable planter in the iflanil,

parti-

their baggage, l^c. without the lofs of a man. The fleet failed
the next morning for Fort Louis ^ but from the very great difficul-
ty of turning to windward, were not able to reach it till the i ith,
at four in the afternoon, when all the (hips of war, but only 25 of
the tranfports, came to an anchor ; the others were either driven
much to leeward, or prevented by the winds and ftrong currents
from weathering the point of iiaintes.

I went on Ihore at Fort Louis that evening to fee the Fort, and
the works carrying on by the detac^nnent that had already been
fent thither fioin Bajjeterre.

On the 1 2th, I went in a boat to reconnoitre the two coafts of
this Bay, as well i\\c Grand Terre fide, a^ thzt of Gua,lalou/>e, to
find a proper place for making a defcent ; but Commodore Moore
having acquainted uie in the evening of that day, that he had re-
ceived certain intelligence of a French fquadron of fliips of war,
confiding of nine fail of the line and two frigates, being feen to
the northward of Bnrhndoes, and that it was therefore necelfary
for him to quit this place, with all the ihips of war under his com-
mand, and go into Prince Rupert's Bay, in the ifland of Domiiiico,
as a fituatlon more advantageous for the protecllon of Bajjeterre,
and this place; as well a.s tht Eng/ijh iflands; I thought it advife-
able the next day to call together the General Officers to confider*
what, in oi;r prcfent fituation, was bell to be done, and it was
determined, notwithftanding the divided ftate of the troops by
the feparation of the tranfports, the weak ftate of Fort Louis,
and the impofllbility of fupplying it witli water but from the fliips,
and the many dilHculties which then appeared, that it would He
mofl for his Majefty's fervice, and the honour of his arms, to do
the utinofc to keep poflellion of the Fort, and to wait fome further
intelligence of the motions of the (.nemv.

Commodore Moore failed the next niouiing for Prince Rupert's
Bay, with all the (hips of war, except the /^o<'^«</<' of 40 guni,
which he left, as fome protection to the tranfports.

From this time to the 17th, I continued to dirctit works to he
made fur the fecurity of the camp, and for the finiffiing, as well
as ftrcngthening the lines, when, the chiof engineer, who was on
board one of the tranfports tlmt could not before get up, being
arrived, and having made 10 me a report of the weakneh of the
Fort, 1 thought it necelfary to call a council of war to confider
tht; ftate thereof; and ii being debated whether the Fort might

not be made

1^59- The History of tbe War, 153

particularly diftinguifhed herfelf ; fhe was called Madam
Ducbarmey : this amazon put herfelf at the head of her fer-
vants and flaves, and acquitted herfelf in a manner not in-
terior to the bravefl men.

Soon

not be made tenable, and kept as a garrifon for his Majefty's fer-
vice, on a more circumfcribed plan, though it appeared iniponi-
bleto keep it in the prefent extent of out-pofts; it was determin-
ed, after much confideration, that from its weaknefs and bad con-
itrudion, its being commanded by feveral heights very contiguous
to it, as well as the great difficulty (I may indeed fay the impofli-
bility) of procuring for the prefent, and eftabliftiing a conllant
lupply of water, and other more necelFaj-y things for the fupport
and defence of a garrifon in this part of the world, not to be teju-
ble. However, Sir, I was, determined to hold it, until fome
future event might convince me what was beft to be done for his
Majcfty's fervice.

1 reflefted on the ftate of the army under my command, and of
the little probability there was of lucceeding in any attempt of
reducing the country by the troops I had, without the afliftance
of the fhips of war to cover them in landing. But however I de-
termined to make a defcent on the coaft of Grarui Terre ; and for
that purpofe I ordered Col. Crwwf^, with a detachment confiding
of 600 men, to go in fome of the tranfports that carried moft
guns, and endeavour to land between the towns of St. Anne and
St. Francois^ and deftroy the batteries and cannon, which was
happily executed with very little lofs.

As I imagined by my fending Col. Crump to attack the towns of
St. Anne and St.. Francois, the enemy would be obliged to detach
fome of their troops from the poft of Gofter, I ordered, two days
after he failed, the only 300 men I had left to be put on board
tranfports, and lye off that town ; and in the morning of the 29th,
1 went to reconnoitre the battery and intrenchments, and per-
ceiving that the enemy appeared lefs numerous than for fome time
before, I made a difpofition for forcing them by two different at-
tacks. This was executed the next morning at fun-rifing, with
great fplrit and refolution by the troops ; and notwithftanding the
fire of the enemy from their intrenchments and battery, both were
foon carried with little lofs, and the enemy drove into the woods.
The troops immediately deftroyed the cannon and battery, with
the town.

This being happily effefted, I ordered the detachment to force
its way to Fort /^oMi'i ; and, at the fame time, font orders for the
is IT , garrifon

1^4 ^^-^^ History of the War. 175^

Soon after the rcdu6tion of Guadaloupe, the
ifland of Marigalante furrendered itfelf upon May 26,
terms fimilar to thofe which were granted to the

former

garrifon to make two failles, one to the right, in order to put the
enemy between two fires, and the other to attack their lines, as I
knew that which I had jull made would oblige them to fend troops
to oppofe our pafTageon that fide. The firft was made, but the
latter, by fome millake, was not executed ; which, had it been
done, we mull have inevitably been in pofleflion of their lines.
The detachment from Gofter forced their paflage with fome lofs,
notwithftanding a very ftrongpafs that the enemy were poflefled
of, and took pofleflion of a battery of three 24-pounders, which
would, the next day, have played upon our camp.

Governor Dejbrifay, whom I had left at Fort Royal in Bajfeter-
re, having been killed by the blowing up of fome cartridges that
took fire from the wadding of a 24-pounder that was difchargcvi
from the upper baflion of Fort Royal, at a body of the enemy,
on the 23d of March, I appointed Major Me/vilt, who command-
ed the detachment of the 38th regiment from the Leeioard IJlamis,
to be governor in his room. Major Trollone, a lieut. of the 63d
regiment, and two private men, were likewife killed by this acci-
dent ; r.nd a capt. another lieut. and 3 men wounded : And the
parapet of that ballion levelled with the ground by the explo-
fion.

At the fame time that I was acquainted with this accident, I
was told, that the enemy had erefted a bomb-battery, and thrown
feveral fiiells into the "fort; and that they had, for fome time
paft, been working, as the garrifon fufpefted, upon another bat-
tery ; I therefore ordered Govenor Melvill to caufe a fortie
(fally) to be made from the garrifon in order to deftroy it. Ac-
cordingly a detachment of 300 men fallied out under the com
mand of Capt. B/omer, on the i ft of April, and without much
difficulty forced the enemy's intrenchments, and got into the work,
which proved to be a battery of one i8-pounder, and one 12,
nearly complcated. Our people fpiked the guns, and returned to
the garrifon with the lofa of only fix men killed, and fix wound-
ed.

As I thought the fort, by this accident, might want the a(lii>
ance of the chief engineer, I fent him thither immediately, as well
as the commanding officer of the artillery, that no time might be
loft in putting it again in a proper ftate of defence.

The remeining part of the tranfports^ with the troops, being

HOW

1759' ^^^ History of the War. 155

former ifland. This is a fmall place, but the conquefl is of
confequence, as the French by this are left no footing in the?
Leeward iflands ; Martinico is one of thofc to the wind-

' ward.

now arrived ; nine having come on the 23d of March ^ and the
others by one or two in a day ; as I had long intended, (b foon
as it was in my power to make an attack on the Guadaloupe fide,
as the enemy had there fome pofts of infinite confequence, I form-
ed, upon the information of iome Negroes, who promifed to con-
duct the troops in flat-bottom boats by night, adefign of furprlz-
ing Pftit Bourg, Guoya've, and St. Marie^s, at ihe fame time.
The firft was to be effeiled by Brig. Crump, who, th« moment he
had made himfelf mafter of it, was to march to bay Mahnut, and
deftroy the batteries there, as well as a large magazine of provifi-
ons that the enemy had coUefted from the Dutch, and to iiinder
any more arriving: The latter, under Brig Clai'ering, after he
had furprifed St. Marie's and Guoyave, was to march into tiia
Capefterre, and reduce that fine country. The fuccefs of this ap-
peared not only to me, but to the gentlemen who were to exe-
cute it, almoft infallible : But the night proved fo bad, and the
^^tgroe conduflors were fo frightened, that they run feveial of
the boats on the fhoals, of which that coaft is full ; fo that tho'
Brig. Cla'vering did land with about 80 men, yet the place was
lb full of mangroves, and fo deed in mud, that he was obliged to
return, but not without the enemy's difcovering our dcfign.

This obliged me to attempt by force, what could not be efffft-
edupon a fafer plan : But as I then was laid up in a moll fcvere hi
of the gout in my feet, head, and llomach, I font Brigadier.!
Clavering and Crump to reconnoitre the coalt near yfr/icirf/r ;
find upon their report, I ordered 1300 regulars, and 150 or the
Antigua volunteer."!, to land under the protection of the Wool-
wich man of war ; What happened afterwardi", you will fte l^y
the following letter which I received at Pctif Bourg from Brijr.
Chvering, on the 25 th of Jpril.

At M. Poyen's, Capejlerre, Guadahuie, .It^ril 2\, i7<9.
SIR,

ON Thurfilay the i 2th oi April, at day-brc?ik, I hnded witii
the troops which you put under my orders, coniiiting of
130 men, exclufive of the Antigua volunteers, at; a Bay r •■. far
dillant from Armvilk. The enemy made no opposition

U 2

out

1^6 The History of the War. ^759.

ward. Thcfc beginnings were happy omens of the fuccefs
of the mi^rc important undertaking, which was to be carried
on in another part of America. The reputation of our

arms

landing, but retired, as our troops advanced, to very ftrong in.
trenchments behind the river Le Corn. I'his poll was to them of
the greateft importance, as it covered the whole country to the bay
Mnhfiut, where the provifions and fupplies of all forts were iaiui-
ed from St. Eujiatui, and therefore they had very early taken pof-
feilion of it, and had fpar,d no pains to ftrengthcn it, though
the fituation was fuch as required very little alliftance from art.
The river was only accelfible at two narrow pafTes, on account
of a morafs covered with mangroves, and thofe places they had
occupied with a redoubt and well pallifaded intrenchments, de-
fended v/ith cannon, and all the militia of that part of the coun-
try. We could only approach them in a very contrafled front,
which was at leaft reduced to the breadth of the roads, interfeft-
ed with deep and wide ditches. Our artilleiy, which confilled of
four field pieces and two hawbitzers, were ordered to keep a (oi;-
ftant fire on the top of the intrenchments, to cover the attack
made by Duroure's regiment and the Hi^hlamlers, who, on thi;
occafion, behaved with the greateft coolnefs and refolution, keep-
ing up, as they advanced, a regular platoon firing. This behavi-
our fo intimidated the enemy, that they abandoned the f:rll ii\-
trcnchment on the left, into which the Hi^hlauden threw tlioii;-
felves, fword in hand, and purfued the enemy, with part of />«-
roure's regiment, into the redoubt.

The enemy ftill kept their ground at their intrenchments on tlie
right, from whence they annoyed our people very much, both
with imifquctry and cannon ; and though thofe who had carried
the firft intrenchments had got into their rear, yet, till a bridge
coidd be made to pafs the river, they could not get round to at-
tack this pod. This took us up near half an hour ; but howevL'r
we got up time enough to take near 70 of the enemy prifo>
ners, as they were endeavouring to make their efcape, '.unonj^ll
whom were fome of the moft confiderable inhabitants of the
idand.

We found in both the intrcnchmcnt? fix pieces of cannon. Our
lofs was one officer and r j men killed, and two ofHcers and 5:
men v^oundcd

So foon as the ditches could be filled up for the pafinge of the
artillery, we proceeded on our march tuv/ards Pcfii llouff^. A
coiifiJerable number of the enemy had lined an intrenchniciu

iibuiit

I75P- ^^^ History of the War. 157

arms there, except in the iedu£lion of Louifboiirg, had
hitherto not been very great. But other commanders v.'ere
now appointed, and other maxims prevaded. However,

about half a mile on the left of the road, but when they perceived
v\'e were endeavouring to furround them, they abandoned it,
keeping always about 200 yards in our front, fetting fire to the
fugar-canes, which obliged us more than once to leave the road,
to avoid any accident to our powder.

The troops arrived late on the banks of the river Lezard^ be-
hind v/hich, at the only ford, the enemy had thrown up very
ihong intrenchments, protetled with four pieces of cannon on the
hill behind them.

Having reconnoitred the fide of the river, and finding it might
toll: us very dear to force the palTage at the ford, 1 therofoie kept
up their attention all the night by firing into their lines, during;
which time I got two Canoes conveyed about a mile and a halt'
down the river, where being launched, we ferryed over, before
hreak oi day in the ujorning, a fuHi-rient number of men to at-
tack them in flank, whillV u e fhoulu .-o the fame in front . The
enemy foon perceived their danger, and left iheir intrenchrtie.'us
with the greatell: precipitation.

Thus we paired without the lofs of a man, ftlll purfuing them
to Petit Bourg^ which place they had fortitied with lines, r^nd a
redoubt tilled with cannon.

We found Capt. Ui'edale there, in the GrnfwJa bomb, throw-
in^lhells into the Fort, "^ihe enemv did not remain in it lonw,
when they faw our intention of occupying the heights round them,
but left us mafcers of that, and the Port, with all the cannon
round the place.

We halted here the 14th, to get provifions for the troops.

On the 15th, at day bre.\k, Hrig. Ot/w//. was dct;ichi'il with
700 men to the bay Mahaut^ and at the fame time Capt. Steel
with 100 10 Guayniey about 7 miles ia our front, to dellroy a
battery there. The panick of the enemy was fiich, that they
only dilchargcd their ca-inon at him, niul abiiiuloned a pod that
might have been defended againll an aiiuy. Me nailed up 7 pie-
cts of cannon, and returned the fame evening to Petit Bour^^.
Hrig. Ctum/> returned likcwil'c the next day with his detachment
fVom the bay Mohaut, where he found the town and b.itterii.i
jihandoned. Thefe he burnt, with an imnsenfe (|u:uitity ofprovi-
fions, that hail been lamled there by tht Duti/.>, and reduced the
whole country, as far as /V//7 Bourg.

Tlie

wm. '

'111

158 7'be HrsTORY of the War, i^/^g_

we poftpone the niiir.itivc of thtfe very interefting everts
to confidcr tliofe which intervened on the continent of [?u-
rope, in which too we are to fee our arms no lefs diftin-

guiflied ;

The heavy rains on the. fucceeding days had fo fwelled the ri-
vers, that it was iinpoHible tor the troops to advance; however
this delay [»ave us an opportunity of ftrengthening the port; at Petit
Bourg.

On the 1 8th in the evening, the Antigua volunteers took poflcf-
fion again oi Guoyave ; they were fupported early the next morn-
ing by a detachment conuiianded by Lieut Col. Barloiv, who had
orders to repair the road for the palfage of the cannon.

On the 20th, after leaving 250 men to guard Petit Bourg, the
remaining part of the detachment, with the cannon, nioved on to
Guoyii'vi'y in order to proceed afterwards to St. Marie's, where
we were informed the enemy were collefting their whole force to
oppofe us, and had likewife thrown up intrenchments, and made
barricadoes on the road to prevent our approach to it. We were
not long before' we perceived them ; but, at the fame time, we
found, as well by our own obfervation, as by the information of
the guides, that it was not impoilible to get into their rear by
roads the enemy thouglit imprafticable, and confequently had
t^uarded with very little care.

A detachment wars inmicdiatcly formed under Col. Bnr/onv, for
this fcivice, and orders were fent to hallen the march of the ar-
tillery, which, from the badnefs of the roads, had not been able
to get up. 'I'he tirfl (hot from our cannon, placed very near their
intrenchnient, with the alarm that was given by our detachment
in the rear, made the eneniy very foon fcnfiblc of the dangerous
fituation they were in, and imleed their precipitate flight only fa-
yed them from being all taken prifoners.

We purlucd them as far as the heights of St. Afr/nV's, where
we again formed our n;cn, for a frcfli attack on the lines and bat-
teries there.

WhIIrt the bajricadoes were levelling for the artilleiy, we at-
tempted a fecond time to pal's the woods and precipices that co-
vered the flanks of the enemy's lines ; but, before we could get up
our cannon, they perceived our movement, and began to quit their
lines to oppofe it, which nude us refolve, without any further
ilelnv, to attack them imincdinrely in front; and it was accord-
ingly executed vviih the grcatelT vivacity, notwithftanding the con-
llant fuingof both their cannon and imifquetry. They abandon-
ed here all ihi^fr artillery, and went ofl^in fo much coatuhon, that
they never afterwards .ippearcd before us.

i'759- " ^^-"^ History of the War. 159

guillit-'d ; p.nd to behold England emerging from the riib-
bilh of low principles and timid conduft, once more become
the pride and terror of Europe, and aQing in a manner
not unworthy the moft illudrious periods of her hirtory.

C M A P.

We took up our quarters at St. Marie ^ that night, and the next
ilay entered tin: Cape/ler re, which is the richeftand moll beautiful
part of this or any other country in the Well Indies. Eight
hundred and feventy Negroes, belonging to one man only, fui rend-
ered this day.

Here Meir. Je Gtaiti'villiers and Duqueruy, deputeil by the
principal inhabitants of the Ifland, met me to know the terms you
wouH grant them j and, as I accompanied them to Petit Boiirt^
the next day, and there prefcnted them to you, it is not ncceirary
tur me to mention any tranfadion fince that time.

I cannot, kowevcr, conclude, without doing juftlce to thofe, to
whofe merit is due the fuccefs that has attended the King's arms
on this occaGon ; I mean the fpirit and coiiftancy of the troops :
To Brig. Crumfi, without whofe concurrence, I never undertook
any thing, but chiefly to yourfelf, Sir, who planned the whole en •
terpvize, and who furnilhed me with all thefe meons, withcfUl
which, neither bravery or prudence can little avail.

1 ha<ve the honour to he, &c.

J. CLAVERING.

fht Hon General FJarrlngton'i Letter to the Right Hot: Mr
Secretary Pitt, date J, IJiaJ Qitarten, in the CapclUrre, (Jua-
duloupe, May 9, 1759.

I Have the fatiifadlion 10 inform you, ihiit by great pcrfeve-
"•.mce, and changing entirely the natiiic of the war, by carry-
ing It on by detachments, I have at length made myfelf mailer of
Cuaeialoupe nnd Grand lerre. This is a work, Sir, that, I be-
lieve, the Mjoll laiiguine (confulcring (mr total feparation from the
fleet) could not exped to have been performed by fo fmall a body
of men.

i fliall not in thl^ trouble you with a dcttiil, as 1 have done my
fclf the honour of fending it to you in my other letter. 1 fliall
«iiily fay in general, that tlie gresit good condu(M and zeal of Uii •
g;idicr.s Clarjering and (.'ri(n:/>, and the biuvcry of the troop.s, ggt
tho bolter of every obrt^c^c i forcwl the enemy in all their ui-

irciichmcnis,

ui:

"^f

t •. 'I

H4h-

/••*

i6o

The Hi STOP Y of the War.
' C 11 A P. Iv'.

1759-

Piogrcfs of the French after the !'attlf r>^ bergen. Munjler
ami other places taL'rt. Situaihn af the French, and of
the allies. Motio7is of Pyince Ferdii'and. Rattle of Min-
dcn. Hereditary Prince of Brun/ivick defeats the Duke
of Brifac. The French pafs the IVefcr. L. G. S. refigns
the command of the Br itifl) forces \ Marquis of Granby
fucceeds him. Ihc French driven / Marpurg. Sieg:
of Munjler. M. d^Etrees arrives at the French camp.
Frojec-J of France tor an inva/ion. Havre bombarded.
Action ojf Cape Lagos. French fleet dcjeated.

WE left the army of Prince Ferdinand upon the retreat,
ever fince the battle of Bergen. The Freneh ad-
vanced with great vivacity ; their light troops made incur-

fions '

trcnchinents, and llrong paflcs ; took 50 pieces of cannon, and
advanced as far as the Capejlerre, the only remaining unreduced
part of the country. "^Ihis at laft bioMght the enemy to terms.
My fituation was fuch, that it was ablolutely neceflary, that what
was done fhould not be procraftinated, as I was determined to
grant no truce for time enough for the inhabitants to recover from
their fears. Mr. Moore was nbfent, the thmg preifcd ; and
ibme refolution was to be taken i.nmediately. That, which I
took, was according to the beft of my underrtanding, and, 1
hope. Sir, you will approve of it.

\ believe. 8ir, the infinite confequcnce and value of Ciiiula-
/oiif>e, an i ''^-ind Terre, is not perfedly known m England, as
(if 1 am n'.;iVly informed) there i? more fugar grown here thun
in al! the ^et^xvard IJlands put together ; befidcs great quantities
of cotton ami cofTee. The country, efpecially the C.apefefif.
the fuiclt I ever faw, watered with good rivers every niiie or
two ; and a port belonging to it, where all the navy of England
may ride fafe from hurricanes. All this can be explained much
better, than I Ciin by letter, by Brig. Clavering, whofe infinite
zeal for his Majelly's fervice, and talents as a foldier, I hope will
recommeml him to protcttion. Such men are rare ; and I think
I may venture to afliire you, there are few things in our profclli-
on, that he i:; not ccjual to, if it fliould be thought (it to lionoui
him withthc axccution ofany future coumiands

T hv'c

• %

jy59- T*/" History o///^f War. i^j

)K)n5 aiaioft to the gates of Hanover. The Prince ftiil con-
tinued to retire, but he left garrifons in Liplbdt, Ritbe'- .^»

cnem'''^ pro-
grefs :

luiw-— — f C>

Munfter and Minden, in Oid<fi io rvtard ih^

J!'

I have appointed Col. Crump to the government, who, fince
governor Haldane left us, I have made adl as Brigadier : His
merit is very great, both as a foldier, and a man of judgment :
He is of this part of the world ; underftands the trade, cufloms
ind^snius of the pc'tle ; and as he thinks nobly and difintereft-
{dl/, he would not ha-.c accepted of the governuientj but in hopes
of advancing himfelf in the army by that means. I cannot fay,
how very ufeful, and how much our fucceffes are owing to his
^ condud, and great zeal.

As 1 have now nothing to fear from the land, I am repairing,
y well as I can, Fort Louis ^ and fortifying the ifle ofCochon, for
the greater fecurity of the harbour. The poor people here are
in a miferable condition, but I fhall do every thing in my power
to procure them the things they want.

1 have the honour to fend you inclofed the capitulation of the
(Tovernor, as well as that of the inhabitants. The latter have be-
haved, in all their dealings, with great candour ; and it is a
juftice I owe them, to acquaint you with it.

It has not as yet been poilible for mc to go round the ifland to
fee the different polts that nmft be occupied, I therefore cannot
ret determine theexaft number of troops that will be neceflary to
i)f left for their defence.

The great alfiftance I have received f'-om Capt. Lynn, of his
Majefty's fliip the Roebuck, In the difi'ercnt fer vices I have been
carrying on for the redudlion of thefc iflands, ought not to be for-
fot by me, as well as his firft Lieutenant, Mr. Keating j both
whom I beg leave to recommend to your favour.

I find it is importible (from the different parts of the Iflands
where they are to be received) for me to procure a return of thf
srtlllery and (lores (which have been delivered up, in confequence
of the capitulation) to fend by this opportunity ; but I hope to be
ibleto have the honour of fending it very foon.

I cannot help congratulating myfclf, that I had juft (igned the
capitulation with the inhabitants of the (i rand Ten c, whin a nief-
fengcr arrived in theii camp toactiuaint them, that M. Beaubar-
noii, the genrral of fhcfe iflands, had landed at Sf. /!nnc^3, on
the windward part of that illand, uirh a reinforcement from MtH'
!inico, of 600 regulars, 2000 buccaneers, and 2000 llnnd of
fnire arms for the inhabitants, with aitlllcry and mortars, um'cr

W'M'i,

\ M .,

it. .:-|' ''

i62 the History of the War. i-^^o

grefs : their principal dtfign reemed to be to cut olF his
retreat to the Wefer, to wiiich he kept very clofe, as he
knew the infinite confequence of that communication. How-
ever, if the enemy failed to compafs that objeft, all the

pre-

* V : .I'.g^

the convoy of M. fiompart's fquadron. This fupport, had it ar-
rived there an hour fooner, mud have made the conqueft of that
ifland very difficult, if not iinpoflible. As foonas he heard the
capitulation was figned, he reimbarked again.

CommoHort Moore'j Lttier to the Right Htn. Mr. Stcrelaty V'm,
datsdf Cambridge, in Prince RuperiV Bay, Douiinique, May
II, 1759.

BY the Griffin, which arrived here on the 17th of April, \
was honoured with your letter, fignifying his Majefty's mod
gracious approbation of my conduct, and of the behaviour of
thofe under my command, which I took the liberty to commu-
nicate to thofe gentlemen : And give me leave to fay. Sir, no-
thing can contribute fo much to our happioefs, as being honour-
ed with, and executing orders to the honour of his Majefty's
arms.

Give me leave, Sir, to congratulate you on the capitulation of
the ifland of Guadaloupe and Grand Terr(, which Major Gen.
Barrington fends to you by this cxprefs ; in gaining which,
great honour is due to the troops. The flrong hold, the enemy
had, could not be conquered but by great conduct and refo-
lution.

J hope the conqueft will prove as great an acquifition as it ap-
pears to me.

It i.s with great pleafure, I think I may fay, Sir, that, on this
expedition, great unanimity has been kept up between the t«o
corps, as well in obedience to his Majefty's commands, as from
our own inclinations. It has ever been my wifh to have fuch har-
mony fubfift, and I flatter n\y(<\f I h^ve always fucceeded.

I beg leave to acquaint you, Sir, that, on the 2d inft. being
informed, the FrtHch fquadron, under the command of M.
Bompart, was to windward of Maripalante, I put to fea in the
night, and endeavoured to get up with them ; but, after beating
five days, and having gained very little, two of our ciuizt^rs, that
I had lent difTcrent ways, to watch the enemy's motions, law
them, the 6ih inft. return betwixt the two illands into Fori
Hoyal. Fioni the almuil conilant Itc currents, it being very ilit-
ficult for ftiip.'i to get to windward, it nuift always be in the ene-
ny's choice, whctner they will come to a a-eucral ai^ion or not.

Their

1759' ^^^ History of the War. i6^

precautions of the Prince proved alfo inefFe£lual to retard
the progrefs of their arms. Ritberg was furprifcd, Lip(^adt
was blockaded, Minden was taken by afTault, where a gar-
rifon of 1500 men were made prifoners, and where immenfe
magazines fell into their hands. D*Armentieres advanced
againft Munfter ; he attempted to take the place by a coup
(jemain. Though foiled in his attempt with confidcrable
|ofs> he did not defift ; he drew up his cannon from
Wefei) and after a (hort fiege, made himfelf July 25.
mafter of the city ; the garrifon, of 4000 men,
became his prifoners. Nothing feemed able to withftand
the rapid torrent with which the French over-ran the whole
country ; they no longer hoped, the conqueft of Hanover ;
it was with them an abfolute certainty. Elated with the
fair appearance of their fortune, they kept no bounds. The
French minifter, the Duke of Belleifle, in his letters to the
Marfhal Contades, fpeaks only of the means of fecuring
their conqueA, and preventing another expuldon from Ha-
nover; and for this end propofed the mod cruel and un«
warrantable expedients. Nor was there lefs dread and de«
jedion vifible on the fide of the allies, than pride and con-
fidence on that of the French. The archives and mod va«*
luabie moveables were fent off from Hanover to Stade. All
things feemed hafteping to the fame poflure which drew on
the famous capitulation of Clofter Seven.

In this general gloom that overfpread the fortune of the
allies, the Prince kept himfelf unmoved and attentive to his
defigns. He did not fufFer himfelf to be difconcerted by
blow«, which he had probably forefeen, and the ill confe-
quences of which he knew how to prevent. The body of
the French army after the taking of Minden, had polled
themfelves near that city, to which the right of their army
extended ; their left was prote^ed by a very deep hill ; in
their front was a large morafs ; and a rivulet covered their
rear. Nothing could be more advantageous than this fitua-
tion ; and whilft they continued in it, nothing could be en»
tcrprifcd againft them. The army of the allies, after a ron-
tinucd retreat, began at laft to advance^ und fixed their

X 2 tamp

. It's

iirl-iii"L, ? I'. .Ill

i'V V"

• 1

: i,' '

Their fquadron confilb of nine fail of the line and three fri"«
gates.

I ffiali, in conjun6lion with CJen. Barriitgton, give every allift-
uncc in my power to any other fcrviccs. »

'' \

164. f}je History of the War. 1*7 ^q,

camp altogether as advantagcoufly at Petcrlhagen, a place,
about three leagues from the enemy.

Things were brought to that pafs, that nothing but a
battle could hinder the French from taking winter quarters
in the cle6ior!<te. There was no poflibility of attacking
them with any hope of fuccefs in the camp which they then
occupied. The point was to draw them from that port in-
to the plain ; but the movements neceflary to effed this
were extremely hazardous to an inferior army, in fight of
the enemy. The operations of Prince Ferdinand, on this
occafion, difplayed fo penetrating and uncommon a genius,
fuch a guarded holdnefs, fuch a certainty of the grounds he
went upon, fuch a perfeft pofieflion of himfelf, that per-
haps there is no inftance in hiftory of generalfhip fo com-
pleat and finished ; for which reafon we (hall endeavour
, from the befl: lights we have, to draw out at length the
feveral parts that concurred to form this remarkable piece ;
we could indeed wifli that the authentick accounts of fo ve-
ry memorable an event, had been more clear and explicit;
but we muft content ourfelves with the materials we have.
On the 29th of July, Prince Ferdinand forfook his camp
on the Wefer, and marched towards Hillen, a village con-
fidcrably to his right, with the greateft part of his army:
However he took care to leave on the brink of that river, a
body under General Wangcnheim ; which extended to the
town of Thornhaufen, where they were intrenched, and
fupported by a confiderable artillery. He had the day be-
fore detached the Hereditary Prince of Brun-
JulyzS. fwick, with 6000 men, to make a com pafs to-
wards the enemy's left flank, and to port himfelf
in fuch a manner, as to cut off the communication of their
convoys from Paderborn.

r ; The French were not inatteitivo to thefc movements;
their Generals immediately held a council of war ; and the
refult was, that they gave compUttly into the fnaro that
was laid for them. They faw, as they imagined, the allied
army divided and disjointed ; and now the happy niomcn*
prefented itfelf, for the attack of General Wangcnheim,
who they knew was not ftrong, and who feerncd at a great
diftance from the reft of the army, fo that it appeared im-
pofllble that he could be relicveil. This body being routed,
as it eafdy might, it was obvious that they fhould then he
able to place thcnrifelves between Prince Ferdinand's .army

and

4., »

' » ,1 i#^ *.»

thing but a
ter quarters
f attacking
h they then
hat poft in,
) effea this

in fight of
nd, on this
>n a genius,
grounds he
, that per-
hip fo com-
I endeavour

length the
able piece ;
ts of fo ve-
ld explicit;
Is we have.
>k his camp
/illage con-
' his army :
lat river, a
tided to the
ached, and
he day be-
; of Brun-
3mpafs to-
ofl: himfelf
on of their

'\^-'

;i :!

B r u ns^vickLui^nburg 'trjffr. ^

• •

•»

• "•

* _

and the W(

river; the

whole cam]

ftruftion or"

Full of t!

in eight col

and advance

lio was to

lay near th<

and eafy vi

confidence ;

lay along hi

when, tnfte

whole armj

tending froi

in the front

tirely unexp

flillen J but

joined in th

to the moti<

tween iheal

was difagrei

The ailie!

ed, began t

This was CO

flower of tl

allies, and b

was almoft

fome corps

charges of f(

ol the Frei

cxpcrtncfs ii

perhaps nev

routed thcfc

fupport then

Waldegrav(

Aives in a p?

mandcrs lefi

compoled thi

right, which

ol impreflioi

At this po

Sackvillc, w

i-j^g. The History of tbg War. 165

and the Wcfer, and cut off his communication with that
river; the great objeft at which they aimed, through the
whole campaign, and in which was involved the certain de-
ftruftion otthe allies.

Full of thefe ideas they left their advantageous port, and
in eight columns palTed the mnrafs in their front, .
and advanced into the plain. The Duke of Brog- ''°' ^*
lio was to lead the attack, by falling upon that body that
lay near the river, which fcemed to prefenthim an affured
and eafy vi6ory. He marched on, therefore, with great
confidence ; but as foon as he had gained an eminence which
lay along his front, he was (Iruck with the utmofl: furprife,
when, inftead of a few port* weakly guarded, he beheld the
whole army of the all'js drawn up in excellent order, ex-
tending from the banl.s of the Wefer, quite to the mc-afs,
in the front of the late French camp. This was a ftroke en-
tirely unexpefted : they believed the Prince to have beei a'.
+Iillen ; but he had marched up, and the whole army was
joined in the night. This difcovery for a while put a ftop
to the motions of the French ; they were hemmed in be-
tween the allies, the morafs and the river. Their fituation
was difagreeahle, but it was now impoffible to recede.

The allies, finding the French flower than they expell-
ed, began to advance, and threatened the enemy's centre.
This wascompofed almofl wholly of horfe i but it was the
flower of their cavalry, who anticipated the fliock of the
allies, and began the engagement. 'I'he brunt of the battle
was almoft wholly fuflaincd by the Fnglifli infantry, and
feme corps of Hanoverians, which ftood the re-iterated
charges ot fo many bodies of horfe, the flrength and glory
of the French armies, with a rcfolution, fteadinefs, ana
cxpcrtnefs in their manoeuvre, which was never exceeded,
perhaps never equalled. They cut to pieces or entirely
routca thefe bodies. Two brigades of root attempted to
Airport them, but they vaniflicd before theEnglifh infantry.
Waldegrave's and Kingflcy*s regiments diftinguifhed ihem-
ftlves in a particular manner this day ; nor were their com-
manders lefs diltinguiflied. The enemy's horfe, which
compoled their centre, being entirely difcomfitcd, and their
right, which attacked Wangcnheim, having made no fort
of imprefljon, they thought of nothing but a retreat.

At this point of time the Prince fent orders to Ld. George
Sackvillc, who commanded the whole Britifh, and fevenil

brigades

ii;i

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Sciences

Corporation

33 WIST MAIN STfUIT

WnSTIR,N.Y. 14SS0

(716) •73-4S03

F?<\^"

i66 The History of the War. ly^p.

brigades of the German cavalry, to advmce. That caval-
ry termed the right wing of the allies, extended to the mo-
rafs, and if it could have charged at the inftance of the ene-
my's retreat, fuch a fhock at that time, and in that fitua-
tion, would in all probability have left the French without
an army in Germany. But the orders were not fufficientlv
prccife, or they were not fufficiently underftood by the En-
glifh commander; fo that there was fome delay in waiting
for an explanation. The critical minute pafled away ; the
Britifh cavalry loft their fhare in the glory of the aftion ; and
the French retreated in fome order, favoured by the fpjri-
ted and well-judged efforts of the Duke of Broglio, and
the advantages which the pofleffion of Minden gave
them.

What is remarkable, the French attributed their misfor-
tune in this battle to the fame error in their difpofition,
which loft them the battle of Blenheim ; that of compo-
fing their centre almoft wholly of cavalry, without any pro-.
per fupport of foot.

The battle was over ; but then it was that the effefts of
Prince Ferdinand's admirable difpofitions appeared in their
full lufbe. The French not having been molefted by the
Britifli cavalry in their retreat, had an opportunity of regain-
ing their former advantageous poft. They had, indeed,
loft the honour of the day, and miffed the ftroke which they
had meditated. They had likewife loft a great number of
men. But all thefe loffes and difgraces might be repaired,
and there feemed nothing decifive in the day of Minden.
It had certainly happened, as it then appeared, if the
Prince who forefeting this, and npglefling nothing which
could be provided, had not form d the plan of detaching
away the Hereditary Prince in the manner already related.
At five in the morning of that day, this young hero attacked
a large body of the. French under the Duke de Brifac; this
body, though ported in a moft advantageous manner, he
entirely defeated, and obliged them to take refuge in Min--
den. The news of this blow came with an ill omen to M.
dc Contades, in the inftant when the Englifh infantry began
»o engage his centre. The enemy himfelf could not help
Admiring the dexterity of the ftroke under which he funk:
an«l full of aflonifliment at a condu£t at once fo daring and
judiciou!!, paid the juft applaufe to a General, who could
detach with fccurity fo large a body from his army, when
.,A. ,:^. - - he

(a) Prince Feti

1759" ^^^^ History of the War. 167

he was going to attack an enemy already much fuperior to
him in numbers.

This happy ftroke decided the affair, all the pafles thro'
which the French could draw fuccour or provifion, were
feized. They relinquifhed their ftrong pod; they fled
through Minden, and pafling the Wefer, retreateo to the
eaftward of that river ; thus lofmg all the advantages which
they had made in the campaign, and forced to retreat thro'
a country different from that through which they had ad-
vanced, and in which they had taken no meafures to pro-
cure fubfiflence.

The lofs of the French in this adion amounted to about
feven thoufand men killed, wounded and prifDners ; among
whom were many officers of conflderable rank. The lofs
of the allies was not more than two thoufand. The Eng-
lifli, as they gained the greatefl glory, fo they were the
greatefl fufferers. Twelve hundred of the killed and wound-
ed were of that nation. The Prince on the day after the
battle paid the due honours to thefe illuilrious corps, as well
as to feveral of the Hanoverians who had behaved in the
fame gallant manner. He did juflice to the merit of the
officers ; he diflinguifhed their names ; and even particula-
rifed fo low as captains. To fome in the moft obliging man-
ner he fent conflderable prefents ; and he omitted nothing
to {hew that he knew what it is to be well ferved, and how
to encourage the troops and officers to do their duty with
fpirit and chearfulnefs.

Although the Englifh had the greatefl: fhare in the ho-
nour of this fignal day, and that the Prince acknowledged
their merit n the ftrongcft terrasf a^, yet a cloud was cafl:
. ,. ,. . , . over

(a) Prince Ferdinand's Orders the Daj after the Battle of / j

Minden. «'.

HIS Serene Highnefs orders his greatcft thank* to be given to
the whole army for their bravery and good behaviour yef-
terday, particularly to the Britifh infantry, and two batlalions of
Hanoverian guards ; to all the cavalry of the left wing, and to
Gen. IVangenheim'^ corps, particularly the regiment of lloWein,
the Heffum cavalry, the Hanoverian regiment du Cor/>i and Ha-
mrfiin'& ; the fame to all rfie brigades gf heavy ar.tiilcry. His

' Seienr

.'1

:V't

ih'

i68 The History of the War. i^^p.

over their triumph. There were fome exprefllons in the
orders for the rejoicing, which were fuppofed to convey a
Very feverc reflection on Lord G. S. commander in chief

Serene Highnefs declares publickly, that next to God he attri-
butes the glory of the day to the intrepidity and extraordinary
good behaviour of thefe troops, which he aflures them he (hall
retain the ftrongeft fenfe of as long as he lives j and if ever upon
any occafion he (hall be able to ferve thefe brave troops, or any of
them in particular, it will give him the utmoH: pleafure. His
Serene Highnefs orders his particular thanks to be likewife given
to Gen. Sporcketiy the Duke of Holjieitiy Lieutenant Generals
i/;i/'oj/"and Vrff. His Serene Highnefs is extremely obliged to
the Count de Buckeour^^ for his extraordinary care and trouble in
the management of ihe artillery, which was ferved with great
effect ', likewife to the commanding officers of the feveral brigades
of artillery, «i;iz. Col. Broiune^ Lieut. Col. Hutte^ Major Haffe^
and the three Englijb Captains, Phillips^ Drummond^ and Foy.
His Serene Highnefs thinks himfelf infinitely obliged to Major
Generals l^^aldegm've and Kingfleyy for their great Courage and
good order, in which they conduded their brigades. His Serene
Highnefs further orders it to be declared to Lieut. Gen. the Mar-
quifs of Granby^ that he is perfuaded, that if he had had the
good fortune to have had him at the head of the cavalry of the
right wing, his prefcnce would have greatly contributed to make
the decifion of that day more complete and more brilliant. In
Ihort, his Serene Highnefs orders, that thofe of his Suite whofe
behaviour he inoft admired be named, as the Duke of Rich/nand,
Col. Fiizroy, Capt. Ugonier, Coi. IVatfon, Capt. IVilfon, aid de
camp to Major-Gen. fValdegrn've, Adjutant Generals Erjioff,
Bulutu, Durendo/Icy the Count Tohe and Malerti ; his Serene
Highnefs having much reafon to be fatisfied with their conduft.
And his Serene Highnefs defires and orders the generals of the
army, that upon all occafions when orders are brought to them
by his aid de camps, that they be obeyed punctually, and without
delay.

Prince Ferdinand, in the orders of the id of Auguji^ having omit'
ted Ciiptain Mochean, fent the folloiving^ lurote in his oivn
hand. ....

SIR, .«'.iiM^ ,-;.u / •'.i.\V..jiVU>\\ n /

„ TT is from a fcnfe of your merit, and a regard to jullticc,
X thnt I do in this manner declare I have reafon to be infinite-

1759- "^he History of the War. 169

of the Englifti forces. The Prince required with an em-
phafis, which feemed particularly pointed, that his orders
by his aids de camps for the future (hould be more exafkly
obeyed. In a manner ftill lefs to be mifunderftood, he
exprefled his concern that the Marquis of Granby had not
bad the command of the Britifh cavalry. Had he com-
manded, his highnefs made no doubt that the fuccefs of the
iay had been much more compleat and brilliant. The fe-
vere infinuation concerning the difobedience to orders, and
the invidious compliment to a fubordinate officer, were
dear declarations.
The news of a viftory fo glorious to our troops, and of a
cenfure fo difgraceful to their commander, came at once to
England. In proportion to the joy which filled all hearts,
in proportion to their opinion of the great general to whom
they owed fo feafonable an advantage, was their indignati-
on againft the unfortunate commander to whom it was at-
tributed that this advantage was not greater. The public,
as ufual, judged definitively upon the firft charge. They
never pardon a general whofe error it is to fall fhort. In
vain they are prayed to fufpend their judgment, and to wait
for a full difcuflion ; the matter is already decided ; they
have a faft againft an officer, and they look upon all rea-
foning in his favour, not fo much a defence of jfiis conduft,
as the exertion of eloquence and artifice to palliate a negleft
. . ■ .of

ly fatisHed with your behaviour, activity, and zeal, which in fo
confpicuous a manner you made appear at the battle of Tonhau-
fen on the firft of Augujl. The talents you poflefs in your pro-
fefllon did not a little contribute to render our fire fuperior to that
of the enemy ; and it is to you and your brigade that I am indebt-
ed for having filenced the fire of a battery of the enemy, which
extremely galJed the troops, and particularly the Britijh infantry.
Accept then, fir, from me, the Juft tribute of my moft perfeft
acknov'ledgmenis, accompanied with myfincere thanks. lihall
be happy in every opportunity of obliging you, defiring only oc-
cailons of proving it ; being with the moft diftinguiihed efteem.

Tour devoted and ,

/' entirely affeSionate fervantj

• Y FERDINAND.

lyo The History (;/ //;^ War. i-y^^

of duty. This indeed makes the cafe of officers particular-
ly hard ; but then it always fliews them what they have to
do.

The merits of the matter are flill regarded in the fame
light by the public. But the heat, the eagernefs, and cu-
riofity of the firfl: movements being over, the matter will
be heard, whenever it comes to be again difcufled with lefs
attention, but with lefs paflion too. It is not for us to deli-
ver any opinion in fonicea controverfy. We have in points
of lefs moment hitherto declined it ; and we fliall always de-
cline it until the proper judges before whom it probably will
come, Ihall have taught us what to think. There is in-
deed no doubt that if the cavalry of the allies right wing,
fituatcd as it was, had been brought to a6t at the critical
time when it had orders to move, the battle of Minden had
proved as decifive as that of Hocflet. But whether it was
n fault in the giving or the delivering of the orders, or whe-
ther it was fome mifapprchenfion in him who received
them, we cannot but fincerely pit/ a commander of fuch
admirable talents, who by the error or the misfortune of a
moment, loft an opportunity that would have ranked him
for ever with the Marlboroughs and the Brunfwicks.

A few days after the battle his lordlhip refigned his com-
mand and returned to London. He was but a few days in
London when he was deprived of all his military employ-
ments. The Marquis of Granby, whom the opinion of
Prince Ferdinand, and the dcfires of the whole army had
pointed out, fucceeded him in Vivi command. A generous
and ardent courage, an affability of manners that flowed
from no artifice, a manly freedom and opennefs of foul, a
chearful and unreferved converfation, a munificence that
knevv no bounds, fo many qualities of the man and of the
foldier, endeared him to the whole army, a^d rendered En-
glifh and foreigners, his inferiors, his equals and his fuperi-
or in command, unanimous in his favour.

Whilft thefe changes were making. Prince Ferdinand
loft no time to improve his victory, by the purfuit of the
French, whp retired in the utmoft diftrefs. The allies were
not indeed able to overtake the main body of their army,
but they haraffed them extremely, and the French were
obliged to facrifice f? great part of their army piccc-mcul to
preferve the reft entire. The neccfllty of providing fublif-
fcnce drove them towards Q\\^q\. The Prince purlutil
C. ■■ -' i/ therrif

THE MaRQUI^^ of (tRANBY

1 J

I'.

,* I

i <

/(^

it '*

If r

I/O ''4^

army,
ch were
■meal to

r fllbflf-

puriuetl
them»

^-..L

i:i':isl|

Ml^

.t^

^ I

- T.„/^^ ^ ■■ . ■ » » " ■ '" ■'

■^^■'^^■^^ 'v^) •.v^s^ly^l^ "v^H^T'

1759-

them, obliged t\

freed that poor d

The caftle of 2

the allies about ^

rcditary Prince i

ous in the greate

made a private i

prife a corps of

bv the famous

Wetter, where :

This corps he ei

taking 400. Tt

inhopesof puttir

In effeft this did

length the caftlc

confifting of bet

prifoners of war.

Here a bound

Not that they w<

from the main be

fome efFe6ls in a

ning of the camp

had not yet perfc

behind them, an^

a powerful garri

even after his d<

had now no furt

ftrong body unde

fome troops fror

to cover that plai

ed General Imho

the approach of 1

the fiege. But

French comman

Wcfel, the pofH

proved of infinite

rations. The fu

the bufinefs thr

however was the

all other refpedf

driven thiir enei

the end of the c;

iy59- S'"^^ History of the War. 171

them, obliged them to evacuate that place, and once more
freed that poordir:refled country from the French tyranny.
The caftle of Ziegenhayn, after an hour's defence, gave
the allies about 400 prifoncrs. After this the He-
reditary Prince of Brunfwick, equally confpicu- Aug. 23.
ous in the greater and the lefler operations of war,
made a private march at night in order to fur- 27. 4
prife a corps of French irregulars, commanded
bv the famous partizan Filcher, which were pofted nt
Wetter, where it w.is convenient for the allies to encamp.
This corps he entirely routed, killing a great number and
taking 400. The French threw a garrifon into Marpurg.
in hopes of putting fome flop to the rapid career of the allies.
In effefit this did prove an obftacle for fome days, but at
length the caftle furrendered, and the garrifon,
confiding of between 8 and 900 men, became Sept. 11.
prifoners of war.

Here a bound was fet to the progrefs of the allied arnis.
Not that they were (lopped by any confiderablc ob{lru*3;ion
from the main body of the French in that quarter, but from
fome effe61:s in another quarter of the unfuccefsful begin-
ning of the campaign, from which the battle of Minden
had not yet perfeCUy disengaged them. Munfter was ftill
behind them, and ftill in the hands of the enemy, who had
a powerful garrifon in that city. M. de Contades, who
even after his defeat exceeded the allies in numbers, and
had now no further view of an ofFenfive campaign, fcnt a
ftrong body under d'Armentieres, which was reinforced by
fome troops from the Lower Rhine, to near 15,000 meni
to cover that place. Prince Ferdinand had before detach-
ed General Imhoff from Caflel in order to reduce it. On
the approach of d'Armentieres, ImhofF was obliged to raife
the fiege. But being foon after reinforced, the
French commander retired in his turn towards Sept. 6.
Wefel, the pofleflion of which place had all along
proved of Infinite importance to the French in all their ope-
rations. The fiege of Munfter was again refumed, but
the bufinefs threatened to be difiicult and tedious. This
however was the only rub which the allies encountered. In
all other refpefls they were perfedly fortunate. They had
driven th^ir enemy two hundred miles before them, and at
the end of the campaign, after all their efforts, and all their

Y 2 fanguinr

172 ^he History of the War. 2755.

fangulne hopes of conqueft, fet them down juft where they
had begun it.

The event of the battle of Minden, and the fubfequent
misfortunes of the French arms, threw VerfaiUes into the
utmoft confufion. The news of that defeat arrived juft as
the King was taking horfe to hunt. He retired filent and
dcjeQ:ed into the apartment of Madam de Pompadour, and
for fome time faw none of his minifters. The Duke of
BrogUo and M. de Contades mutually accufed each other,
for the ill conduft of that day. The public acquitted Bro-
glio. Belleifle and his General Contades loft all reputati-
on : but the duke ftill preferved his employment and a con-
fiderable part of his influence at court.

As foon as the firft confufion and furprife of fo unexpect-
ed an event was a little abated ; it was refolved to fend re-
inforcements to their army in Germany, and at the fame
time to fend thither fome officer of experience and authori-
ty, who might judge, and compofe, if poflTible, the differ-
ences which fubfifted between the commanders ; as well as
to aflift in the deliberations for retrieving their affairs. Pub-
lic misfortunes call great men from their obfcurity. M. de
Etrees was chofen on this occafion, and inverted with an au-
thority which he unwillingly accepted. When he
Sept. 25. arrived at the French camp, he could not avoid
a ligh on viewing of the ruins of that army, which
had triumphed under his command at Haftenbeck. Howe-
ver, his behaviour to M. de Contades was polite and gene-
rous. The old Marefchal told him that he was not come
to take his command, but to ferve under him ; and whilft
he afllfted him with his advice, he would receive his or-
ders.

Whilft the French endeavoured to piece up their broken
fortune in Germany, they made fome {h'>w of pulhing the
other part of their fcheme with vigour. All their ports
were full of the preparations for an invafion of the Britifh
dominions. Men of war, tranfports and flat-bottomed boats,
now almoft a word of ridicule, were prepared with great di-
ligence. They talked of a triple embarkation. M. Tha-
rot was to command a fmall fquadron and feveral tranfports
from Dunkirk, which it was believed were intended fo;
Scotland. This man from a mafter of a merchant fhip be-
came a captain of a privateer, in which capacity he greatly
annoyed the Englifti trade, and acquired a reputation. At

. a time

1759- ^^^ History of the War. 17^

a time when France docs not abound with great men, his
fcrvices in this way and his daring fpirit, recommended him
to a command in the King's fervice.

The defign againft England, as the voyage hither is the
ihortefl, was to be attempted from Havre, and fome other
ports of Normandy, in flat-bottomed boats. The third
embarkation, which was fuppofed againft Ireland, was to
be made from Vannes in the Lower Britiany, where a
large body of troops was aflembled, commanded by the
Duke d'Aiguillon governor of that province. This embar-
kation was to be covered by the fleet under M. de Conflans,
which was preparing with great diligence in Breft. Had
this defign been fuch as it was reprefented, and had it been
put into execution, there is no doubt but fuch an attempt
upon both kingdoms, at three different places at once, mud
have thrown the whole into no fmall confufion. But excel-
lent mcafures were taken on the part of England to fruf-
trate their defigns, whatever they might have been.

A fquadron under Commodore Boys was ftationed before
Dunkirk. Admiral Rodney was fent to bombard Havre,
which fervice he performed with fuccefs. Admiral Hawke
blocked up the harbour of Breft with a ftrong fquadron,
whilft a leffer kept a watch upon that of Vannes. Thefe
precautions were continued the whole funfmer, during which
time the French proceeded rather flowly, but after the
battle of Minden had deftroyed their hopes in Germany,
they turned to this obje£k with the greater attention. What
ifliie it had we fhall relate in its proper place. But their
firft attempts on the ocean proved as unfuccefsful as their
arms on land. '

A great fleet was equipped at Toulon, which fome defti-
ned for America, whilft others believed it was defigned to
unite itfelf with that of Breft to favour the invafion. Ad-
miral Bofcawen who commanded in the Mediterranean,
blocked up this fquadron, until fome unfavourable weather
and the foulnefs of his ftiips obliged him to return to Gib-
raltar to refit. The French took this opportuni-
ty to fail out, and they proceeded with great dili- Aug. 14.
gence to the ftreights.

They had arrived very near Gibraltar before the Admiral

had notice of their approach ; but notwithftanding that our

ftiips were not pcrfc^ly prepared to fail, the admiral ufed

. fuch

a time

174 ^^^ History of the War. 1755.

fuch great expedition that in two hours after the account ar-
rived the Englilh fleet was out at fea. •-.;»-

The Englifh fleet was compofed of fourteen Ihips of the
line befides frigates. The enemy had twelve of the line.
They were fuperior in the bulk of their fhips and in the
number of men, if they were inferior in the number of vef-
fels ; and it is the opinion of many perfons of judgment,
that if they had formed a line of battle, and fought Mr.
Bofcawen in order, they might very well have hoped for a
better ifTue of this matter thj>n they found. But the evil
genius of France operating on the cowardice or incapacity
of their commander, induced them to feparate their fleet
and fly. The Englifh (hips were newly refitted ; they pro-
ved better failors ; and the men, animated with the fpirit-
ed example of their admiral, engaged the French fhips as
they could overtake them ; and they overtook fome of them
ofli" Cape Lagos in Portugal. A brlflc engagement enfu-
ed. Two of the enemy's fhips, the Ocean and the Re-
doubtable, were run on fhore and burned. The firfl: was
the fhip of M. de la Clue, the French admiral, who efca-
ped to land ; but being grievoufly wounded, and, as it is
faid, having lofl: both his legs, he died foon after. Two
other capital fhips, the Centaure and Modefte, were
taken.

The fcattered remains of their fleet with difliculty got
into the harbour of Cadiz, where they w^ere foon after
blocked up, and where they fl:ill remain. This adion hap-
pened on the 1 8th of Augufl: ; and it gave a great eclat to
the Britilh arms, which, in the fame month, had triumph-
ed fo fignally both by fea and landfi^. I

, "\' CHAP.

(b) Admiral Bofcatjoen's Letter to Mr. ClevlattJ, Secretary ta
the Admiralty, dated, Namure, off Cape St. Fincenty Augujl
20, 1759.

** T Acquainted you in my laft of my return to Gibraltar to re-
X fit- As foon as the fliips were near ready, I ordered the

Lyme and Gihialtar frigates, the firfl to cruize off Malaga, and

tie laft from Ejlepona to Ceuta Point, to look Out, and give me

timely notice of the enemy's approach.

On- the 17th, at eight in the evening, the Gibraltar made the

fignal

1759-

I'be History of the War.

175

•'»•

CHAP. V.

■"y:[

Count Dobna dif graced. Wedel fucceeds him. The Ruffi-
ans enter Silejia. Battle of Zulichau. Rufjians take
Frankfort on the Oder. Gen. Laudohn joins them. King
of Pruffta joins Wedel. Battle of Cunnerfdorf. King of
Prujpa repajfes the Oder. Soltikoff and Daun communi-
cate. King of PruJJia detaches General Wunfch into
Saxony. Parallel of the King of Prujpa and Prince Fer-
dinand of Brunfwick. :..:.■■.. J.

trvj

S the King of Pruflla's vi£iory at Rofbach had given

the Hanoverians an opportunity to free their coiin-

it might be expe6ted that the affair at Minden would

figaal of their appearance ; 14 fail on the Bar iary ihore to the
eaftward of C««//i.

I got under fail as fail as pofQble, and was out of the bay be--
fore ten, with 14 fail of the line, the 5^rtM«on and ^tna firefliip.
At day light i faw the Gibraltar^ and foon after feven fail of
large ihips lying to; but on our not anfwering their fignals,
they made fail from us. We had a frefh gale, and came up with
them faft, 'till about noon, when it fell little wind. About half
an hour paft two, fome of the headmoft fhips began to engage j
but I could not get up to the Ocean till near four. In about half
an hour, the Namur^s mizen mail and both top- fail yards were
fhot away : tl/e enemy then made all the fail they could. I fhift-
ed my flag to the Neiuarky and foon after the Centaur of 74
guns ftruck. I pnrfuedall night, and in the morning of the 19th,
faw only four fail of the line Handing in for the land, (two of the
beft failors having altered their courfe in the night). We were
not above three miles from them, and not above five leagues from
the fliore, but very little wind. About nine the Ocean ran amongfl
the breakers, and the three others anchored. I fent the Intrepid
and America to deflroy the Ocean. Capt. Pratten having an-
chored, could not get in ; but Capt. Kirk performed that fer-
vice alone. On his firft firing at the Ocean fhe flruck. Capt,
Kirk fent his officers on board, M. de la Clue having one leg
broke, and the other wounded, had been landed about half an
hour ; but they found the Capt. M. LeComte de Came, and fe-
veral officers and men on board. Capt. Kirk, after taking them
out, finding it impofTible to bring the flu'p off, fet her on fire.

Capt.

1)6 TVv History ef tht War. 175^.

h.:"c fcrvcd to free hi» rruflinn triRJcfty from fotiic of the
nutmcrous armies that onprcflVd him. But jis this buttle
wrts fought in thr nudillc of the fcafon for rt<-\ion, anil ^j
Munllcr rtiil continued in the pofleflion of the Frencli,
Prince Ferdinund could not vcnmre itt th«t time, to make
ttny detnchmcnt from his nrmy in the King's favour, with*
cut rifquing nil the advantages which he had obtained ftuni
his viOory, The King of Prullia was theitfforc left aloitc
to Ihuggle with ihe Aullrians, KuUians, Imperialllls, and
Swedes.

The Rutlians, whofe motions governed thofc of all the
other armies, left tlieir tamp at Pofna in Polatul, atui quit-
ting the Viilula, drew near to the banks of the Oiler. They

were

Cupt. lUnttev, of the /r««»//(^/, was ordereil afndhll thcTVwK.
r*iMy of •?4 guns I and brought her off with little dauiage, the
ofKcers and ntcn nil on boanl. At the fame time Vicc-Admlrul
iit'MiriiA with hisdivilion burnf the KfthuhttiHe^ he r olHrcrs «ml
men Imvnig ipiitted her, being Iniigeil i and brought the iWti/f/tfr,
fo 64 guns, t'tf very little tiniiiMgeii

I hrtvo the pirnfure toacipMint thoir lordlhips, that moll of his
- iiitijetlv'.i Ihips under my ronuuand failed better than thuti? of the
enrmy.

Inolofeil I fend you a litl of the htmh liptadron, fouiul on
bimrd the Mihlrfit,

llrrewlih V(>u will nllo receive the numbfr of the killed luul
wotimied on bonid Ium initjetly's Ihip^^, referring their lor\llhipi« lor
tiuthci ptuticulius to C'upt, Huikh\

M , . - . '■■ y "• ' ■' ■

i i/t #/' th h^'fHih «VfMrtr/»,vK M«t/f»' th rfimmumi tf M tft h Che

vV/»;>,r f,

'WWT.

A'Ai/k Gnh}

1, , .; y

T.t) ertU

Ho Intrnt

1 .e 1 .ion

f.4l

. . ' !■ ■ ■

!,e i'^ilo itublr
lor ntAure
!a S* <t\ iiiitt
1 w V jiurrier

74 Imum*. , ^'
-4 (rtken

".J Olv'llpOll.

-4 elVtipod

l,r Tiiton

1 I'UM

1 ' Oiitliunme
In V.'hime»e

loll coinpu-
ny ountiitu
thio' the
Strttightt.

\r lVn\etaiu'

"1 luKrn

l.ii Miner ve

1,0 Fni.tatinir

(vj |»u\ romp.

1 ,rt iJincioufc

4*.

l.e ^^o^lcll^

(«) tiikcn.

In f5us rnjrm'.onu'iu the ^>«(j/{/?» hnd \f\ n\cn kllKMl. «nd t«)f»
wuundrd ..

7 '/v H I vS roll Y of / Af' \V \ u ,

«77

«ric uiuUm" the rmmwiuul ol" i\ RulViaM ttoMcmjut, Count
.Vhikort. Count Dolutii, who luul hrcn oiilniil to oppolc
tliciui Irtw thrtt their uuuihcrs wne too cot\(i«lcr;ihlc, autl
tluir polls loo (h\M<f\ to hr atttukol with rtuv piotpci'^ of
Mlv«nti«ji;c, To thu' he vontcntctl hinihU withohlVi viun ihcii
motions, rtiul h.'U ailing; their nitUih. Thisroiuhi^l (ccinnl
\mx ihliitory nntl liu\i«l than the cin ntutlani cs, or the \\\-
vliimtions ol the King vmiM hear. Me is laiti to l»ave re-
|wuhe»l that (leneral \\\ lo (eveie a manner, lor rt eontlni'l
in wKieh he 'vas ui all piohahilitv very jiHliHahle, that he
l(H»k the Hrll opportunity to rejip,«\ his eontnianvl, anvl, un-
(ki tl»e pietenee ol re* overM\|r his health, retiieil lo Mer-
lin, The Kinn inuueihalely put (Jeneral Wedel intt» his
pluc, with politive onlers to eni!,a}\t' the Uiillian arnty at
ill even's, 'i'o enahle him to obey his eoit\maiuls, he re-
inloieevl him with leveral tleiav hn»ents iVom his ow«» ainiy.
The pol'niveuels ol the Kinf?;*s ortlers on this on al"n>n mav
j'lVliaps he eenluretl ; lull it mntl he i>wt\e»l, thai the liute
io|\me*l a eovule next t«» ilelperale. Mis herevlitarv Joiui-
iiions were it\ the utnu>(l ilanp;er, aiul nothinp; hut (ome
gu;>l aiul hntnnate llroke eouKI elVedluallv pievcnl the
iim(lion ol the Aullnan auil Uulliaus armies, an event
"hull, ol all others, he havl ihe ^vreatell realon lovlivatl.

I'ertilietl in Imne tnealure hy the rcinrt>riements he havl
nui»evl, anvl ill eonletpienee ol his luvlers, ( len. \\ eviel
iclitlveil [o attack the KiitUans kwx then tuaii h,
rhi\ hail got to /.ulh ban aiul »lire(Unl their July ijj.

u'lll

le to CiolVen in Silelia, to p;et helore the rrul

Inn armv, ami to make fvoovl the palVaj\e ol the (\ler.
ri>clilU)itiou * the Uulliaus was very a*lvai\lap;eous ; pt»ll
ulupon emmtnves, ilelemleJ hy a powerlul artillery* ami
'Hill ;it,o(%) llioniv. The I'rullian aimy lell Ihori ol <v>,o(Vu
l tluy hiul pj'atcr ililavlvanlages than theu" iiileruuity ot

nil

inher to ^1 over. Thev hail a hriil|\e iop.>ls ami huh
low iUlile to Uruji;pje thnui}»h, that learee a thirMol a

I UiU

hitiili

ion iouhl t\uiri h in Irottt

Iho ^

ro»uul wa

huh

iliiil the ea\ahv \ouKI iu>t luppoit then itiluilrv, ^'e^
whl\ all thele ihllieullies ihe allai k was h>n|', auvl relohile.
IHil this telolulion uuiile then lepulle, whivh all thele ilil-
ulv.uuiiges hiul lenvleretl inevitahle, lar nu>re hKu'vIv aiul
*lillrcUliil. I'our ihoul.uul Www huiutroil were ktlh»l or
jMiloner.-^ ; the woiuuUil vame to <oon. (Jennal V\oher-
I'low , Ml «>|]ieei ot (<rcat ahiliiy, was killetl, and ( teneval

ani^'.i

tlu\

17B Jhe History of the War. 17^^,

Mantcuffcl was wounded. The Prufllans were obliged to
retire, but they were not purfued, and they pafled the
Oder without moleftation. The Ruffians feized upon the
towns of Croffen and Frankfort on the Oder.

The King of Pruflia, fince the beginning of the war,
had never hitherto obtained an advantage where he was
not pcrfonally prefent. His prefence now became morene-
ceffary than ever. Since the aftion at ZuUchau, the Ruffi-
ans had penetrated a confiderable way into his territories,
and had taken pofl'cflion of the important city of Frankfort
upon the Oder. He therefore marched with io,oooof his
bell troops, to join the broken army of Wedel, in order
to drive this formidable and determined enemy from his
country. Prince Henry commanded the remainder of his
army, which was too well polled to fear any infult during
his abfence. The eyes of all were fixed upon his march,
and his fohlicrs, who remembered Zorndorf, eagerly long-
ed to try their ftrength once more with the fame anta-
gonifts.

M. Daun was not unapprifed of the motions of the Ruffi-
ans, or the dcfigns of the King of Pruflia. He knew that
the great fault of the Ruflian troops, was the want of a re-
gular and firm cavalry, which might be depended upon in
u day of action. This defeat was a principal caufe of their
misfortune at Zorndorf in the lad year ; a misfortune which
difconcerted all the operations of that campaign. As this
was the only want which the Ruflians were under, fo it was
that which Daun was beft able to fupply at a fliort warning.
With this view he fele6ted about 12,000 of his horfe, and
there is no better horfe than that ai the Aullrians, which
with about 8000 foot, he placed under the command of
Gen. Laudohn, one of the abltit officers in that fervice.
This body was divided into two columns, one of which
marched through Silefia, and the other through Lufatia.
By extreme good fortune and condud, with little lofs or
oppolition, they both joined the Ruflian army, and were
peceived with tranfports of joy.

In the mean time the Kingof Pruflia, who was unable to

prevent this flrokc, joined General Wcdcl at

Aug. 4. Muhlrofc, and took upon him the command of

the united armies. But flill finding himfcif too

weak for the decifive adion he was preparing to attempt,

he recalled General Finck, whom he had fent fomc time

bclwc

1759- The History of the War. 179

before into Saxony with ninethoufand men, in order to op-
pofc the Imperialifts in that country. With thefc reinforce-
ments he was not able to raife his army to fifty thoufand
compleat. That of the Kiiflians fince the junction of Lau-
dohn, was upwards of ninety thoufand. They had befides,
taken a port, v/h'ch they had fo (Irongly entrenched, and
defended with fuch a prodigious number of cannon, that it
was extremely difficult and har.ardous to attempt them,
yet under thefe accumulated difadvantagcs, it was abfolute-
ly neceflary that he ihould fipht. The detachments from
Count Daun*s army already menaced Berlin ; Saxony,
which he was obliged to leave expofed, had become a prey
to the Imperialifts ; and the Rnflians united with the Au-
llrians, encamped before his eyes in Silcfia, the heft and
richeft part of his dominions. In (hort, his former repu-
tation, his prcfent difficulties, his future hopes, every mo-
tive of honour and of fafety demanded an engagement; the
•impaign hailed to a decilion, and it was evident that no-
ing farther could be done by marches and choice of ports.
The fanguine temper of other generals has often obliged
them to fight under difadvantages ; buttheKingof Pruflla's
circumftances were fuch, that from the multitude of his c-
nenfiies, he was neither able to confult times nor fituations.
Rafhnefs could hardly di£tate, any thing which in his con-
dition, would not have been recommended by prudence.

When the attack was refolved, the King's troops put
themfelves in motion at two in the morning, and
having formed themfelves in a wood, advanced Aug. 12.
towards the enemy. It was near eleven before
the aftion began. The principal effort of the King of Pruf-
fia was againft the left wing of the Ruffian army. He be-
gan according to their ufual method, with a fierce cannon-
ade, which having had the effed he defired from it, he
attacked that wing with feveral battalions difpofed in co-
lumns. • '• '-* * ' ^ '

The Ruflian entrenchments were forced with great
fiaughter. Seventy-two pieces of cannon were taken. But
ftill there was a defile to be paffied, and feveral redoubts to
be maftercd, which covered the village of Cunnerfdorf.
Thefe were attacked with the fame refolution, and taken
one after another. The enemy made another (land at the
village, and endeavoured to preferve their ground there,
hy pulhing forward feveral battalions of horfe and foot ;

Z 2 but

i8o J'he History of the War. ly^^,

but their refiftance there, proved not more efFeftual than
it had done every where elfe ; they were driven from poft
to poll, quite to the laft redoubts. For upwards of fix
hours Fortune favoured the Pruflians, who every where
broke the enemy, with an unparallelled flaughter. They
had driven them from almoft all the ground which they
had occupied before the battle, they had taken more than
half their artillery ; fcarce any thing feemed wanting to the
mofl complete decifion.

The King in thofe circumftances wrote a billet to the
Queen to this effe6l ; " Madam, we have beat the Rufll-
*' ans from their entrenchments. In two hours exped to
" hear of a glorious victory." This news arrived at Ber-
lin, juft as the poft was going out, and the friends of the
King of Pruflla throughout Europe, exulted in a certain
conclufive victory. Mean time. Fortune was preparing for
him a terrible reverfe.

The enemy, defeated in almofl: every quarter found
their left wing, Ihattered as it was, to be more entire than
any other part of the army. Count SoltikofF therefore af-
fembled the remains of his right, and gathering as many as
he could from the centre, reinforced that wing, and made
a (land at a redoubt which had been erected on an advan-
tageous eminence, in a place called The Jews burying
ground. Nothing was wanting to finifh matters in favour
of the King, but to drive the Ruffians from this their laft
hope. But this enterprize was difficult. It is confidently
faid, that the Pruflian generals were unanimous in opinion,
that they fliould not endeavour at that time to pufh any fur-
ther the advantages they had obtained. They reprefenied
to the King, that the enemy was Hill very numerous, their
artillery confiderablc, and the poH: which they occupied of
great (trength ; that his brave troops, who had been en-
gaged for fo long a time, in the fcvercfl: adion, perhaps,
ever known, and in one of the hottcft days ever felt, were
too much exhaufted for a new attempt ; an attempt of fuch
extreme difficulty, as might daunt even troops that were
quite frefli. That the advantage he gained would be asde-
cifive in its confequences as that at Zorndorf; and whiiil
the enemy filled the gazettes of their party, with frivolous
difputes of the field of battle, he wcdd be reaping, as he
did then, all tlie cffc<I:\s of an unquellioned vifitory. That
.*hc enemy would be obliged to retire immediately into Po-
lar, cf,

1759- " ^^^ History of the War. i8i

land, and to leave him at liberty to aft in other quarters,-
where his prefence was full as neceflary.

Thefe reafons were very cogent ; and for a few moments
they feemed to have fome weight with the King. But his
charafiter foon determined him to a contrary refolution. He
could not bear to be a conqueror by halves. One effort
more was alone wanting to that viflory, which would free
him for ever from the adverfary, which had leaned heavieft
on him during the whole war.

Once more he put all to the hazard. His infantry, iliill
refolute, and fupported by their late fuccefs, were readily
broughb to aft again. They drew on their bodies fainting
with heat and labour to a new attack. But the enterpri/x
was beyond their ftrength. The fituation of the enemy was
impregnable ; and their artillery, which began to be fupe-
rior to that of the Prufllans, on account of the difficulty of
the ground, which made it impofllble for the latter to bring
up any other than a few fmall pieces, repulfed thefe feeble
battalions with a great llaughter. With an aftonilhing, per-
haps, with a blameable perfcverance, the Pruflian infantry
was brought to a fecond attack, and were a fecond time
repulfed, and with a lofs greater than at firft. Thefe ef-
forts being unfuccefsful, the aflair was put to the cavalry.
They made redoubled, but ufelefs attacks ; the horfes were
fpent, as well as thofe they carried.

It was juft at that time, when the Pruflian horfe was
wafted by thefe unfuccefsful efforts, that the greaiefl part
of the Ruffian, and the whole body of the Auflrian cavalry,
which had been hitherto quite inaftive, and which was
therefore quite frefli, rufhcd down upon them, broke them
to pieces, forced them back upon their foot, and threw the
whole into irreparable diforder. The whole army was feiz,-
cd with a panic ; and in a few minutes thofe troops, fo
lately viftorious and irrefiftable, were totally difperfed and
defeated. The King did every thing to rellore the field,
ha/.arding his pcrfon, even beyond his former daring, and
prodigal of a life, which he feemed to think, ought not to
be fcparated from conqueft. Thrice he led on his troops
to the charge ; two horfes were killed under him ; feveral
bails were in his cloaths. The efforts of fkiM, courage, and
defpair, were made, and proved ineffeftual i a fingle error
outweighed them all. Scarcely a general, hardly an inferior
officer in the army was without fome wound. That of Ge--

neral

1. ■, .,!;' ■

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■l|-'i 1"

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1 8s

T^he History of the War.

1759-

neral Seidlitz was particularly unfortunate; for to that
'vound, the failure of the horfe which he commanded, was
principally attributed. It was to the fpirit and conduQ: of
this able officer, that a great part of the fuccefs at Zorndorf
was owing, in the laft campaign. It is known, that if it
had not been for a feafonable movement of the horfe, the
whole Pruflian army had then been in great danger of a
defeat.

The night, and the prudent ufe of fome eminences,
which were defended as well as circumftances would admit,
preferved the PrufTian army from total deftru6kion. How-
ever, this lofs was far greater than any which they had fuf-
tained from the beginning of the war. All their cannon
was taken, the killed, wounded, and prifoners, by the mod
favourable accounts, were near twenty thoufand. Gene-
ral Putkammer was killed on the fpot. Thefe generals
whofe names are fo diftinguifhed in this war, Itzenplitz,
Hulfen, Finck, Wedel, and Seidlitz, v -^re among the
wounded ; as was the Prince of Wurtenburg, and five ma-
jor generals. The enemy could not have fewer than ten
thoufand killed on their fide. For hardly ever was a more
bloody battle.

When the King of Pruflia found himfelf obliged to quit
the field, he fent another difpatch to the Queen, expreffed
in this manner^ " Remove from Berlin with the royal fa-
" mily. Let the archives be carried to Potzdam. The
" town may make conditions with the enemy." We
ihould in vain attempt to draw the picture of the court and
city, on the receipt of fuch news in the midft of the joy,
which they indulged for that which they had received but
a few hours before. The terror was increafed by the indi-^
ftinft relation that foon followed, which gave them only
to underfland, that their army was totally routed ; that
there was no account of the King, and that a RulTian army
was advancing to take poffeflion of their city.

Tile day after the battle, the King of Pruffia repafled
the Oder, and encamped at Retwein. From thence he
moved to Fuftenwalde, and placed himfelf in fuch a man-
ner, that the Ruffians did not venture to make any attempt
upon Berlin. He continually watched their army ; a part
of which, inftead of turning towards Brandenburgh, march-
ed into Lufatia, where it joined that of the Auftrians. Here
the vitlorious General SoltikofF, for the firft time, ir^ t M.

Daun,

i'759- ^^^ HiSTOPy of the Wa?. 183

Daun, and amidft reJoLings and congratulations, confulted
about the meafures for inr»proving their fuccefs.

The Ruffian and Auu'-ian armies thus united, fcarce
feemed from their ftrength and thair vi£lories, to have any
other deliberation left, than of what part of the Pruffian
dominions they ftiould take poffeflion. The King was twice
defeated with a vaft lofs. He was cut off from all commu-
nication with the atrmy of his brother Prince Henry ; yet
to the aftonifhment of all the world, the fuperior, the vic-
torious and united army afked upon the defenfive, and were
curbed in all their motions, and fruftrated in all their de-
f'gns, by the inferior, the heated and divided. Nothing
ever fhewed the genius of the King of Pruffia more fully,
than his condufl after the battle of Cunnerfdorf. In a few
days after fo terrible a defeat, every thing was in order in
his camp. He fupplied the lofs of his artillery from his
ibres in Berlin. He recalled General Kleift, with about
five thoufand men from Pomerania ; in prefence of two fuch
armies as thofe, of M. Daun and Count Soltikoff, he de-
tached fix thoufand men from his fmall body, to the relief
orSaxonvj where the army of the Empire had availed itfelf
of his abfence, to reduce the whole country. Hall, Wit-
temberg, Leipfic, Torgau, and at laft Drefden itfelf, had
opened their gates to the Imperialifts. With the remain-
der of his troops, he put himfelf bet\/een the Ruffians and
Great Glogau, covered that city, which was the objeft of
the enemy's defigns, and faw them foon after, notwith-
ftanding their two victories, obliged to return again into
Poland ; and to leave him free for the reft of the campaign.

What was done by the King of Pruffia fince that time,
will be the fubje^: of another chapter ; after we have re-
lated the proceedings of the Englifh and French in America,
to which the order of time dire£ts our prefent attention.
But we cannot difmifs the affairs of Germany, in whicli
two fucli battles a3 thofe of Minden and Cunnerfdorf were
fought, with events fo different for the common caufe,
without obferving fomething concerning the two generals
who conduced them.

They are certainly in reputation the firft in Europe,
which probably never produced two greater men ; though
they diffef as much in their characters, and in the kind of
talents they poffefs, as they agree in the greatnefs of their
abilities for war. The King of Pruffia, rcpid, vehement,
• impatient,

184 ^he History of the War. 1759.

impatient, often gives decifive blows ; but he oftep mifles
his ilrokc, and wounds himfelf. Princi Ferdinand is cool
deliberate, exa6t, and guarded ; he fees every poffible ad-
vantage, he takes it at the moment, purfues it as far as it
will go ; but never attempts to pufh it further. Nothing
in the man difturbs the commander. In him, we do not
fee Jt perfon who is a great foldier ; it is the idea of a per-
fect: General ; it is a general in the abftraft. Ferdinand
fufFers his temper to be guided by his bufmefs. He never
precipitates matters ; he takes them in their order and their
courfe, and trufts nothing to fortune. The King on the
ether hand, leads, and even forces circumftances ; he does
not endeavour to remove but to over-leap obftacles ; he
puts all to the rifque ; and by fufFering Fortune to play her
part in his dcfigns, he acquires a fplendor and eclat in his
a6\ions, which mere wifdom could never give him. Prince
Ferdinand is famous for never committing a fault. The
King of Pruflla is above all the world, in repairing thofe
he has committed. Like fome of the great mafters in
writing, when ever he makes, or feems to make a mif-
take, it is a fignal to the obferver, to prepare for fome
great and admirable ftroke of fpirit and conduct. His er-
rors feem to be fpurs to his abilities. He commits an er-
ror, he repairs it ; he errs again ; and again aftoniihes
us by his manner ofefcaping. We fliould often condemn
the commander, but that we are always forced to admir;]
the hero.

■ c H A p. VI.

Flan of the campaign in North Amerira. Three expeditions,
Ticondcroga and Crown Point abandoned. Colonel Tovon-
(Jjend killed. Expedition to Niagara. Colonel Prideaux
killed. Sir JVilliam John/on defeats the French. Takes
Fort Niagara. Confquences of this.,

TH E theatre of our operations in America, is of fuch a
vaft extent, that if we had perfevered in the courfe
we purfued for fome time, in attacking but one place at
cnce, the war would inevitably be fpun out to an extreme
length, without bringing on any thing decifive ; and it
would have re-idered our natural fuperiority of little ufe,
by fuffcrliig the French to coUcft, as they had hitherto
, . ' done,

1759' 7'/'<f History of th Wap,. 185

done, their ftrength into one fingle poinl, which enabled
them to contend with us, with a force fufficient for the
fervice in that country. This year another method was
followed. It was propcfed to att-'ck the French ii. all
their ftrong pofts at once ; to fall as nearly as poflible
at the fame rime upon Crown Point, Niagara, and the
forts to the fouth of Lake Erie, whilft a great naval ar-
mament, and a confiderablc body of land forces ihould
attempt Quebec, by the River St. Lawrence. ,^

This plan was very advifable, as it tended to weaken,
by diftrafling the refiflance of tht enemy, and whilft we
adhered to it, it was clearly impofllble for the French to
maintain their ground in any of thofe places which were
attacked, without very weakly defending, or even defert-
ing fome of the others ; and if, by the means of fuch
(jiverdons, any of thofe places ihould fall into our hands,
the campaign could not be faid to be fpent to no purpofe.
But befides the end in diftrading the enemy's defence,
there v^as another propofed of no lefs confequence ; which
was to make a concurrence in all the various operations, fo
that whilft they divided the enemy, they might mutually
fupport one another.

General Amherft, who commanded the American forces
in chief, with the m.oft conliderable body, amounting, in
regulars and provincialp, to about twelve thoufand men,
to attack Ticonderoga and Crown Point by Lake-

was

George ; the redu£tion of thofe forts would naturally lay
open the Lake Champlain, where, having eftabliftied a
fufficient naval forcw, he was by the River Sorel, which
forms the communication betwe n this Lake and the great
River St. Lawrence, to proceed direftiy to Quebec, the
capital of Canada. Here he was to make a jun6kion with
General Wolfe and Admiral Saunders, who having entered
the River St. Lawrence at the oppofite quarter, would pro-
bably have commenced the liege of Quebec, by the time
that General Amherft might find it prafticabie to join
them. It was not doubted, that if this junftion could be
effefted, the redudion of that city would follow of courfe.
The third of the grand operations was againft the fort,
near the Fall of Niagara ; a place of very great confequence
both in war and in peace. The reduftion of this was com-
mitted to Brigadier General Frideaux, under whom Sir
William Johnfon commanded the provincials of New York,

A a and

i86 The History of the War. i-y^^

and fcvcral Indians of the Five Nations, who were engaged
in our lervice by the credit that gentleman had obtained a-
fiiong their tribes.

'I'hc object of this operation lay too remote from the r
thersj to cxpe6t, with any great confidence, that they
could be alTifted by its fuccefs in any other manner than by
weakening the enemy's forces. However it was hoped,
Jiat if they Should be fortunate enouf?;h to take Niagara,
early in the feafon, the troops might be embarked on the
Lake Ontario, and finding no longer any obftruftion from
Fort Frontenac, which was deftroyed laft year, might fall
^cwn the River St. Lawrence, and poflibly either make
themfclves mailers of Montreal, or by their approach
at lead, draw fuch a force to that part, as greatly to faci-
htate our defigns upon Quebec and Crown Point. But if
this fchemc, in addition to its own end, fhould not facili-
tate either of the other two capital undertakings, it would
probably, as it was the moft important place the French
had in that part of the world, draw all the troops they had
upon the Lakes to attempt its relief, which would leave
the fort, on thofe Lakes expofed tc a fourth, though infe-
rior expedition, which was made againft them, under Ge-
neral Sianvvix. In reality, it afterwards had that efFec!^.

The army under General Amhcrft was the firft in mo-
tion. The Lake George, or, as the French call it. Lake
Sacrament, is a long, but in proportion, narrow water, a-
bout forty miles in length, andenclofed oh either fide vith
marihy grounds. This communicates by another long and
very narrow ftreight with Lake. Cham plain. This ftreight
Is fccured at each fide by a fort ; that to the fide of Lake
Georjje, is called Ticonderoga ; that to the Champlain
Lake, is called Fort Frederick, or Crown Point ; both
extremely ilrong in their fituation ; and the former of which
had repulfed our troops with a very confiderable flaughter,
as has been related amongft the events of the lad year.

General Amhcrft, after he had paflTed Lake George, ar-
rived with very little oppofition from the enemy before Ti-
conderoga ; at firft the French made fome appearance, as
if they meant to defend the place ; but as they knew the
ftrength of our forces, as they faw that the preparations
for the attack were making with as much judgment as vi-
gour, and as the enterprize which was preparing againft
Quebec, did not leave them a force fo confiderable as they
: : ;: A • ' had

:*j^g. T/je History of tbf War. 187

had there In the preceding campaign, they abandoned their
fort in the night, having damaged it as much as , .

they coimi, and retired to Crown Point. •' ^

General Amherft immediately fet himfelf about repair-
ing the fortifications of this port, which effeftually fecured
the Lake Gibrge ; covered our colonies, and was of fnch
vaft importance, to enable him to pufh forward his oflFcn-
iive operations, or to favour his retreat, in cafe of a re-
vcrfe of fortune. The only lofs of any confequencc which
the Englifli army fuffered, in making this valuable acquifi-
tion, was the death of Colonel Townfend, who was killed
in reconnoitring, by a fliot from the fort. The fteady
bravery, the promifJng genius, and the agreeable manners
of this officer, cauf' d this lofs to be confidered as a very
great one. They compared this melancholy event with
the death of Lord Howe ; they remembered how much
thefe young folders refembled each other, both in their
virtues, and in t'.ie circumftances of their fate. Both dear
to the troops, ind having both loft their lives on an expe-
dition againft iihis place.

Although the general had reafon to imagine, that the
fame reafons which had induced the enemy to abandon
their fort and lines at Ticonderoga, would perfuade them
alfo to relinquifh Crown Point ; he took all his meafures
with the fame care, as if he expefted an obftinate defence
at the fort, and an attempt to furprize him on his march.
He remembered how fatal fccurity had proved to us, in that
part of the world upon many occafions.

The French abandoned the fort as it had been forefeeif.
The general retired with about three thoufand five hundred
men to the bottom of Lake Champlain, and ported himfelf
at the ifland called Ifle du Noix. He was ftill pretty ftrong
on the lake, having feveral armed boats and floops, with
which he hoped to prevent the progrefs of the Englifh into
the interior parts of Canada. General Amherft, as foon as
he had taken pofTeftion of Crown Point, ufcd every .
endeavour to attain a naval fupcriority on the lake, °" ^'
and in the mean time began to fortify this poft, as he had
that at Ticonderoga. To this time the French were actu-
ally eftabliflied in the heart of our territories ; fo that dur-
ing a war of three years, we had in effe6l been only a(^ing
on the defenfivc. It was on the day on which Mr. Am-
herft took pofTeflion of Crown Point, that he received the

A a 2 agreeable

i : ZW: i

ife ;^}i; 1 ?.*^

i88 fhe History of the War. i^^^,

agreeable news of the reduflion of Niagara, by the troopi
under Sir William Johnfon ; and he had the pleafure and
encouragement of feeing two of the great objeAs of the
campaign accomplilhed, whilft he prepared himfelf to
co-operate in the accompli(hment of the third, which wai
to be decifivc of the whole. The body whjjph had been
appointed for Niagara, under General Prideaux, without
any accident arrived at the fort, which lies at the bottom
of the lake, towards the fouth-weft (a).

(a J Sir William Johnfotis Letter to Major-General Amherji^ on bi$
Conqueji of the Fort at Niagara^ z^th Jufyp I7S9.

SIR, ■"■'■■-■■, '.: ' ) ' '

I Have the honour to acquaint you, by lieutenant Moncrieffy Ni-
agara furrendered to his niajefty's arms the 2$thinftant. A
detachment of 1200 men, with a number of /n//iVi«j, under the
command of MefTrs. Auhry and de Lignery^ collected from Detroit
FenangOy and Prefque IJle^ made an attempt to reinforce the gar-
rifon, the 24th in the morning ; but as I had Intelligence of them,
I made a dlfpofition to Intercept them. The evening before, I
ordered the light infantry and picquets to take poft on the road
upon our left, leading from Niagara Falls to the fort : In the
morning, I reinforced thele with two companies of grenadiers,
and part of the 46th regiment. The aftlon began about half an
hour after nine ; but they were fo well received by the troops In
front, and the Indians on their flank, that. In an hour's time, the
whole was compleatly ruined, and all their officers made prifo-
nerSj among whom are Monf. Aubry^ De Lignetyy Marirty Re*
pentini, &c. to the number of 1 7. I cannot afcertain the num-
ber of killed, they are fo difperfed among the woods, but their
lofs Is great.

A: this happened under the eyes of the garrlfon, I thought
proper to fend my laft fummons to the commanding officer for nis
furrendering, which he llftened to. M. Moncrieff vr'xW Inform
you of the ftate of our ammunition and provlfions : I hope care
will be taken to forward an Immediate fupplyof both to Ofivego.
As the troops that were defeated yefterday were drawn from thofe
pofts, which He in Gencrnl Stantvix^s rqute, lan^ In hopes it will
be of the utmoft confequence to the fuccefs of this expedition.
The public ftores of the garrlfon, that can be faved from the
Indians, I fhall order the afliftaiit quarter-mafter-general, and the
clerk to rake an account of, as foon as polfible.

As
,.-..■/ , " ^ -fv.. -

iy59' ^^^ History of the War. 189

This Is without exception, the moil important poll in
America, and fecures the greateft number of communica-
tions. For it is fituated at the very entrance of a ftreight,
by which the Lake Ontario is joined to that of Erie, which
is connefted with the other three great feas of frefh water,
by the courfe of the vaft river St. Lawrence, which runs
through them all, and carries off their fuperfluous waters
to the ocean. A little above the fort, is the catarafl of
Niagara, which is efleemed the mod remarkable in the
world, for the quantity of water, and the greatnefs of the
fall. This fall would mterrupt the commerce between the
lakes, but for a road which the French have made up the
hilly country that lies up the ftreight ; fo that there is here
a good carrying-place, and not very tedious ; for after a
portage of about eight miles, you reimbark again, and pro-
ceed without any interruption to the Lake Erie.

As the great communication of thofe who go by water
is along this ftreight, and carrying place, fo thofe who tra-
vel by land, are obliged to crofs it. The lakes are fo dif-
pofed, that without a fomewhat hazardous voyage, the In-
dians cannot any otherwife pafs from the north-weft to the
fouth-eaft parts of North-America, for many hundred miles.
The fort of Niagara, thus naturally commands all the Five
Nations, and all thofe Indian tribes that lie to the north-
ward of the lakes, as well as thofe that are fcattered along
the banks of the Ohio, Ouabache, and Mifllfippi, and ac-
cording as it is pofleffed by the Englifti or the French,
connefts or disjoints the colonies of Canada and Louifiana,
proteds or lays open our own, and is in all refpefts of fo
much confequence, that it was the opinion of perfons, the
moft converfant in American bufinefs, that this attempt
ought to have been made much earlier ; and, that if fuch
an attempt, made at fuch a time, had fucceeded, it would
have contributed very much to the fccurity of thofe parts

As all my attention at prefent is taken up with the Indians^ that
the capitulation I have agreed to may be obferved, your Excel-
lency will excufe my not being more particular.

Permit me to aiTure you, in the whole progrcfs of the (lege,
which was fevere and painful, the officers and men behaved with
the utnioft chearfulnefs and bravery. I have only to regret the
lofs of General Prideaux and Colonel John/on. I endeavoured
to purfue the late General's vigorous ipeafuues, the good cffefts
of which he deferved to enjoy. W. JOHNSON.

iiii

■^Ifi

ITf

illiSi

1 90 The History af the War. ^1S9-

of our colonies, which were the mofl: expofcd, and would
have, at the fame tittie, greatly facilitated all our ofFenfive
meafures, and (hortened the war.

From the time that the French were acquainted with
this place, they were fully pofleffed with an opinion of its
importance, both with regard to commerce, and to domi-
nion. They made feveral attempts to eftablifli themfelves
here ; but the Indians who feemed more fenfible of the con-
fequcnces than we were, conftantly oppofed it. They
obliged them to relinquifli a fort which they had built, and
guarded this fpot for a long time, with a very fevere and
prudent jealoufy.

But whilft we negleftcd, confiding in our flrength, to cul-
tivate the friendfliip of the Indians, the French, fenfible of
their weaknefs, omitted no endeavour to gain thefe favage
people to their interefts, and they prevailed at laft, under the
name of a trading houfe, toereft a ftrong fort at the mouth
of the ftreight, on the very bell: harbour, not only on this,
but on any of the lakes ; an harbour which is fafe from e-
very wind, and open for the whole year. A French officer,
an able and entcrprifing man, had been a prifoner among
the Iroquois for a lonn; time, and having, according to their
cuftom, been naturalr/,ed, he grew extremely popular a-
mongfl: them, and at laft acquired his liberty. He com-
municated to the then Governor of Canada, the plan of an
cftablilhment at Niagara, and he himfcif undertook to exe-
cute it. He returned ainongft the Iroquois, and pretending
prer.t love for their nation, which was now his own, lold
them, that he would gladly come to make frequent vifits
to his brv'hren; but it was proper for that puqiofe, that
they fliould allow him to build an houfe, where he might
live a^ cafe, and according to his own manner : at the fame
time, he propofed to them, advantages in trade from this
cflablifhment. A requeft, winch feemed a compliment to
thofe to whom it was made, was readily granted. The
houfe was built. By degrees this houfe extended itfelf ; it
was flrengthened by various additions'; and it grew at lad
to a regular forlrefs, which has ever fince awed the Five
Nations, and checked our colonies.

The fiege of this place had not been long formed, before
, , ^ General Prideaux was killed in the trenches, by
J" ^ " ' the burfting of a cohorn. As foon as this accident
happened, which threatened to throw a damp on the ope-
rations,

1759- '^'^^ History of the War. 191

rations, an exprefs was Cent to General Amherft, who al-
ways attentive to the fervice, loft no time to fend an offi-
cer of character to command in his place. But the com-
mand, which in the interim devolved upon Sir William
Tohnfon, could not have been better beftowed. He omit-
ted nothing to continue the vigorous meafures of the late
General, and added to them, every thing his own genius
could fiiggeft. Refpefted by the regular troops, dear to
the provincials, almoft adored by the Indians, poflefTed of
that genius for acquiring popularity amongft all kinds of
men, and that verfatile difpofition, which we fo feldom fee
united with difintereftednefs and integrity, he employed
thofe talents folely for the benefit of his country. The
troops, remembering, that it was under that General,
the firft advantage had been obtained over the French,
puflied on the fiege with fo much alacrity, that in a few
days, they had brought their approaches within an hundred
yards of the covered way i on llruti H •'

The French were alarmed at the imminent danger rf this
interefting place. They therefore collefted all the regular
troops and provincials, which they could draw from all their
pofts about the lakes, and to thofe joined a large body of
lavages, in order to give the Englifti battle, and to raife the
fiege. They amounted in all to 1 700 men.

When General Johnfon was apprized of their approach,
he ordered his light infantry, fupported by fome grenadiers
and regular foot, to take poft on the road to his left, by
which the French were to take their route. He placed his
Indians on his flanks. Whilft he took meafures to receive
the French, who came to reheve the place, he ported a
ftrong body, in fiich a manner, as to fecure his trenches
from any attempt of the garrifon during an engagement.

In this difpofition he waited to receive the ene- y .
my. At nine in the morning the engagement be- J ^
gan, by a violent and horrid fcream of the enemy's fivages,
according to their barbarous cuftom. it was this fcream,
perhaps the moft horrid found that can be imagined, which
is faid to have ftruck a paiiick into the troops of General
Braddock, and was one of the principal caufes of that de-
feat, by which our endeavours in America were fo loni;
fruftratedi but on this occafion, it had no eflVct. Tiic c-
ncmy was fo well received by the troops in front, and by
the Indians on their flanks, that in lefs than an hour's timi-,

• their

'ttifcystft/'**^' c

192 'J'he History of the War. i^^^

their whole army was ruined. The purfuit was hot and
bloody ; and it continued for five miles. Seventeen offi.
cers were made prifoners, among whom were the firft and
fecond in command.

T 1 This a£^ion was fought in fight of the fort ;

^ J j' and it was no fooner concluded in favour of our
troops, than the General fummoned the garrifon to fur.
render; fending a lift of the- prifoners, and remonflrating
on the ill efFefts of their holding out longer, particularly
with regard to the Indians. The capitulation was figned
that night. The garrifon, confiding of about 600 men,
furrendered prifoners of war, and were condu£fced to New
York. The fort and (lores were given up to the Englifh
troops.

This was the fecond very important fervice performed
by General Johnfon in this war, and a fecond time he had
the good fortune to make the commander in chief of the
enemy his prifoner. It muft not be omitted, to the ho-
nour of this gentleman, that though he was not regularly
bred a foldier, the mod compleat officer could not have
made more excellent difpofitions for the battle, or have
conduced the fiege from the beginning to the end, with a
more cool 'and fteady refolution, or with a more compleat
knowledge of all the neceflary manoeuvres of war. The
taking of Niagara broke ofFefFe6^ually that communication,
fo much talked off, and fo much dreaded, between Ca-
nada and Louifiana, and by this ftroke, one of the capi-
tal political defigns of the French, which gave occafion
to the prefent war, was defeated in its dired and im-
mediate objed.

; 'I

'.'i3 Ul

MA.^y

CHAP.

•, '1

, t

The History of the War.
CHAP. VII.

IP3

'!^t expedition againjl iluebec. The IJJe of Orleans occU'
pied. Defcription of the town and harbour oj ^ebec.
Situation of the French army. Action at the Falls of
Montmorenci. General Wolfe Jickens. The camp remo-
vid to Point Levi. The troops go up the river. The
hcttle of ^ebec. General Wolfe killed. French defeat'
(d. M. de Montcalm killed, ^ebec furrend.rs. Move-
ments of General Amherji on Lake Cbamplain.

THE confequences which attended the reduftion of the
fort of Niagara, as well as thofe upon Lake Cham-
plain, were very interefting; but the great and centra!
operation to which all the reft tended, and to which even
thofe were to be only fubfervient, was that againft Que-
bec, the capital of Canada ; and as this was to be the de-
cifive ftroke, it was proper that the greateft force fhould
have been employed againft it. If we reckon the maritime
force, there is no doubt that we employed a greater num-
ber of men againft Quebec, than againft the Champlain
forts ; but the land forces, from fome caufe, fell much
Ihort of the number originally propofed, for they did not
exceed 7000 men, regulars and provincials, though the
original plan intended 9000 for that expedition, indepen-
dent of the junction of thofe under Gen. Aniherft, whofe
afllftance on the occafion was taken for granted. In this
expedition Gen. Wolfe commanded the land forces. The
fleet was under Admiral Saunders.

The whole embarkation arrived in the latter
26th. end of June in the Ifle of Orleans, a few leagues
from Quebec, without any accident whatfoever,
notwithftanding the ill fame of the river St. Laurence, and
the reports of its dangerous navigation, probably fpread
for political purpofes. They landed upon the Ifle of Or-
leans, which is formed by the branches of the river St.
Laurence. This ifland is about twenty miles in length,
and feven or eight in breadth, highly cultivated, and af-
fording every kind of refreftiment to the foldiers and failors
after their tedious voyage.

As this ifland extends quite up to the bafon of Quebec,
it was necefliiry to poflTefs it in order to a£t againft the

B b town J

194 77;^ History o/ //;r War. ly^n.

town ; for the moll vveftcrly point of this ifland advanccij
towards an high point of l;ind on the continent, called I'oint
Levi. Both of thefe fliut up the view of the northern and
ibuthcrn channel, which environ the iflc of Orleans, fo
that the harhour of Quchcc appears to be a bafon landlock-
ed upon all fides. The polTeflion of both thefe points were I
neceUary, as they might be employed either with great ad-
vantage againft the town, or much to the annoyance of the!
Ijcfiegers ; for whilfl: the enemy continued mailers of thole
it was impofllblc for a fliip to lie in the harbour of Quebec.
When thefe polls were poflblfeJ, which was done with
little difficulty, the harbour and town of Quebec appeared
full to the view, at once a tempting and a difcouraginji;
Tight. For no place fecms poUelVed of greater benefits ot
nature ; nor any of which nature feems more to have con-
fulted the defence.

Quebec, fays F. Charlevoix, can boall of a frefli water
harbour, capable of containing an hundred men of war of
the line, at one hundred and twenty leagues dillance from
the lea. It lies on the moll navigable river in the univerfe.
The river St. Laurence up to the Ifle of Orleans, that is for
about 1 1 2 leagues from its mouth, is no where Icfs than
frbm four to five leagues broad ; but above that ille it nar-
rows, fo that before Quebec it is not above a mile over.
Hence this place got the name of Quebeis or Quebec,
which, in the Algonquin tongue, fignifies a flrait.

The city is the feat of the governor and the intend-
nnt, and the fupreme tribunals of jufticc for all the French
North America ; it is alfo an epifcopal fee, and a place of
confiderable trade. It is large in extent, and elegant in
many of its buildings both public and private. It confifts
of an upper and lower town ; the lower, which is narrow,
is built upon a llrand, at the foot of a lofty rock, upon
which the upper town Hands, l^his rock extends itfelf,
and continues \uth a bold and lleep front, wellward along
the river St. Laurence for a coniklcrable way. Another
river from the north-well, called St. Charles, falls here in-
to the former, wafliing the foot of the rock on which Que-
bec Hands ; the point on which the town is built thus be-
comes a fort of pcninfula by the jumllion of thefe rivers;
fo that whoever attacks Quel^cc, mull cither make his ap-
proaches above the town, and overcome the precipice which
I have mentioned, or crofs the river St. Charles, and at-
r .. . .» tempt

,|59* '^^^ History of the War. 195

I tempt it upon that fide. The former of thofe methods muft
jnpear to a prudent commander wholly unadvifcablc, and
(he Utter extremely difficult. If the former method Ihould
de attempted, they would have that dangerous precipice to
overcome, defended by the enemies whole force, which
the attack would draw to this quarter. On the other hand
the country from the river St. Charles to the northward,
for more than five miles, is extremely rough, broken and
difficult, full of rivulets, gullies, and ravines, and fo con-
tinues to the river of Montmorenci, which flows by the
foot of ft deep and woody hill. On the fide of the river St.
Uurencc is a bank of fand of great extent, which pre-
vents the approach of any confidcrable vcflcl.

In this advantageous fituation was the French army poft-
(d, upon what was deemed the only accefliblc fide ot Que-
bec, all along from the river St. Charles to that of Mont-
morenci, entrenched at eVery attackable fpot, with the ri-
ver and fandbank above-mentioned in their front, and tiiick
impenetrable woods upon their rear. It is impofllble to
imagine a (Irongcr poft ; a port at once more dcfenfible in
iifclf, or better calculated for fuccouring the city, on which
fidelbcver it fhould be attacked. *Thun ported, they great-
ly exceeded in number the bcfiegers, being about 10,000
men, under an able, and thitherto fortunate commander,
M. de Montcalm, who, though he was fupcrior in number
to the Englifh, refolved to rifque nothing, and wifely reli-
ed on the natural rtrength of the country.

When Wolfe faw the fituation of the town, the nature
of the country, the number of the troops, and their pofiti-
on, though of a fanguine temper and highly adventurous,
lie began to defpair ; but, however another commander
might have thought inaction in fuch circumrtnnccs jurtified
to himfelf, or even to the world, by fuch rtrong appearan-
ces, Wolfe refolved to leave nothing unattemptcd, but
amidft the choice ol difficulties which lay before him, to
pitch upon thofe where the valour of his troops might be
employed with the bert profpeO: of fuccefs.

As foon as he had fecured the weft point of the ifle of
Orleans, and that of I.cvi, he created batteries there of
cannon and mortars, on tliehigh ground, from the point of
Levi, which looks towards the town ; thefc fired Continu-
ally upon the place ; Admiral Saunders was rtationcd below
in the north channel of the ille of Orleans, oppofite to

B b -2 Montmorenci ;

igS The History of the War. 1755.

Montmorenci ; Admiral Holmes was ftationed above the
town, at once to diftraO: the enemies attention, and to pre-
vent any attempts from the enemy againft the batteries that
played upon the town.

After this wife difpofition was made of the fleet, Gen.
Wolfe caufed the troops to be tranfported over the north
channel of the river St. Laurence, to the north-eaft of Mont-
morenci, with a view of pafllng that river, and bringing
the enemy to an engagement. Some heights which com-
manded the enemies intrenchments, and a ford above, and
another below the falls, encouraged him to this attempt ;
' but upon reconnoitring the ground, the oppofite fliore was
found fo deep and woody, that he could not hope to put his
defign in execution, which was by moving towards the ene-
mies flank, to draw them to an engagement. To bring
the French to an aftion was his fingle objeO;. He had
found that any attempts to aflault the city would prove to
no purpofe, whilft the fleet could only batter the lower
town, and muft fufFer greatly by the cannon and bombs of
the upper, whilft they were employed in this ineffedual
fervice ; for after the reduftion of the lower town, the paf-
fages to the upper were extremely fteep, and moreover fo
well entrenched, that this advantage would prove little to-
wards the reduftion of the place.

The only point left, therefore, was by every means to
entice or force the enemy to an engagement ; and to this
end no means were omitted, by fending detachments up
the river, and by every appearance of a defign to attack
the town on that fide. But the Marquis de Montcalm, in
chufing his poft, was well apprifed of its importance. He
knew fufficiently the nature of the country up the river, and
he trufted to it ; and therefore kept himfelf clofely in his
poft, difpofing his parties of favages, in which he was very
ftrong, in fuch a manner, as to make any attempt upon
him by furprife abfolutely impoflible. In the mean time,
from the town, firefhips and boats were let down the ftream
to deftroy the ftiipping, which, as they almoft wholly filled
the channel, were greatly endangered. But by the ex-
traordinary (kill and vigilance of Admiral Saunders, every
veffel of this kind fent againft them was towed afliore with-
out doing the leaft mifchief.

,. . ..: - . ,.-.- The

i'ijuji:";

«i

r-l-.'-

iy59- ^^^ History of the War. 197

The general finding that all his efforts to decoy the enemy
to an engagement had proved unfuccefsful, and, fenfible
that they defired nothing more than to a£t defenfively, un-
til the feafon itfelf (hould fight for them and oblige the
English to retire, he came at lad, in fpite of all difficulties,
to the refolution of attacking them in their entrenchments
on the fide of Montmorenci. fhe place where the attack
was to be made, was chofen with great judgment, as the
only place thereabouts in which the artillery could be brought
into ufe; as there, and there only, the greateffc part, or
even the whole of the troops, might a£t at once, and that
there the retreat in cafe of a i. epulfe was fecure, at lead for
a certain time of the tide. Having determined upon the
place where the attack was to be, which was at the mouth
of the river Montmorenci, the befl difpofitions for it were
made, both on the part of the Admiral and of the
General. But notwithftanding that the whole July 3a
was conducted with equal vigour and prudence, it
was totally defeated by one of thofe accidents which fo fre-
quently interpofe to the difgrace of human wifdom, and
which demonftrates that {he is far from being the fole arbi-
trefs of war.

The Englifti grenadiers, who led the attack, had orders,
immediately after their landing, to form themfelves on the
beach ; but inftead of forming themfelves as they were di-
refted, from the hurry and noife of their landing, or from
an ill-governed ardor, they ruftied impetuoufly towards the
enemies entrenchments in the utmoft diforder and confufi-
oDj without waiting for the corps which were to furtain
them, and join in the attack. In this diforder, they were
met by a violent and fteady fire from the entrenchments, by
which they were thrown inter more confufion, and obliged
them to (helter themfelves behind a redoubt, which the
French had abandoned on their approach.

The General perceiving that it was impoffible for Jhefe
grenadiers to form under fo fevere a fire, that the night dre>v
on, a violent tempeft was gathering, and the tide began to
make, faw clearly that he had nothing further left, than to
order a retreat, with as little difadvantage as poffible. He
therefore called off thofe troops, and having formed behind
Brig. Monkton's corps, which was on the beach in excel-
lent

198 I'be History of the War. ly^p.

lent order, the whole repaffed the river without moleftati-
the General expofing his perfon with that intrepidity,

which diftinguifhed him both during the attack, and the
retreat.

The lofs in this check was not inconfiderable ; and the
event on the whole was fuch, as to difcourage any further
attempts upon that fide. They returned to the old meafures.
The General again fcnt fome bodies above the town, and
fome men of war failed up the ftream for more than twelve
leagues. They received intelligence that the enemy had
amafled fome magazines of provifions in the interior coun-
try, and they propofed by getting between them and the
town, to draw the French army from their entrenchments,
to the long-defircd engagement ; but if they failed to com-
pafs this, they might at lead deftroy the fhips oF war which
the enemy had in the river, and help to open a communica-
tion between them and Gen. Amherft, on whom their laft
expeGiations were fixed, and who, they flattered them-
felves, was on his march to their afllftance.

But though they fucceeded in deftroying fome of the ene-
mies magazines, there was nothing of great moment in
this. They could not come near the men of war. Howe-
ver they received intelligence from fome prifoners, of the
fuccefs of Sir William Johnfon againft Niagara ; they
learned likewife, that the French had fmoothed the difficul-
ties in the way of Gen. Amherft, by abandoning Crown
Point and Ticonderoga. But this intelligence, otherwife
fo pleafing, brought them no profpeft of the approach of
any afllftance from that quarter. The feafon wafted apace.
The General fell violently ill, confumed by care, watching,
and a fatigue, too great to be fupported by a delicate confti-
tution, and a body unequal to that vigorous and enterprifmg
foul that it lodged. It v/as not enough for him to efcape
from fo great an expedition uncondemned and unapplauded;
to be pitied, was he thought but a milder ccnfure ; and he
knew that no military conduft can fliine, unlefs it be gild-
ed with fuccefs. His own high notions, the public hope,
the good fuccefs of other commanders, all turned inward
upon him, opprefled his fpirits, and converted difappoint-
mt^nt into difeafe. As foon as he had a little recovered, he
difpatchcd an exprefs with an account of his proceedings to

- ^ En-

Head garters at

J'iH

iy59- '^^^ History of the War. < 199

Englandff^, written indeed in the ftile of defpondency, but
with fuch perfpicuity, cicarnefs, and elegance, as would
have ranked him amongft our beft writers, if his military
eA'ploits had not placed him among our greatefl: command-
ers.

^c) Major General Wolfe's Letter^ and Admiral Saunders^Sy to
Mr. Secretary Pitt, relative to the Operations at ^ebec.

Head garters at Montmorenciy in the Ri'ver Saint Laurence,

Sept. 2, 1759-

SIR,.. -^ ■■-■'-' '•' ' :.'-y .--'■•: ' - ■■'■y

IWifli I could, upon this occafion, have the honour of tranf-
mitting to you a more favourable account of the progrefs of his
Majefty's arms ; but the obftacles v/e have met with, in the ope-
rations of the campaign, are much greater than we had reafon to
fxpedl, or could forefee; not fo much from the number of the
enemy (tho' fuperior to us) as from the natural ftrength of the
country, which the Marquis de Montcalm feems wifely to depend
upon.

When I learned that fuccours of all kinds had been thrown in-
to ^ebec i that five battalions of regular troops, completed from
the beft of the inhabitants of the country, fome of the troops of
the colony, and every Canadian that was able to bear arms, be-
fides (everal nations of favages, had taken the field in a very ad-
vantageous fituation ; I could not flatter myfelf that I fliould be
able to reduce the place. 1 fought however an occafion to attack
their army, knowing well, that with thefc troops I was able to
fight, and hoping that a vidlory might difperfe them.

We found them incamped along the (hore of Beaufort, from
the river St. Charles to the falls of Montmorenci, and intrenched
in every acceflible part. The ayrh of June we landed upon the
ifle of Orleans ; but receiving a meflage from the Admiral, that
there was reafon to think the enemy had artillery, and a force
upon the point o{ Levi, I detached Brig. Monckton with four bat-
talions to drive them from thence. He palled the river the ZQth
at night, and marched the next day to the point ; he obliged the
enemy's irregulars to retire, and poflefTed him felf of that poll :
The advanced parties upon this occafion had two or three fkir-
niifliea with the Canadians and Indians, with little lofs on eithet
fide.

,.>V; . Colonel

iioo The History of the War. 175^,

He refolved, when he fent away his account, to conti-
nue the campaign to the laft polFible moment ; and after a
deliberation with his officers, determined, that any further
• attempts

Colonel Carleton marched with a, detachment to the Wefter-
moft point of the ifle of Orleansy ifrom whence our operations
were likely to begin.

It was abfolutely neceflary to poflefs thefe two points, and for-
tify them ; becaufe from either the one or the other, the enemy
might make it impoffible for any ihip to be in the bafon c[ ^ebecy
or even within two miles of it.

Batteries of cannon and mortars were eredted with great dif-
patch on the point ofLe'vty to bombard the town and magazines,
and to injure the works and batteries : The enemy perceiving
thefe works in fome forwardnefs, palTed the river with 1600 men
to attack anddeftroy them. Unluckily they fell into confufion,
fired upon one another, and went back again ; by which we loft
an opportunity of defeating this large detachment. The effeft of
this artillery has been fo great (though acrofs the river) that the
upper town is confiderably damaged, and the lower town entirely
deftroyed.

The works for the fecurity of our hofpitals and ftores on the
ifis of Orleans being finiflied, on the 9th of July at night, we
pafled the North channel, and incamped near the enemy's left,
the river Montmorenci between us. The next morning Captain
Dank's company of Rangers, polled in a wood to cover fome
workmen, were attacked and defeased by a body of /«^/anj, and
had fo many killed and wounded, as to be almoft difabled for the
reftof the campaign: The enemy alfo fufFered in this affair, and
Were in their turn dr'ven off by the neareft troops.

The ground, to the eaftward of the falls, feerned to be (as it
really is) higher than that on the enemy's fide, s nd to command
it in a manner which might be made ufeful to us. There is be-
fides a ford below the falls, which may be pafled for fome hours
in the latter part of the ebb and beginning of the flood tide ; and
i had hopes, that poflibly means might be found of paffing the
river above, fo as to fight the Marquis Je Montcalm, upon terms
of lefs difadvantage than direftly attacking hislntrenchments. In
reconnoitring the river Montmorenci, we found it fordable at a
place about three miles up ; but the oppofite bank was intrench-
ed, and fo fteep and woody, that it was to no purpofe to attempt
a palfage there. The Efcort was twice attacked by the Indians,
who were as often repulfed ; but in thefe rencounters we had 40
(officers and men) killed and wounded.

Th«

1759- ^^^ History of the Wa r. 20 1

attempts at Montmorenci were to little purpofe, and that
their principal operations ihould be above the town, in or-
der, if poflible, to draw the enemy to an a£tion. But the

defign

The 1 8th of Jufyy two men of war, two armed floops, and
two tranfports with fome troops on board, pafTed by the town
without any lofs, and got into the upper river. This enabled me
to reconnoitre the country above, where I found the fame attenti-
on on the enemy's fide, and great difficulties on our's, arifing from
the nature of the ground, and the obftacles to our communicati-
on with the fleet. But what I feared moft, was, that if we (houtd
land between the town and the river, Capt. Rouge, the body firll
landed could not be reinforced before they were attacked by the
enemy's whole army.

Notwithftanding thefe difficulties, I thought once of attempt-
ing it at St. MichaePs, about tl ree miles above the town ; but
perceiving that the enemy were jealous of the defign, were prepa-
ring agamil it, and had actually brought artillery and a mortar
(which, being fo near to ^eiec, they could increafe as they
pleafed) to play upon the (hipping ; and, as it muft have been
many hours before we could attack them, (even fuppofing a fa-
vourable night for the boats to pafs by the town unhurt) it feem-
ed fo hazardous, that I thought it befl to defift. >

However, to divide the enemy's force, and to draw their at-
tention as high up the river as pofTible, and to procure fome intel-
ligence, I fenta detachment under the command of Col. Carleton,
to land at the Point de Tretnpey to attack whatever he might find
there, bring off fome prifoners, and all the ufeful papers he could
get. I had been informed I'lat a number of the inhabitants of
^ehecy had retired to thai, place, and that probably we ihould
^d a magazine of provifions there.

The Colonel was fired upon by a body of J tdians the moment
he landed, but they were foon difperfed and driven into the woods :
hefearched for magazines, but to no purpofe, brought off fome
prifoners, and returned with little lofs.

After this bufinefs, I came back to Montmorenci, where I found
that Brig. Toivnjbend hudy by a fuperior fire, prevented the French
from erefling a battery on the bank of the river, from whence
they intended to cannonade our camp. I now refolved to take
the firft opportunity which prefented itfelf, of attacking the ene-
my, though pofted to great advantage, and every where prepared
to receive us. i

As the men of war cannot (for want of a fufficient depth of
water) come near enough to the enemy's intrenchments, to annoy

C c them

S'i

is,'. '-1

fii'i*H>;K.ilii.<Wf««El

202 ^he History of the War, i-^tq

defign of WoU'e was deeper, and more particularly dired-
ed than it had been before. The camp at Montmorenci
was broke up, and the troops were conveyed to the fouth-
• . ■ = eaft

them in the leaft, the Admiral had prepared two tranfports (draw*
ing but little water) which upon occaiions could be run a-ground
to favour a defcent. With the help of thefe veflels, which I un-
derftood would be carried by the tide clofe in ftiore, I propofed to
make myfelf mafter of a detached redoubt near to the water's
edge, and whofe fituation appeared to be out of mufquet fhotof
the intrenchment upon the hill: If the enemy fupported this de-
tached piece, it would neceflarily bring on an engagement, what
we moll wilhed for ; and il ..ot, I fhould have it in my power to
examine their fituation, fo as to be able to determine where we
could bed attack them.

Preparations were accordingly made for an engagement. The
31 ft oi July in the forenoon, the boats of the fleet were filled
with grenadiers, and a part of Brig. Moncktont brigade from the
point of Levi : The two brigades under the Brigadiers Tovjn-
Jbend and Murray were ordered to be in readinefs to pafs the
ford, when it fhould be thought necelTary. To facilitate the paf-
fage of this corps, the admiral had placed the Centurion in the
channel, fo thatfhe might cherk the fire of the lower battery which
commanded the ford : This fhip was of great ufe, as her fire was
very judicioufly diredled. A great quantity of artillery was placed
upon the eminence, fo as to batter and enfilade the left of their
intrenchments.

From the veffel which run a ground, nearefl in, ( obferved
that the redoubt was too much commanded to be kept without
very great lofs ; and the more, as the two armed fhips could not
be brought near enough to cover both with their artillery and
mufquetry, which I at fir ft conceived they might. But as the
enemy feemed in fome confufion, and we were prepared for an
a^ion, I thought it a proper time to make an attempt upon their
i'-trenchments. Orders were fent tOi the B/igadiers Generals to
be ready with the corps under their conimand. Brig. Monckton
to land, and the Brigadiers TtnunJbenJ^nd Murray to pafs the
ford, "v :f.oi? TO yrjj:.

At a proper time of the tide, the fignal was made, but in row-
ing towards the fhore, many of the boats grounded upon a ledge
that runs off a confiderable diftance. This accident put us into
fome diforder, loft a great deal of time, and obliged me to fend
an officer to ftop Brig, Taivn/bend's march, whom I then oblerv-
ed to be in. motion. While the feamen were getting the boats off,
iw?ifi the

il^g. The History of the War. 203

caft of the river, and encamped at Point Levi. The fqua-
dron under Admiral Holmes made movements up the river
for feveral days fuccefllvely, in order to draw the enemies

attention

the enemy fired a number of (hells and (hot, but did no confide-
rable damage. As foon as this diforder could be fet a little to
rights, and the boats were ranged in a proper manner, fome of
the o(Bcers of the navy went in with me, to find a better place
to land : we took one flat-bottomed boat with us to make the ex-
periment, and as foon as we had found a fit part of the (hore, the
troops were ordered todifembark, thinking it not yet too late for
the attempt.

The 13 companies of grenadiers, and 200 of the fecond /Joyrt/
American battalion, got firft on (hore. The grenadiers were or-
dered to form themfelves into four diftinft bodies, and to begin
the attack, fupported by Brig. Monckton*s corps, as foon as the
troops had pa(ftd the ford, and were at hand to affift. But whe-
ther from the noife and hurry at landing, or from fome other
caufe, the grenadiers, inftead of forming themfelves as they were
directed, ran on impetuouily towards the enemy's intrenchments
in the utmofl diforner and confullon, without waiting for the
corps which were to fuibin them, and join in the attack. Brig.
Monckton was not landed, and Brig. TtionJbend-vfA^ ftill at acon-
fiderable diflance, though upon liis inarch to join us, in very
great order. The grenadiero were checked by the enemy's firft
fire, and obliged to (helter themfelves in or about the redoubt,
which the French abandoned upon their approach. In this (itua"
tion they continued for fome time, unable to form under fo hot
a lire, and having many gallant officers wounded, who (carelefd
of their perfons) had been folely intent upon their duty. I faw
the abfolute neceflity of calling them off, that they might form
themfelves behind Brig. Monckton's corps, which was now landed,
and drawn up on the beach, in extreme good order.

By this new accident, and this fecond delay, it was near night,
a fudden ftorm came on, and the tide began to make ; fo that I
thought it moft advifeable, not to perfevere in fo difficult an at-
tack, left (in cafe of a repulfe) the retreat of Brig. To'wnjhend'%
corps might be hazardous and uncertain.

Our artillery had a great effe6t upon the enemy's left, where
Brigadiers Totvnjhend and Murray were to have attacked ; and,
it is probable that if thofe accidents I have fpoken of, had not
happened, we (hould have penetrated there, whilft our left and
centre (more remote from our artillery) muft have bore all the
violence of their mufijuetry.

C c ? The

mi *J

204 J'he History of the War. 175^.

attention as far from the town as poflible. This fucceecied
in fomc meafure ; for, though it could not perfuade the
Marquis de Montcalm to quit his poft, it induced him to

detach

The French did not attempt to interrupt our march. Some of
their favages came down to murder fuch wounded as could not be
brought oif, and to fcalp the dead, as their cuftom is.

The place where the attack was intended, has thefe advanta-
ges over all others hereabout. Our artillery could be brought in-
to ufe. The greated part, or even the whole of the troops,
might aft at once. And the retreat (in cafe of repulfe) was fe-
cure, at leaft for a certain time of the tide Neither one or other
of thefe advantages can any where elfe be found. The eneni"
were indeed polted upon a commanding eminence. The beach
upon which the troops were drawn up, was of deep mud, with
holes, and cut by feveral gullies. The hill to be afcended very
fteep, and not every where prafticable. The enemy numerous in
t'. Jr intrenchments, and their fire hot. If the attack had fuc-
cee-ied, our lofs muft certainly have been great, and their's in-
» II (iderable, from the Ihelter which the neighbouring woods af-
fovded them. The river St. Charles ftill remained to be pafled,
before the town was inverted. All thefe circumftances I confi-
dercd ; but the defire to aft in conformity to the King's intenti-
ons, induced me to make this trial, perfuaded that a viftorious
army finds no dilficulties.

The enemy have been fortifying ever fmce with care, fo as to
make a fecond attempt ftill more dangerous.

Immediately after this check, I fent Brig. Murray above the
town with 1 200 men, direfting him to nfliR Rear Admiral Holma
in the dcftruftion ot the French (hips (if they could be got at) in
order to open a communication with Gen. Amherfi. The Briga
diet was to feck every favourable opportunity of fighting fomc of
the eTif>my's detachments, prvcided he could do it upon tolerable
terms, ind to ufe all the means in his power to provoke them to
attack him He made two diHerent attempts to and upon the
North ihorc without fuccefs; but in a third was more fortunate.
He landed unexpeftedly at DeChamhaud, and burnt a magazine
there, in which were (ome provifions, fomc ammunition, and all
the fpare ftorcs; iaihing, arms, and baggage, of iheir army.

Finding that then (hips were not to be got at, and little prof-
pcft of bringing tlie enemy to a battle, he reported his fituaiion
*n Tc, and I ordered him to join the army,

The prifonors lie took informed him of the furrender of the
fort of Miagura ; and wc difcovcred, by intercepted letters, that

the

iy59- y/'^ History of tbe War. 205

detach M. de Bougainville with 1 500 men to -watch their
motions, and to proceed along the weftern fliore of" the
river, whilft the Knglilh army direSed its march the fame
way on the eaftcrn bank.

When

the enemy had abandoned Carillon and Croivn Point, were reti'
red to the ifle Aux Noix ; and that Gen. Atnherft was making pre-
parations to pafs the Lake Champlain^ to fall upon M, de Bourle-
miiaue's corps, which confills of three battalions of foot, and as
many Canaaians as make the whole amount to 3000 men.

The Admiral's difpatches and mine would have gone eight or
ten days fooner, if i had not been prevented from writing by a
fever. I found myfelf fo ill, and am ftill fo weak, that I bewged
the general officers to confult together for the publick utility.
They are all of opinion, that (as more (hips and provifions have
now got above the town) they ihould try, by conveying up a
corps of 4 or 5000 men (which is nearly the whole ftrength of the
army, after the points of LfA and Orleans are left in a proper
ftatt of defence) to draw the enemy from their prefent fituation,
and bring them to an aftion. I have acquiefccd m their propofal,
and we arc preparing to put it in execution.

The Admiral and I have examined the town, with a view to a
general affault j but, after confulting with the chief engineer,
who is well acquainted with the interior parts of it, and, after
viewing it with the utmoil attention, we found, that though the
batteries of the Lower Town might be eafily filcnced by the men
of war, yet the bufmefs of an aiiault would be little advanced by
that, fince the few paflages that lead from tl\e Lower to the Up-
per Town, are carefully intrenched ; and the upper batteries can-
not be affcfted by the Ihips, which mud receive confidcrable da-
mage from them and from the mortars. The Admiral would rea-
dily join in this, or in any other mcafure, for the publick fervice ;
but I could not propofe to him an undertaking of fo dangerous a
nature, and proniifing fo little fuccefs.

To the uncommon llrength of the country, the enemy have ad-
ded (fur the defence of the river) a great number of floating bat-
tciies and boats. By the vigilance of thefc and the Indians round
our different polls, it has been impoflible to execute any thing by
furprixe. We have had almoft daiij' flcirniiflics with thefe Sava-
ges, in which they arc generally defeated, but not without lofs on
our fule.

By the lift of difablcd officers (many of whom arc of rank) you
may perceive, Sir, that the army is much weakened. By the na-
ture of the river, the mod formidable part of this armament is de-
prived

2o6 '■The History of the War. i^^a

When Gen. Wolfe faw that matters were ripe for aftion
he ordered the (hips under Admiral Saunders to make a
feint, as if they propofed to attack the French in their en-
trenchments,

prived of the power of afling, yet we have almofl the whole force
of Catmtia to oppofe. In this fituation, there is fuch a choice of
difficulties, that I own myfeif at a lofs how to determine. The
affairs of Great Britain, I know, require the moft vigorous mea-
fures ; Imt then the courage of a handful of brave men fhould be
exerted only where there is fonit nope of a favourable event.
However, you may be affured, Sir, that the fmall part of the cam-
paign which remains, -Ihall be employed (as far as I am able)
for the honour of his Majefty uid the intereft of the nation, in
which I am fure of being well feconded by the Admiral and by the
Generals. Happy if our efforts here can contribute to the fuccefs
of his Majefty's arms in any other parts oi America.

I hwve the Honour to bey ■ •, : •

.. . ' '- With the greatejl Refpe^y Sir y ;-.,.^ »..»;;

Tour tnojl obedient y and mojl humble Servant,
v'„, •': .^ L . > V JAMES WOLFE.

Slerling-Cajlle off Point Le<vi, in the River St. Laurence, <^th of

September, 1759.

SIR,

IN my letter of the 6th of June, I acquainted you I was then
ofl' Scutari, ftanding for the river St. Laurence. On the 26th,
1 had got up, with the firfl divifion of the fleet and tranfports, as
far as the middle of the Ifle of Orleans, where I immediately pre-
pared to land the troops, which I did the next morning. The
fame day the fecond and third divifions came up, and the troops
from them were landed likewife.

I got thus far without any lofs or accident whatever ; but, dl-
reftly after landing the troops, a very hard gale of wind came on,
by which many anchors and fmr'U boats were lofl, and much da^
mnge received among the tranfports, by their driving on board
each other. The fhipj^ that loft moft anchors I fupplied from the
Mpn of war a.*! far as I was able, and in all other refpe£ls, gave
rheiu the belt alhftance in my power.

1759- ^^^ History of the War. V 207

trenchments, on the Beauport ihorc below the town, and
by their motions to give this feint all the appearance of a
reality which it pofTibly could have. This difpofition be-
ing

On the 28th, at midnight, the enemy fent down from ^ebec
feven firefliips ; and though our Ihips and tranfports were fo nu-
merous, and neceflarily fpread fo great a part of the channel, we
towed them all clear and a-ground, without receiving the leaft
damage from them. The next night Gen. Monckton croflVd the
river, and landed with his Brigade on the South (hore, and took
poft at Point Lenji ; and Gen. PFolfe took his on the Wellnioit
Point of the Ifle of Orleans.

On the I ft of Julyy I moved up between the Points of Orleans
zjid Le'uli and, it being refolved to land on the North fhore, be-
low the falls of Montmorenci, I placed on the 8th inft. his Majef-
ty's floop the Porcupiney and the Bofcaiven armed veflel, in the
channel between Orleans and the North (hore, to cover that land-
ing, which took place at night.

On the 17th, I ordered Capt. Rous of the Sutherland^ to pro-
ceed, with fhe firft fair wind and night tide, above the town of
^ehec, and to take with him his Majeft/s Ihips Diana and Squir-
reli with two armed Hoops, and two catts armed and loaded with
provilions.

On the 1 8th, at night, they all got up, except the Dianas and
gave Gen. fFol/e an opportunity of reconnoitring above the town,
thofe ihips having carried fome troops with them for that pur-
pofe. The Diana ran afliore upon the rocks off Point Le'vi, and
received fo much damage, that I have fent her to Bojionv/hh 27
fail of American tranfports, (thofe which received molt damage in
the gale of the 27th of June) where they are to be difcharged ;
and the Diana^ having repaired her damages, is to proceed to
England^ taking with her the maft (hips, and what trade may be
ready to accompany her.

On the 28th, at midnight, the enemy fent down a raft of fire-
ftages, of near a hundred Radeaux, which fucceeded no better
than the 6re-fhips.

On the 3 1 ft, Gen. Wolfe determined to land a number of troops
above the falls of Montmorenci^ in order to attack the enemy's
lines J to cover which, I placed the Centurion In the channel, be-
tween the Ifle of Orleans and the falls, and ran on fliore, at high
water, two catts which I had armed for that purpofe, againft two
finull batteries and two redoubts, where our troops were to land.
About fix in the evening they landed, but the General not think-
ing it proper to perfevcre in the attack; foon after, part of them

208

T^be History of the War.

1759.

ing made below the town, the General embarked his forces
about one in the morning, and with Admiral Holmes's di-
vifion went three leagues further up the river than the in-
tended

re-embarked, and the reft crofTed the Falls with Gen. Wolfe ^^
upon which, to prevent the two catts from falling into the ene-
my's hands (they being then dry on Ihore) I gave orders to take
the men out and fet them on fire, which was accordingly done.

On the 5 th of Augujiy in the night, I fent twenty flat-bottom-
ed boats up the river, to the Sutherlandy to embark 1 260 of the
troops, with Brig. Gen. Murray ^ from a poft he had taken on the
fouth fliore. I fent Admiral Holmes up to the Sutherland, to aft
in concert with him, and give him all the afllftance the Ihips and
boats could afford. At the fame time I dire£ted Admiral Holmts
to ufe his beft endeavours to get at, and deftroy the enemy's (hips
above the town ; and for that purpofe I ordered the Loiuejioffe,
and Hunter (loop, with two armed Hoops and two catts, with pro-
vifions, to pafs ^ebcc and join the Sutherland ; but the wind
holding wefterly, it was the zyth of Augujl before they got up,
which was the fourth attempt they had made to gain their paf-
fage.

' On the 25th, at night, Admiral Holmes and Gen. Murray,
with part of the troops, returned ; they had met with, and de-
ftroyed a magazine of the enemy's cloathing, fome gunpowder,
and other things ; and Admiral Holmes had been ten or tweire
leagues above the town, but found it impracticable at that time
to get farther up.

Gen. Wolfe having refolved to quit the camp at Montmorenct,
and go above the town, in hopes of getting between the enemy
and their prdvifions, (fuppoled to be in the (hips there) and by
that means force them to an atStion, I lent up, on the 29th at
night, the Seahorfe and two armed (loops, with two catts laden
with provifions, to join the reft above ^ebec ; and having taken
off all the artillery, from the camp at Montmorenct, on the 3d
Jnft. in the afternoon the troops embarked from thence, and land-
ed at Point £^^'^ The 4th, at night, I fent all the flat-bottomed
boats up, and this night a part or the troops will march up the
fouth Ihore, above the town, to be embarked in the (hips and vef-
fels there, and to-morrow night the reft will follow. Admiral
Holmes is alfo gone up again to afllft in their future operations,
and to try, if, with the afliftauce of the troops, it is pradicable to
get at the enemy's (hips.

As Gen. Wolfe writes by this opportunity, he will give you an
account of his part of the operations, and his thoughts what fur-
ther

1759- ^^^ History of the War. 209

tended place of his landing, in order to amufe the enemy,
and conceal his real defign. Then he put them into boats,
and fell down filently with the tide, unobferved by the
French centinels pofted along the fliore. The rapidity
of the current carried thefe boats a little below the intend-
ed place of attack. The Ihips followed them, and arrived
juft at the time which had been concerted to cover their

landing.

ther may be done for his Majeft/s fervice. The enemy appear
numerous, and feem to be ftrongly poiled ; but let the event be
what it will, we fhall remain here as long as the feafon will per-
mit, in order to prevent their detaching troops from hence againil
Gen. Amherfi ; and I (hall leave cruizers at the mouth of the ri-
ver, to cut off any fuppHes that may be fent them, with ftridl or-
ders to keep that ftatlon as long as poHIble. The town oi^ehec
is not habitable, being almoft entirely burnt and deftroyed.

I inclofe you the prefent difpofition of the (hips under my com-
mand: twenty of the victuallers that failed from England v/ith the
Echo, are arrived here, one unloaded at Louifbourgy having re-
ceived damage in her palTage out, and another I have heard no-
thing of. No (hips or the enemy have come this way, that I have
bad any intelligence of, fince my arrival in the river, except one,
laden with flour and brandy, which was taken by Capt. Drake of
the Lizard.

Before Admiral Durell got into the river, three frigates, and
feventeen fail, with proviuons, (lores, and a few recruits, got
up, and are thofe we are fo anxious, if polTible, to deftroy.

Yefterday I received a letter from Gen. Amherji (to whom I
have had no opportunity of writing fmce I have been in the river)
dated, Camp of Cronun Pointy Augufl 17th, wherein, he only
defires I would fend tranfports and a convoy to Neio Tork y to
carry to England fix hundred and feventy prifoners taken at the
furrender of Niagara.

I would have wrote to you fooner from hence, but while my
dirpatches were preparing, Gen. IVolfe was taken very ill j he has
been better fmce, but is (lill greatly out of order.

I (hall very foon fend home the great (hips, and have the ho-
nour to be.

With thtgraateJiRefpedy

• ■ -' '- -, SIR, ' '■■" ■ ■' '" '■■ *

Tour mofl obedient^ and moji hutnhlt Servant^

■

D d

CHARLES SAUNDERS.

2IO 'The History of ibe War* i'j^q

landing. Confidering the darkncfs of the night, and the
rapidity of the current, this was a very critical operation
and it required excellent heads both on the part of the
marine, and the land fcrvice, to prefcrve a communicati-
on, and to prevent a difcovcry and confufion.

As the troops could not land at the fpot propofed, when
they were put on fliore an hill appeared before them ex-
tremely high and deep in its afcent ; a little path winded
up this afcent, fo narrow tliat two could not go abreaft,
Even this path was intrenched, and a captain's guard de-
fended it. Thefe difficulties did not abate the hopes of the
General, or the ardor of the troops. The light infantry
under Colonel Howe laying hold of ftumps and boughs ot
trees, pulled themfelves up, diflodged the guards, and
cleared the path ; and then all the troops furmounting eve-
ry difficulty, gained the top of the hill, and as fafl: as they
afcended formed themfelves, fo that they were all in order
of battle at day break.

Montcalm, when he heard that the Engllfh hadafccnd-
„ the hill, and were formed on the high ground at

P ■ ^' the back of the town, fcarcely credited the intel-
ligence, and ftill believed it to be a feint to induce him to
abandon that ftrong port, which had beenj:he objed of all
the real attempts that had been made fince the beginning
of the campaign. But he was foon, and fatally for him,
undeceived. He Hiw clearly, that the Englifh fleet and ar-
my were in fuch a fituation, that the upper and lower
town might be attacked in concert, and that nothing but a
battle could pofllbly fave it. Accordingly he determined
to give them battle, and quitting Beauport, paflcd the river
St. Charles, and formed his troops oppofite to ours.

He filled the buihes that were in his front v/^ith detadv
ments of Indians, and his hefl: markfmen, to the number
of about 1 500 ; his regular forces formed his left ; his right
was compofed of the troops of the colony, fupported by
two battalions of regulars. The reft of the Indians and
Canadians extended on that fide, and attempted to out-
flank the left of the Englilh, which was formed to prevent
that defign, in a manner which the military men call Po-
fence ; that is, in a body which prefcnts two faces to the
enemy. Here Brigadier General Townfhend commanded
fix regiments, and the Louilbourg grenadiers were difpof-
cd in a line to '.I'-j right of this body, extending to the ri-

*ver.

ftance, our troops

1759' ^^^ History of the War. 211

vcr. A regimr was drawn up behind the right for a re-
fcrve. It was juimcd in eight fubdivifions, with large in-
tervals. The light infantry under Colonel Howe, prote£l-
ed the rear and the left. The difpofitions on both fides
were judicious, and the engagement on both fides, began
with rpirit.

The Englifh troops were exhorted to referve their fire ;
and they bore that of the enemy's light troops in front,
which was galling, though irregular, with the utmofl pa-
tience and good order, waiting for the main body of the e-
ncmy, which advanced fad upon them. At forty yards di-
(lance, our troops gave their fire, which took place in its
full extent, and made a terrible havock among the French.
It was fupportcd with as much vivacity as it was begun,
and the enemy every where yielded to it ; but juft in the
moment, when the fortune of the field began to declare
itfelf, General Wolfe, in whofe life every thing feemed
included, fell : General Monckton, the next to him in
command, fell immediately after, and both were conveyed
out of the line ; the command now devolved on General
Townlhend. It was at a very critical time. For, though
the enemy began to fall back, and were much broken, the
jofs of the two generals was a very difcouraging circum-
Aance, and it required great temper and great exertions to
fupport the advantages that had been gained, and to pufli
them to their proper extent. General Townlhend (hewed
himfelf equal to fo arduous a duty j the troops preferved
their fpirit, and each corps feemed to exert itfelf with a
view to its peculiar charafter. The grenadiers with their
bayonets, the Highlanders with their broad fwords, and the
reft of the forces, with a fteady and continued fire, drove
the enemy in great diforder from every port, and compleat-
cd their defeat. During the whole aftion, Colonel Howe
with his light infantry covered the left wing in fuch a man-
ner, as entirely to fruilrate the attempts of the enemies In-
dians and Canadians upon that (lank.

The field now fccmcd to be complcatly decided, when a
new enemy appeared, which threatened to bring on a frcfii
engagement, and to put all again to the hazard. M. dc
Bougainville, v^hom the feigned movements of the Englifh
troops had drawn up the river, turned back on difcovering
their real dtfign, and now appeared on the rear of the army,
with a body of 2000 men. But fortunately the main body

J:) d 2 of

212 ^he History of the War. ^15^.

of the French was by this time fo broken and difpcrfed
that the general was able to eftabl'fh his rear, and to turn
fuch an oppofition on that fide, that the enemy retired after
a very feeble attempt.

In this decifive a£lion our troops loft about 500 men •
on the fide of the enemy at leaft 1 500 were killed. But
however glorious this vi£tory was, and however important
in its confequences, it muft be admitted that it was very
dearly bought. Soldiers may be raifed ; officers will be
formed by experience ; but the lofs of a genius in war, is a
lofs which we know not how to repair. The death of
Wolfe was indeed grievous to his country, but to himfelf
the moft happy that can be imagined ; and the moft to be
envied by all thofe who have a true relifti for military glory.
Unindebted to family, or connexions, unfupported by in-
trigue or fa61:ion, he had accomplifhed the whole bufinefs
of life at a time, when others are only beginning to appear;
and at the age of thirty-five, without feeling the weaknefs
of age or the viciffitude of fortune, having fatisfied his honeft
ambition, having compleated his character, having fulfilled
the expeftations of his country, he fell at the head of his
conquering troops, and expired in the arms of viftory.

The circumftances that attended the death of fuch a
perfon, are too interefting to be pafled over in filence, and
they were indeed fuch as fpoke the whole tenor of his life.
He firft received a wound in his head ; but, that he might
not difcourage his troops, he wrapped it up in his handker-
chief, and encouraged his men to advance ; foon after he
received another ball in his belly; this alfo he diflembled,
and exerted himfelf as before ; when he received a third in
his breaft, under which he at laft funk, and fullered himfelf,
unwillingly, to be carried behind the ranks. As he lay
ftruggling with the anguifli and weaknefs of three grievous
wounds, he feemed only ibllicitous about the fortune of the
battle. He begged one, who attended him, to fupport him
to view the field ; but as he found that the approach of
death had dimmed and confufed his fight, he defired an
officer, who was by him, to give him an account of what
he faw. The officer anfwered, that the enemy feemed
broken ; he repeated his queftion a few minutes after with
much anxiety, when he was told that the enemy was totally
routed, and that they fled in all parts. Then, faid he,
" I am fatisfied j" and immediately he expired.

Without

jy59- ^he History of the War. 213

Without the fame advantages, the enemy alfo had an
heavy lofs in this battle, which, no doubt, contributed to
their defeat. M. de Montcalm, commandlr in chief, was
lulled on the fpot ; an officer who had done the higheft
fervices to his country throughout the whole American war,.
jnd perfectly fupported his reputation in this laft fcene of
it, having made the moft perfect difpofitions that human
prudence could fuggeft, both before the battle and in the
engagement. It is fomething remarkable that in both ar-
mies, the firfl in command (hould be killed, and the fecond
dangeroufly wounded. But General Monckton happily re-
covered, the French officer died a little after the battle. ~

Five days after the aftion, the enemy feeing that the
communication between the town and the army
was cut off, and that the Engliih fleet and troops Sept. 18.
were preparing with all vigour for a fiege, fur-
rendered the city of Qijebec upon terms of honour to the
garrifon, and advantage to the inhabitants, who were pre-
ferved in the free exercife of their religion, and the poflfef-
fion of their civil rights, until a general peace fhould decide
their future condition. The fortifications of the city were
in tolerable order ; the houfes almoft totally demolifhed.
A garrifon of 5000 men under General Murray, were put
into the place, with a plenty of provifions and ammunition
for the winter. The fleet failed to England foon after,
fearing left the fetting in of the frofts fliould lock them up
in the river St. Laurence, (a)

; ' ' Thus

(a) The Honourable Gen. Monckton's letter to the Right Honourable
Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated. River St. Laurence^ Camp at Point
Levi, September 1$, 1759.

SIR,

I Have the pleafure to acquaint you, that, on the 13th inftant,
his Majefty's troops gained a very fignal vidlory over the
French, a little above the town of ^ebec. General IVolfe, ex-
erting himfelf on the right of our line, received a wound pretty
early of which he died foon after, and I had myfelf the great
misfortune of receiving one in my right bread by a ball, that
went through part of my lungs (and which has been cut out un-
der the blade bone of my flioulder) juft as the French were giv-
ing way, which obliged me to quit the field. I have therefore,

Sir

i:v W. ' S-

214 '^f^^ History of the W^r. '^1S9-

Thus the capital of French America was rendered to the

KngUfh, after a mod fevere campaign of near three months ;

and perhaps, if the whole be confidercd, ther'J never was

■ " an

Sir, defired General Toijonjhend, who now commands the troops
before the town (and of which I am in hopes he will be foon in
poflelHon) to acquaint you with the particulars of that day, and
of the operations carrying on. I have the honour to be, &c.

ROB. MONCKTON.

P. S. His Majefty's troops behaved with the greateft fteadinefs
and bravery.

As the I'urgeons tell me that there is no danger in my wound,
I am in hopes that I fliall be foon able to join the army before the
town.

*rbe Honourable Brigadier General Totunfljend's letter to the Right
Honourable Mr. Secretary Pittf datedy Camp before ^ebec,
. Sept. 20, 1759. . ' . .

..■»*' - , "

SIR,

I Have the honour to acquaint you with the fuccefs of his Ma-
jefty's arms, on the 13th inft. in an aftion with the French, on
the heights to the weftward of this town.

It being determined to carry the operations above the town,
the Pofts at Point Le'vi, and I'ljle d Orleans ^ being fecured, the
General marched with the remainder of the force, from Point
Lei'i, the 5th and 6th, and embarked them in tranfports, which
had paffed the town for that purpofe. On the 7th, 8th, and 9th,
a movement of the fliips was maue up, by Admiral Holmes^ in or-
der to amufc the enemy now ported along the North ihore ; but
the tranfports being extremely crov/ded, and the weather very
bad, the General thought proper to cantoon half his troops on
the South fhore ; where they were refielhed, and rcimbarked up-
on the I 2th at one in the morning. The light infantry, com-
manded by Col. Hoive, the regiments of Bragg, Kennedy, Lafcelks,
and /Injiruther, with a detachment of Highlanders, and the
Avierican grenadiers, the whole being under the command of
B. igadiers Monckton and Murray, were put into flat-bottomed
boats, and, after fonie movements of the (hips, made by Admiral
Holmes, to draw the attention of the enemy above, the boats fell
down with the tide, and landed on the North fhore, within a
league of Cape Diamond, an hour before day-break : the rapidity
of the tide of ebb carried them a little below the intended place
pf attack, which obliged the light infantry to fcramble up a
••^ - woody

1759- ^^^ History of the War. 215

an enterprife of fuch difficulty carried on with a more gal-
lant perleverance, or accomplifhed with more vigour and
ability. A city ftrong in fituation and fortifications, was to

woody precipice, in order to fecure the landing the troops by
diflodging a captain's poft, which defended the fmall intrenched
path the troops were to afcend. After a little firing, the light
infantry gained the top of the precipice, and dilperfed the Cap-
tain's poll ; by which means, the troops, with a very little lofs
from a few Canadians and Imlians iii the wood, got up, and were
immediately formed. The boats, as they emptied, were fent
back for the fecond embarkation, which 1 immediately made.
Brigadier Murray^ who had been detached with Anjiruther^s
battalion to attack the Foiir Gun Battery upon the left, was re-
called by the General, who now faw the French army crolfing
the river St. Charles. General fVolfe thereupon begun to form
his line, having his right covered by the Louijbourg grenadiers ;
on the right of thefe again he afterwards brought Otivay's ; to
the left of the Grenadiers were Bragg'Sy Kennedy s^ Lafcelle'Sy
Highlanders t and Anjiruther's j the righ^ of this body was com-
manded by Brigadier Monckton, and. the left by Brigadier Murray ;
his rear and left were protefted by Col. Hotve's Light Infantry,
who was returned from the Four Gun Battery before-mentioned,
which was foon abandoned to him. General Montcalm having
colledted the whole of his force from the Beauport fide, and ad-
vancing, (hewed his intention to flank our left, where I was
immediately ordered with General Amherji'% battalion, which I
formed en potence. My numbers were foon after encreaied by the
arrival of the two battalions of Royal Americans ; and Webb's
was drawn up by the General, as a referve, in eight fubdivifions
with large intervals. The enemy lined the buflies in their front
with' 1 500 Indians and Canadians, and I dare fay had placed moft
of their beft markfmen there, who kept up a very galling, tho'
irregular, fire upon our whole line, who bore it with the great-
eft patience, and good order, referving their fire for the main
body, now advancing. This fire of the enemy was however
checked by our pofts in our front, which protefted the forming
our own line. The right of the enemy was corapofed of half of
the troops of the colony, the battalion of La Sarre, LanguedoCy^
and the remainder of their Canadians and Indians. Their centre
was a column, and formed by the battalions of Beam and Gui-
enne. Their left was compofed of the remainder of the troops
of the colony, and the battalion of Royal Roufillon. This was,
as near as I can guefs, their line of battle. They brought up

tv.o

■* ^-^n

jB:|#P '?■!■%

2i6 The History of the War. ly^^

be attacked. An army greatly fuperior in number to the
befiegers, was pofted nuder the walls of that city in an im-
pregnable fituation. That army was to be forced to a battle

againft

two pieces of fniall artillery againft us, and we had been able
to bring up but one gun ; which being admirably well ferved
galled their column exceedingly. My attention to the left will
not permit me to be very exaft with regard to every circumftance
which pafled in the centre, much lefs to the right ; but it \%
nioft certain, that the enemy formed in good order, and that
their attack was very brifk and animated on that fide. Our
troops referved their fire, till within forty yards, which was fo
well continued, that the enemy every where gave way. It was
then our General fell at the head of Bragg'sy and the Louijhourg
grenadiers, advancing with their bayonets: About the fame
time Brigadier-general Monckton received his wound at the head
of Lafcelles's. In the front of the oppofite battalion fell alfo
M. Montcalm ; and his fecond in command is fince dead of his
wounds on board our fleet. Part of the enemy made a fecond
faint attack. Part took to fome thick copfe wood, and feemed
to make a ftand. It was at this moment, that each corps
feemed in a manner to exert itfelf, with a view to its own pecu-
liar charafter. The grenadiers, Bragg's, and Lafcelli Sy preffed
on with their bayonets. Brigadier Murray^ advancing with the
troops under his command, briflcly compleated their rout on
this fide ; when the Highlanders, fupported by Anjlruther'%,
took to their broad fwords, and drove part into the town, and
part to the works at their bridge on the river St. Charles.

The adion, on our left and rear, was not fo fevere. The
houfes, into which the Light Infantry were thrown, were well
defended, being fupported by Col. Hoioey who taking poft with
two companies behind a fmall copfe, and frequently fallying upon
the flanks of the enemy during the attack, drove them often into
heaps, againft the front of which body I advanced Platoons of
jimherji'^ regiment, which totally prevented the right wing from
executing their firft intention. Before this, one of the Royal
American battalions had been detached topreferve our communi-
cation with our boats, and the other being fent to occupy the
ground which Brigadier Murray's movement had left open, I re-
mained with AmherJI's to fupport this difpofition, and to keep
the enemy's right, and a body of their favages, which waited
ftill more towards our rear, oppofite the pofts of our Light In-
fantry, waiting for an opportunity to fall upon our rear.

This, Sir, was the fituation of things, when I was told, in the

.- aftion,

iy59. The History of the War. 217

againft the inclinations of a wife and cautious commander.
A theatre of more than five leagues was to be filled, and
opeiations of that extent to be carried on in the eye of the

fuperior

a£lion, that I commanded: I immediate])^ repaired to the centre,
and finding the purfuit had put part of the troops in diforder, I
formed them as foon as poffible. Scarce was this efFefted, when
M. de Bougain'vi ity with his corps from Cape Rouge of 2000 men,
appeared in our rear. I advanced two pieces of artillery, and
two battalions towards him ; upon which he retired. You will
not, I flatter myfelf, blame me for not quitting fuch advantageous
ground, and riiking the fate of fo deciiive a day, by feeUng a
freflj enemy, pofted perhaps in the very kind of ground he could
wilh for, viz. woods and fwamps.

We took a great number of French officers upon the field of
battle, and one piece of cannon. Their iofs is computed to be
about 1 500 men, which fell chiefly upon their regulars.

I have been employed, from the day of aftion to that of the
capitulation, in redoubting our camp beyond infult, in making a
road up the prt *ipice for our cannon, in getting up the artillery,,
preparing the batteries, and cutting off their communication with
the country. The 17th, at noon, before we had any battery
ereded, or could have any for two or three days, a flag of truce
came out with propofals of capitulation, which I fent back again
to the town, allowing them four hours to capitulate, or no farther
treaty. The Admiral had, at this time, brought up his large
ihips as intending to attack the town. The French OfRcer returned
at night with terms of Capitulation, which, with the Admiral,
were coi^ndered, agreed to, and figned at eight in the morning,
the 18th inftant. The terms we granted, will I flatter myfelf,
be approved of by his Majefty, coniidering the enemy aiTemblinz
in our rear, and what is far more formidable, the very wet ana
cold feafon, which threatened our troops with ficknefs, and the
fleet with fome accident ; it had made our road fo bad, we could
not bring up a gun for fome time ; add to this, the advantage of
entering the town, with the walls in a defeniible date, and the
being able to put a garrifon there ftrong enough to prevent all
furprize. Thefe, I hope, will be deemed fufficient coniiderations
for granting them the terms I have the honour to tranfmit to you.
The inhabitants of the country came in to us fafl:, bringing in
their arms, and taking the oaths of fidelity, until a general peace
determines their fituation.

I have the honour to Inclofe herewith a lift of the killed and
wounded ; a lift of the prifoners as perfect as I have yet been able

E e to

it ^H:-t:-.

111 if P^'^*

'fill

1- ; •

^|:^f!;'li!#!

2i8 ^he History of the War. i^rg

fuperior army, by lefs than 7000 men. In this conteft with
fo many difficulties, one may fay with nature itfclf, the ge-
nius of the commander fliewed itfelf fuperior to every thine

Ali

to get it ; and a h'fl: of the artillery and Acres in the town as well as
thofe fallen into our hands at Beauport in confequence of the vic-
tory. By deferters we learn, that the enemy are re-aiFembling
what troops they can, behind the Cape Rouge -, chat M. de Levy is
come down from the Montreal fide to command them j fome fay,
he has brought two battalions with him ; if fo, this blow has
already affifted General Amherft. By other deferters, we learn,
that M. de Bougainville^ with 800 men, and provifions, was on
his march to fling himfelf into the town the 1 8th, the very morn-
ing it capitulated, on which day we had not compleated the in-
veiliture of the place, as they had broke their bridge of boats, and
had detachments in very ftrong works on tbi: other fide the river
St. Charles.

I (hould not do juftice to the Admiral!, and the naval fervice,
if I negledted this occaaon of acknowledging how much we are
indebted for our fuccefs to the conilant aififtance and fupport re*
ceivcd from them, and the perfect harmony and correfpondence,
which has prevailed throughout all our operations, in the uncom-
mon difficulties, which the nature of this country, in particular,
prefents to military operations of a great extent, and which no
army can itfelf foleiy fupply ; the immenfe labour in artillery,
(lores and provifions ; the long watchings and attendance in boats ;
the drp'ving up our artillery by the feamen even in the heal of
action i it is my duty, fliort as my command has been, to ac-
knowledge, for that time, how great a fhar.3 the navy has had
in this fuccefsful campaign.

I have the honour to be, &c.
GEO. TOWNSHEND.

Vice Admiral Saunders's Letter to the Right Honourable Mr

Secretary Pitt.
SIR,

I Have the greateft pleafure in acquainting you that the town and
citadel oi iiluebcc furrendered on the 18th inftant, and linclofe
you a copy of the articles of capitulation. The army took pof-
felfion of the gates on the land fide the fame evening, and fent
faft-guards into the town to preferve order, and to prevent any
thing from being deftroyed ; and Capt. Pallijer^ with a body of
fcainen, landed in the lower town, and did the fame. The next
day our army marched in, and near a thoufand French officers,
■ ' •! - . (bldiers

il^g. The History of the War. ^tp

All the difpodtions to that daring but judicious attempt,
near Sillery, which at laft drew Montcalm from his en-
trenchments, were fo many mafter pieces in the art of war.

But

ibldiers and feameH) were embarked on board fome Englijb catts,
who ihali foon proceed for France^ agreeable to the capitulation.

I had the honour to write to you the 5th Inft. by the Rodney
cotter. The troops, mentioned in that letter, imbarked on board
the (hips and vefTels above the town, in the night of the 6th inft.
and at four in the morning of the 13th began to land on the
north fhore, about a mile and a half above the town. General
Montcalm with his whole army, left their camp at Beauport^ and
marched to meet him. A little before ten both armies were form-
ed, and the enemy began the attack. Our troops received their
lire, and refcrved their own, advancing till they were fo near
as to run in upon them, and pufli them with their bayonets ;
by which, in a very little time, the French gave way, and fled
to the town in tV.e utmoft diforder, and with great lofs ; for
our troops purfued them quite to the walls, and killed many of
them upon the glacis, and in the ditch j and if the town had
been further oflF the whole French army muft have been deftroyed.
About 250 French prifoners were taken that day, among wnom
are ten captains, and fix fubaltern officers, all of whom will go
in the great fliips to England.

I am forry to acquaint you, that General fV^lfe was killed in
the adion ; and General Monckton (hot through the body ; but
he is now fuppofed to be out of danger. General Montcalm^
and the three next French officers in command, were killed ;
but I mufi- ^efer you to General Tovtnjhend (who writes by this
opportunity / for the particulars of this a£tion, the (late of the
garrifon, and the nieafures he is taking for keeping pofTeffion
of it. I am now beginning to fend on fhore the flores they
will want, and provinons for five thoufand men ; of which I
can furnifh them with a fufficient quantity.

The night of their landing. Admiral Holmes^ with the fhips
and troops, was about three leagues above the intended landing
place : General Wolfe^ with about half his troops, fet otF in
boats, and dropped down with the tide, and were by that means,
lefs liable to be difcovered by the French centinels, ported all
along the coaft. The fhips followed them about three quarters
of an hour afterwards, and got to the landing-place juft in the
time that had been concerted, to cover their landing ; and confi-
dering the darknefs of the night, and the rapidity of the current,
this was a very critical operation and very property and fuccefs-

E c 2 fully

i)(Bl

220 the History of the War. 1755.

But it p certain, that thefe things, notwithftanding the ex-
traordinary abihties of the general, could never have been
compafled, had not the marine co-operated with an unani.
mity, diUgence, and (kill, which never could have taken
place, but from that perfe6l love to their country, that ani-
mated all thofe that were concerned in this expedition.
Here was no murmuring nor difcontent, nor abfurd jealou-
fy i no mean competition between the land and fea-fervice ;
but the mod zealous endeavours to fecond each others ef-
forts, and the mod generous inclinations on each fide, to
give a due praife to their mutual fervices.

When the news of this decifive action arrived in England,
vre all remember, though it is very difficult to defcribe, the
various and mixed emotions with which every one was af-
fefted. But two days before this came, was received the
exprefs which General Wolfe had fent off after the affair
of Montmorenci. When the general doubted, the public
thought they had reafon to defpair. But whilft this gloom
was frelh and in the midft of the general defpondency, a
fecond exprefs arrives, and brings all at once an account of

'. ,.!":■: w>; ' ' 1 . ; - • . ■ '• • the

fully concluded , When General Wolfe ^ and the troops with him,
had landed, the difficulty of gaining the top of the hill is fcarce
credible : it was very fteep in its afcent, and high, and no path
where two could eo a-breaft : but they were obliged to pull them-
felves up by the Itumps and boughb of trees, that covered the
declivity.

Immediately after our vidory over their troops, I fent up all
the boats in the fleet with artillery, and ammunition ; and on
the 17 th went up with the men of war in a difpoiition to attack
the lower town, as foon as General 7'oai;«/?'f «</ (hould be ready to
attack the upper i but in the evening they fent out to the carnp
and offered terms of capitulation.

I have the farther pleafure of acquainting you, that during
this tedious campaign there has continued a perfect good un-
derftanding between the army and the navy. I have received
great affillance from Admirals Z>i<rf// and Holmes, and from all the
captains : Indeed every body has exerted themfclves in the execu-
tion of their duty : even the tranfports have willingly allilled me
with boats and people on the landing the troops, and many other
fervices.

I have the honour to be, &c.

CHARLES SAUNDL: I

»759.

»g the ex-
clave been
an unanU
ave taken
, that ani-
fpedition.
rd jealou-
a-fervice ;
others ef-
li fide, to

England,
cribe, the
le was af-
:eived the
the affair
he public
his gloom
idency, a
iccount of
the

3 with him,
ill is fcarce
nd no path
pull them-
:overed the

Tent up all
n ; and on
ti to attack
be ready to
) the carnp

hat during
good un-
fe received
Toin all the
the cxecu-
aUiiled me
many other

;, &c.

1 <

if'

(rl' >

t i «

I |l

.!i

hi\

.i ^.

i 4 >

.' II

i^ ^'■

ir^

i^ '*

! 'f

k.t

1.1

I I

1759' ^^^ ^^^
the victory, the takii
ral Wolfe. The efFt
fuch a dejeftion, and
v^hich attended the
was very fingular ai
triumph, that manif<
honour to the memoi
jiity of the nation.

A little circumftan
ferves to be recorded
and a juf*^nefs of th
that is ra.'.ly met wi
The mother of Gei
for pity by great a
pierced her mind wi
perienced the dutifu
whilft the world adr
a few months (he ha
fon, her only child,
(he lived unanimoui
firings, or any othei
houfe, left they Ih
infult over her gri
whoever knows th
fmall facrifice on t

The nation, whi(
pafs unrewarded, pi
living and of the c
motion for this pur]
the force of eloqut
fcrvices in their pr
was voted for the d(
the living Generals
honours, the thank
tatives.

It is not knowr
French difpofcd of
battle of Quebec.
Montreal and Troi
fequence which th
pi ive them of fubfi
(iuccd to make to
winter, the countr

1759' ^^^ History of the War. 221

the viAoryi the taking of Quebec, and the death of Gene-
ral Wolfe. The efFe^ of fo joyful news, imn^ediately on
fuch a dejcftion, and then the mixture of grief and pity,
which attended the public congratulations and applaufes,
was very fingular and afFefting. The fort of mourning
triumph, that manifefted itfelf on that oc :dlon, did equ^
honour to the memory of the General, and to the huma-
nity of the nation.

A little circumilance was talked of at that time, and it de-
ferves to be recorded, as it (hews a firmnefs of fentiment,
and a juf-nefs of thinking, in the lower kind of people,
that is ra.'.ly met with even amongft perfons of education.
The mother of General Wolfe was an objeft marked out
for pity by great and peculiar diftrefs ; the public wound
pierced her mind with a particular afili£kion, who had ex-
perienced the dutiful fon, the amiable domeftic chara£tei\
whilil the world admired the accoirplifhed officer, v, tthin
a few months (he had loft her hufband ; ihe now loft this
fon, her only child. The populace of the village where
ihe lived unanimoufty agreed to admit no illuminations or
firings, or any other fign of rejoycing whatfoever near her
houfe, left they ftiould feem by an ill-timed triumph, to
infult over her grief. There was a juftnefs in this, and
whoever knows the people, knows that they made no
fmall facriHce on this occafton.

The nation, which never fuffers any public fervice to
pafs unrewarded, proceeded to honour the merits of the
living and of the dead. The minifter himfelf made the
motion for this purpofe in the houfe of commons, and all
the force of eloquence was difplayed in fetting off thefe
fervices in their proper light. A magnificent monument
was voted for the deceafed General in Weftminfter Abbey;
the living Generals and Admirals received the greateft of
honours, the thanks of their country, by their reprefen-
tatives.

It is not known with certainly in what manner the
French difpofcd of the remainder of their army after the
battle of Quebec. It is probable that they retired towards
Montreal and Trois Rivieres, the only places of any con-
fequence which they had left in Canada. In order to de-
prive them of fubfiftence in any attempt they might be in-
duced to make towards the recovery of Quebec in the
winter, the country along the river was laid wafte fdr a

very

222 Tie History of the War. lyr^

very confidcrablc extent. A meafure, which for the fake
of humanity, we could have wilhed not to have been found
necelfary.

Whilft the operations were thus fuccefsfuUy carried on
in the river St. Laurence, General Amherft was not want-
ing in his endeavours on the fide of Lake Champlain.
Though the retreat of the French from Crown Point and
Ticonderoga had left him entire'iv mafter of Lake George,
he found that u:e command of LaKe Champlain was ftil|
an objeft of fome difficulty. iVIr. Bourlemaque, who com-
manded in that part, had retired to the Ifle de Noix, at the
bottom of the lake, where he had three thoufand five
hundred men ftrongly entrenched ; he had likewife four
ftout armed floops, by which he could eafily defeat any
attempts by boats.

General Amherft found it neccffary to attain a naval fu-
periority upon the Champlain, before he could hope to pu(h
his operations any further ; but this was a work of fo much
time, that it made it abfolutely impoiTible to attain the
great end of the campaign, the communication with Ge-
neral Wolfe, who was left in the manner we have feen to
the exertion of his fingle ftrength. The naval preparations
were not perfeftly accompliflied before the loth of Ofto-
ber. They confifted of a great radeau, eighty four feet in
length, and twenty in breadth, which carried fix twenty-
four pounders ; the rcfl: confifted of a brigantinc and a
(loop.

Covered by thefe the army was embarked in boats in a
mort excellent difpofition, and proceeded a confi-
Od. II. dcrable way up the lake ; but as the feafon was
far advanced, and the weather growing cold and
tempeftuous, he judged it highly dangerous to venture his
troops much upon the water in open batteaux ; for the
waves run as high on this lake as at fea in an hard gale of
wind. Befides, he could not hope at this advanced feafon
to aft at fuch a diftance as the Iflede Noix with any effecl;
he therefore wifely poftponed his operations on that fide to
another year, and contented himfelf for the prefent with
the efforts of his little marine, which exerted itfelf with
great aftivity ; they blocked up two of the enemies ftrong-
eft velTels in a bay, but the French abandoned
Oft. 15. them in the night, and funk them in a deep wa-
ter, the crews making their efcape ; thefe they

were

i«59. 7'beHisroKY of the W A VL. 223

were in hopes to weigh up. The French appearing no
where to oppofe them, the armed floops returned
to Crown Point foon after the troops, which were Oft. 21.
(Jifpofed in winter quarters.

The memorable and vigorous campaign of 1759, which
made full amends for the inactivity of the former, was thus
happily clofed. By the taking of Niagara, Ticonderago,
and above all, Quebec, the French, in the little remairing
part of Canada, are inverted upon every fide. The troops
which they have under Mr. Levy at Montreal, and thofe
under Mr. Bourlemaque at Ifle de Noix, can neither be
recruited with men, nor properly fupplied with military
(lores, all communication with France being cut off. So
that in the opening of the next campaign, if they are aN
tacked with vigour from the fide of Quebec, whilft Gene-
ral Amherft advances with his body by Lake Champlain, of
which he has now the entire dominion, the refiflance will
be no more than fufficient to give reputation to the con-
quell } and it will depend more upon our own fentiments
of convenience what part of North America we (hall leave
to France, than to any efibrts they may make in that part
of the world ; happy if our European fyftem (hould fo
far concur, as to leave us free to conclude a peace in
America upon its own merits.

CHAP. VIII.

Princi Henry' t march into Saxony. General Febla defeated.
King of Pruffta enters Saxony. Prujfians defeated at
Maxen. Again defeated at Meiffen. M. Daun occupies
the camp at Pima. Munjier furrendert to the allies.
Hereditary Prince of Brunfwick defeats the Duke of
Wurtemburg at Fulda. March of the Hereditary Prince
cf Brunfwick to Saxony.

WE took notice, in the preceeding part of our narra-
tive, of that movement of the King of Pruflia, by
which he got between the Rufllans and Great Glogau, and
thereby baffled their defign upon that important place. This
movement, at once daring, prudent and necelTary, hindered
the Ruflians from taking winter quarters in his dominions ;
but at the fame time it unavoidably cut off all communica-
tion with the army of Prince Henry

That

'^M'^s^

'■^59-

;'*

224 Tbf History of ibe War.

That Prince, feeing that he could not fecond the opera-
dons of the King, his brotiier, on the fide of Silefia, con-
trived another expedient of co-operating with him, which
was immediately to direct his march towards Saxony.
There was no objeft, the pofleflTion of which was more
interefting ; on that account it was very proper ; but this
march anfwered alfo another end ; for it drew the attention
of M. Daun to the fide of Saxony, and difabled him
from aflifting the defigns of the Ruffians againft Glogau,
cither with his whole army, or with any confiderable de-
tachment from it. The whole country of Lufatia, through
which this projefted march lay, was in a manner overfpread
with the enemy. M. Daun, with the main army of the
Auftrians, lay at a place called Sorau, oppofite to the prince's
camp. Five bodies of Ruffians occupied as many advanta-
geous pofts between the Bober and the Neifs. General
Laudohn pofTefied the whole country along the Spree, with
feveral Auftrian corps. To get round M. Daun, it was
neceflary to make a vaft circuit, and to march between
the Auftrian and Ruffian armies for more than fixty Englifh
miles.

Before the prince entered upon this arduous deiign, by
feverai bold movements he obliged M. Daun to retreat
from Sorau to Gorlitz, and from Gorlitz as far as Bautzen,
keeping himfelf as much as poffible between the prince and
Saxony. ,But his Royal Highnefs, having perceived the
direction in which M. Daun was moving, made a com-
pafs to the northward of the Auftrians, into the Lower
Lufatia, pafled the Neifs at Rothenburg, and marching

with the\ utmoft expedition arrived at Hoyers
Sept. 25. Werda in two days from his leaving his pofts near

Zittau. This rapid march brought them quite
unexpected upon a body of five or fix thoufand Auftrian
irregulars, commanded by General Vehla, who were fitu-
ated in all fecurity behind the town. They were routed
with no fniali flaughtvr. Having diflo^iged this corps, the
prince's army had leifure to repofe themfelves after fuch a
fatiguing march, for two days ; and then continued their

progrefs towards the Elbe, which river they
06t. 2. crofted at Torgau, having received notice that

M. Daun had crofted it before them near Drefden.
Thus was the grand theatre of the war once more trans-
ferred into Saxony, and that miferable countrvj continually

har rafted,

q^g. The History of the War. 225

IjiarraflTed, continually toffed from hand to hand, the fport
of violence and fortune, fuffered equal diftreffes from its
I deliverers and its enemies.

The Pruflian army, from the beginning of this war, has

I iieen particularly diftinguiflied for its marches ; and there

is certainly nothing in all the various operations of war,

which more particularly diftinguifhes good troops, and able

I and fpirited leaders. But this march of prince Henry over

fuch a traft of country, almoft every where occupied by

the enemy, in fo Ihort a time, and with fo little lofs, is

perhaps one of the mod extraordmary, and the beft con-

I dufted, of the marches, that have been made by the Pruf-

I fian, or any other army.

This fortunate ftroke, together with the retreat of the
Ruflians, afforded fome hope, that notwithftanding his re-
! pted difafters, the King of Pruflla might ftill conclude
the campaign to his advantage. The detachments under
finck and Wunfch had no fooner entered Mifnia, than
ihey attained a fuperiority over the united armies of Au-
llria and the Empire ; all the places which in fo fliort a
time they had feized, in as fhort a time were reduced to
ihe obedience of th ■;'.»" former matters. Wunfch had en-
gaged their army, and defeated one of its wings. This
vidory gave them the poffeflion of every thing to the gates
of Drefden, the only town which remained to the enemy
of all thofe they had taken. They found themfelves unable
to prevent prince Henry from pafling the Elbe ; they found
themfelves unable to prevent General Hulfen from coming
to his relief with a confiderablc detachment ; Jiey found
themfelves unable to prevent the King from
joining himfelf to thofe ; when, after obliging the Nov. 12.
Ruffians to evacuate Silefia, he marched to their
relief, leaving General Itzenplitz, with a part of his army,
to keep the Ruffians from availing themfelves of his abfencc.
On this the army of the empire retired. M. Daun fell
back towards Drefden. All the King of Pruffia*s polls
were left unmolefted, and after all his loffes, and all his ne-
ceffary detachments, he ftill faw himfelf at the head of a
gallant army of fixty thoufand men, in high fpirits, and
ready to execute the moft defperate of his orders, notwith-
ftanding the advanced feafon, and the great extremity of
the cold.

F f

2z6

7'be History of the War.

*?59.

It is true, that M. Daun was fuperior to him in num.
bers, and yet more fo in fituation. He could at any time
take pofleflion of the famous camp at Pirna, where he
coiild not be attacked with any profpeiJ: of fuccefs ; but
then the freezing of the Elbe, the fnow on the mountain^
which divide Bohemia fr6m Saxony, and the continual mo.
leftations which might be expefted from the Prufllan par.
ties, made this fituation as dangerous, in fome refpe£ts, 35
it was defirable in others.

It was the opinion of many, that thele advantages on
the fide of the Kirtg of Pruflla, well purfued without aim.
iftg at more> would in a fhort time infallibly have oWigeti
M. Daun to relinquifh his ftrong poll:, and to retire into
Bb^hemia, abandoning EXrefden, and with it all the fruih
of his viiElorious campaign. But the King, poffeffed by
ah idea of the ill fituation of the Auftrians, thought thai
advantages of greater moment, and more decifive, might
be drawn from it. He knew, that the paffes into Bohemij
were fo difficult, that by fome pofts properly chofen and
ftrorjgly guarded, the fubfiftence of the Auftrians might bt
made impra^icable, alid even their retreat rendered fo
d^rfficult, that M. Da!un would find himfelf compelled to
fight at a difad vantage, and to put to the hazard of the
field, all that his caution and prudence had been fo long
and fo painfully procuring.

Upon this plan the King, having obliged M. Daun to
retreat as far as Plauen, advanced himfelf as far as Keffel.
dorf ; and ordered General Finck, with a ftrong corps, to
turn the Auftrians, and feize the defiles of Maxen and Ot.
tendorf, through which alone it feem^ poflible for the
Autftrian's to commiinieate with Bohemia. This was fo
fuccefsfully executied, that there appeSired no doubt that
the King had efFe£tu<illy fecured one i>f his principal ob-
]e&.i, and had placed Daiin between two fires.

Whilft the Pruflians ctijoyed this fecurity, M. Daun,
who was aware of thtsir defign, had fo occupied all the
eminertces about this rough and dangerous place, and all
the paffes into it, thai the Pruffians were hardly attacked,
When their defeat feenied inevitable. It is probable that
they had got too far into thefe defiles, and had hOt taken
proper meafures to fecur'e a retreat, or any fort of com-
munication with the grand army. They became too late
finfibic of their fituation, and they made, for a whole day,

tiiel

,i59. ^^* History of the War. 227

;he mod intrepid e6Forts to difengage themfelves from it ;
but they were foiled in every attempt, with confiderable
iJc of men, and of the moft part of their artillery.

^ight put a flop to the engagement ; the Auftrians em-
id it efFeflually, to entangle the PrufTians, by guarding
with double ftrength and vigilance, every avenue through
which it was pofTible for them to efcape. So
that when the morning appeared, they faw the Nov. 26.
[lills covered upon every fide with great bodies
of their enemies, and every defile prefented a wall of
biyonets, through which it was impoflible to penetrate.
Thus galled with the loffes of the preceding day, in which
it is faid they had exhaufted almofi: all their ammunition,
Itripped of the greateft part of their cannon, furrounded by
the enemy on all quarters, no refource, no profpeft of re-
lief appearing, the army loft all hope, and all fpirit. To
make any efforts in this condition, General Finck thought
would only be iO throw away unprofitably the lives of many
brave men, which might be referved fcr a more hopeful
occafion ; he therefore, notwithftanding the known rigour
of his mafter, the apparent ihame of the thing, and the
thoufand circumftances of embarraflment that muft have
I arifen to a man of honour at fuch a jun6ture, came to a
refolution of furrendering the whole army prifoners of waf.
[Nineteen battalions and thirty-five fquadrons, compofing
near twenty thoufand men by the Auftrian account, above
twelve by the Pruflian confefllon, fixty-four pieces of
cannon, many ftandards and colours were taken on this
I occafion.

It was unqueftlonably the greateft blow which the Pruf-
Ifians had felt from the beginning of the war ; confidering
the critical time, the numbers taken, and the lofs of repu-
I tation, which arofe from the manner in which they were
taken. It is no wonder, that fuch an extraordinary advan-
tage, thus cheaply obtained, fhould greatly have elevated
the friends of the houfe of Auftria. They had put the
cheat upon the PruiTians, they had caught their enemy in
the very trap which they had laid, as they thought, with
fuch addrefs for them. They had now received a full in-
demnification for the capture of the Saxon army, which
had furrendercd in much the fame manner, and very
near this place, in the year 1756.

F f a The

228 'The History of the War. i^/jg

The King of Pruflia had not time to recover from this

ftroke, under which he was yet daggering, when he receiv.

ed another blow, and a fevere one. General Durceke was

ported at the right of the Elbe, oppofite to Meif.

Dec. 4. fen ; but on the approach of a large body of Au-

flrians, they prepared to retreat over the river

into that place into which they thought their retreat fecure-

but having been obliged by an hard froft to withdraw their

bridge of boats, a thaw fupervening, when they attempted

to lay a bridge of pontoons, fo many great fragments of ice

floated in the river, that they found it imprafticable ; thev

were therefore under the necefllty of pafling over their

army in boats. Whilft they ftruggled with thefe difficul-

ties, their rear guard was attacked by the Auftrians with

great fury, and all the men that compofed it, together with

the General, were killed or made prifoners. The lofs of I

the Pruflians on this occafion is faid to have been three

thoufand killed and taken ; and this fecond furprize brought

a newdifcredit, as well as a great detriment to the Pruflianl

arms.

M. Daun was not fo carried away with this flood of fuc-
cefs, as to depart in the lead degree from his ufual cauti-
ous management. Two advantages were now obtained, i
which, with a very few efforts, might be improved, to the!
entire dcftruftion of the King of PruiTia. At lead, many I
Generals would have thought fo ; but M. Daun thought'
that the fame conduct, which, with no rifque, and with I
little lofs, had reduced the King fo low> was the mod likely,
if purfued, to bring on his entire ruin. He refolved to give
that monarch no fort of chance to recover his fortune;
Daun, after the two great victories of the Ruffians his
allies, after the two great victories he had himfclf newiy
obtained, retired behind Drefden ; and as if he had been
beaten, as often as 'c was victorious, he took reiiige in
the impregnable camp at Pirna, having fo difpofed matters
that the King of Pruflia, now too weak to fend out any
great detachments, could not prevent his communication
with Bohemia.

Whihl the King of Pruffia carried on his unfuccefsfu
campaign in Saxony, through all the rigours of the fcvcrclil
winter for many years felt in Europe ; the army of the
hts kept the field with better fortune. It is true, things I
had been fo difpofed by the obdinatc refidancc of Munrtcr,

and

1759- ^^^ History of the War. 229

and the reinforcements which arrived in the French army,
that Prince Ferdinand did not find himfelf in a condition
to force them to a decifive a6lion ; and therefore the fitu-
ation of the two armies had continued much the fame for
a confiderable time. At length Munller, after a feries of
operations, fometimes a fiege, fometimes a bloc-
kade, now broken off, and now refumed, at laft Nov. 20.
furrendered, and the garrifon capitulated for their
liberty.

Not long after this, the Hereditary Prince of Brunfwick,
all whofe enterprifes are diftinguifhed with a peculiar eclat
and fplendor, that mark them for his own, performed a fer-
vice that curbed the French, even more than the lofs of
Munfter. Prince Charles of Bevern was alfo engaged in
this defign.

The Duke of Wurtemburg had r^inewed his treaty of
fubfidy with France, and having recruited and augmented
his troops, he lay at Fulda, a great way to the right of the
French army. The Hereditary Prince formed a defign to
attack him at that diftance.

On the 28th of November, taking a fmall, but well
chofen corps of horfe and foot, and difengaging them from
their baggage, he arrived in two days at Fulda, where the
Wurtemburgers enjoyed themfelves in full fecurity. Kfeu
de joye had been ordered for that day ; the troops were all
in their beft cloaths ; the Duke had invited all the ladies in
the town to his table, and to' a ball, which he intended to
have given that very day ; but the Hereditary Prince dif-
concerted their meafures, both of war and diverfion. A
large party of the Wurtemburg troops were ported in a
plain before the town. The Hereditary Prince fell upon
them unawares in their front and flank, and drove them
into the town, into which he clofely purfued them. Here
they made fome appearance of maintaining their ground
for fome minutes, but they were foon driven out on the
other fide, and hotly purfued by the Prince of Brunfwick ;
without the town they were met by Prince Charles of Be-
vern, who had made a compafs about the place, and at-
tacked them vigoroufly as foon as they had got out of it.
Four battalions made fome refinance, and were all cut to
pieces or made prifoners ; the reft, \v\\.\\ the Duke himfelf
covered by the refiftance of thefe battalions, made a fhift
to cfcape. Above a thoufand prifoners were made on this

occ afion.

ajo ^he History of the War. 1759.

occafion ; and the Prince returned to the camp of the allies,
after having effeflually difabled this corps from performing
any thing confiderable ; and this aftion was of the greateft
confequence, as, by the difpofition of that corps at Fulda,
there was an appearance as if the French meant to form ^
communication with the army of the Empire, for the
mutual extenfion and fecurity of their winter quarters.

This entcrprife was only the prelude to another, which
promifed to be much more extenfive in its confequences.
'Ihe feafon was now grown too fevere to fufFer the allies
to pufh any further the advantages they had obtained over
the French ; at the fame iime it difabled the French from
attempting any thing confiderable againft them. Befides
thefe advantages of the feafon, by poflefTing Munfter, the
allies were no longer obliged to keep fo large a body of men
in Weftplialia. Thtfe were the confiderations which fuf-
fered Prince Ferdinand to turn his eyes to the diftrefled
flate of the King of PrufTia's affairs. After the two great
blows which that monarch had fuffered, there was no hope
of diflodging M. Daun with his fingle force ; and he was
utterly unable to avail himfclf as heretofore, of the rigour
of the feafon, to flrikc a dccifive blow. Prince Ferdinand,
dillant as he was from his diflrelTed ally, and fo near to an
enemy fupcrior in numbers, did not hefitate to fend him
fuctours, to enable him, if poffible, to make a final effort.
He detached thereiore 1 2,000 of his befl men, and placed
them under the command of the Hereditary Prince, with
whofe vigour and diligence he was perfectly acquainted,
and under whom he knew the foldiers would endure any
^o haidfliij) with chcarfulnefs. They marched from

KorfdorfF, and in the depth of the late fever?:
feafon, without lofing a man by ficknefs or defertlon, in
fifteen days, n:archcd near three hundred miles, and join-
ed tlie King of Pru(f:a at Freybourg.

This juntlion I'aifcd for a while the fpirits and hopes of
the Prufilan army, but, in cffe61:, it did more honour to
the abilities of the Hereditary Prince, than fcrvice to the
King. The feafon which fought equajly againfl all fide.,
the inacccffiblc camp at Pirna, and the caution of M. Daun,
rendered it impoffihle tor the King, notwithilanding this re-
inforcement, to make any attempt. So that after fevcral
movements in hopes of bringing the Aviflrians to an en-
gagement, he was obliged at length to dcfifl, and to fuffcr
. ,..„. the

1-759- ^^-^^ History of the War. 231

the (battered remains of his army to repofe in winter quar-
ters, after the fruitlefs fatigues of fo long, fo laborious, and
fo bloody a campaign.

The king of Pruflia did not derive the benefits that
were expefted from this detachment ; the French had no
fooner notice of it, than they attempted to avail them-
felves of the weaknefs it caufed in the allied army. The
Duke of Broglio was now at the head of the French troops ;
be had lately returned from Verfailles, having ruined th<t
character of M. de Contadcs, eftabiiflied his own, remov-
ed his rival, and, in fpight of feniority, had acquired the
marfhal's ftaff, and the command of the army. He thought
he had now an opportunity for an aftion of eclat to diftin-
guifh his entrance into command. He attempted to attack

Prince Ferdinand by furprife. But finding hint
Dec. 24. perfedly prepared, andall his ports well guarded>

he thought it moft prudent to retire to his form-
er quarters ; and with this abortive attempt clofed the ope-
rations of the German campaign, from whence France had
entertained fuch fanguine hopes ; leaving to Prince Ferdi-
nand the glory of taking Munfter in the prefence of one of
their armies, and of fecuring his own ports againft all their
efforts, after he had, from an inferior number, detached
12,000 men three hundred miles from his camp.

CHAP. IX.

The preparatiotif at Vannes and Breji. The Englijh fl^^ct
driven fr'>m their Jiation. The a^ion near Belleijl^.
French fleet defeated. War in the Eafl Indies in I7«;8.
French fleet under M. d'^Acbe twice beaten. M. de Lally
takes Fort St. David^ff and repulfed at Tanjour. Lay
ftege to Madrafs. Obliged to raife the ftege. Conclufhn
of the annals of I 759.

THE fe verity of the winter could not put a ftop to the ^
operations of the land armies; it had no more effeO
upon the operations at fca, which went on with vigour, in
fpight of the inclement, y of the feafon. The invafion
proje£ted by France, which the engagement off Cape
Lagos had retarded, was by no means laid afide.

The preparations for a naval equipment in the har-
bour of Breft, and for tranfporting a body of forces from

V^anncs

%ZZ

'The History of the War. ly^^

Vannes, went on continually. The winter did not delay
thefe preparations, bectrnfe it was hoped that in that feafon,
the Britlfh fleet might be obliged to take refuge in their
own harbours; and thus might afford an opportunity for
the French fleet to come out unoppofed, and to execute the
objeft of their deftination before the Britifli navy could be
in readinefs to encounter them.

In fafl:, they were not wholly difappointed in their ex-
pectations. A violent florm forced Sir Edward Hawke to
quit his flation off Breft. He came with his whole fleet to
anchor in Torbay.

The French fleet availed itfelf of his abfence to
Nov. 14. put to fea. The whole Englifh nation was

alarmed ; but it was an alarm which produced
no hurry or difturbance, but vigorous, cool, and fettled
methods for defence.

And now the event of the whole war was put to the iffue ;
for upon the good or ill fuccefs of this flroke every thing

depended. Admiral Hawke loft not a moments
Nov. 14. time to put again to fea, and to feek the French

fleet. Beth fquadrons put to fea on the famt
day ; Sir Edward Hawke from Torbay, M. de Conflans
from Breft. There was a difference of but one fliip of the
line in their forces.

It is impoffible here to pafs over the gallant behaviour of
one of our Admirals, as it helps to mark the genius and fpi-
rit of this happy time, and as this is one of the fineft inftan-
ces of it. Admiral Saunders came into port from his Qiie-
bee expedition immedi.itely after Hawke had failed. After
fuch a long voyage and fo fcvcre a campaign, unbroken by
fraiguc, and ftill Infatiatcd with glory, he determined im-
mediately to fet fail again, and partal'c the honour and
danger of the coming engagement. For this purpofe no
time was to be loft, and he had no orders. But he thouglu
the exigencies of his country fufficient orders; and he
knew that at this time the letter of military difcipline would
never be fet againft its fpirit. He thercf{;re fet fail without
waiting for orders with ten fhips ; but fortune did not fav-
our the gcncrofuy of his intentions, and he did not join the
Britifli fleet time enough for the engagement.

As Sir Edward Hawke concluded that the firft rendez-
vous of the enemy's fleet would be at Quiberon, he dired-
cA his couric with all diligence for that bay. But here

S^EdW^HaWKE Adniir^ofdieWInte

V ' '•'■1 i'

' >lf!i

1759'

again forti
for a ftron
glifli fleet
became m
(hore. A
the enemy
Belleiile ai
Hawke
wifhed for
reach. Bi
would hav
haps any <
public fafe
will appeal
(hoals, arK
means well

•-*Jv^ ■ ■ lefs than 1

high. In
llrong fqua
which the)
lies only ar
neft (hips ii
navy, and
officers in
felf. Hec
to chafe, i
of the fleet
M. Con
and fight i
fome time
giving the ^
too late, h<
time he Ih
iher.

At half
fury. In
line, one f
his fliip to
he laid aloi
French na^
remonftrat
Ilawke an
" monllra

1759- ^^^ Hi's TORY of the Wa r. 233

again fortune for a while feemed to declare for the French ;
for a ftrong wind blown in an.eafterly point, drove the En-
fflilh fleet a great way to the weftward ; but at length it
became more favourable, and bore them in diredly to the
ihore. About eight o'clock the headmoft fhips discovered
the enemy bearmg to the northward, between the ifland of
Belleille and the main land of France.

Hawke faw at laft what he had fo long, and fo ardently
wiflied for, (though hitherto in vain) the enemy in his
reach. But yet there were fuch difficulties in his way, as
would have checked a very cautious commander, or per-
haps any commander in circumftances Icfs critical to the
public fafety. On the flighted infpeftion of the chart it
will appear, that all this fea is fown thick with fands and
(hoals, and fliallows and rocks ; our pilots were by no
means well acquainted with it ; and the wind blew little
lefs than a violent ftorm, and the waves ran mountain
high. In thefe circumftances they were to attack a very
ftrong fquadron of the enemy on their own coaft, with
which they were perfe6lly acquainted. All thefe difficul-
iies only animated the Englifli Admiral. In one of the fi-
ned fliips in the world, commanding the flower of the Britifti
navy, and feconded by fome of the moft tried and braveft
officers in the feryice ; and above all not dubious of him-
felf. He ordered the ftiips neareft the enemy immediately
10 chafe, and, by engaging them, to give time for the reft
of the fleet to come up.

M. Conflans had two choices, either to fly, or to ftand
and fight it out. But he followed neither perfe6lly ; for
fome time he appeared as if he meant to fight ; but after
giving theBritilh fhips time to come near him, when it was
too late, he crouded all the fail he could carry; at the fame
time he fliewed an attention to keep all his fquadron toge-
ther.

At half an hour after two, the a^ion bcf^an with great
fury. In two hours the enemy had loft three fliips of the
line, one ftruck, two were funk outright. Hawke ordered
his fliip to referve her fire, to pafs by all the others, and to
he laid along fide of the Soleil Royal, the beft fliip in the
French navy, and commanded byM. de Conflans ; the mafter
remonftrated on the almoft inevitable danger of the coaft^.
Hawke anfwered, " You have done your duty in this re-
" monllrance ; now obey my orders, and lay me along

G g " fide

234 ^^^ History of the War. i^rg

** fide the French admiral." A French fhip of 70 guns
generoufly put himfelf between them ; Hawke was obliged
to beftow here the fire he had referved for a greater occa-
fion, and at one broadfide funk her to the bottom. The
headmoft of the EngHfti fhips fired on the enemy as they
came up to them, ^ind then pafied on to others, leaving
thofe behind to improve their fuccefs, and deftroy or take
them ; and by this method they had got up quite to the
van of the enemy, and would have totally deflroyed their
fleet, had not night interpofed to fave them. Before night
came on, the enemy's fleet was much difperfed j but in the
eagernefs of the purfuit, two of the Englifli (hips unfortu-
nately run upon a fand, called the Four, and were loft.
The enemy fled in to their own coaft. Seven ihips of the
line threw overboard all their guns, and efcaped into the
River Villaine ; about as many more got out to fea, and
made for other ports.

Nothing could be conceived more dreadful than the night
which fucceeded this aftion. A violent ftorm blew all night
long. It was a pitchy darknefs ; a dangerous coaft fur-
rounded them on almoft all fides. A continual firing of
diftrefs guns was heard, without knowing whether they
came from friend or enemy; and on account of the badnels
of the coaft and the darknefs of the night, our people were
equally unable to venture to their afliftance.

When morning came on, they found the French Admi-
ral had run his (hip, and another called the Heros, on ftiore ;
the firft was fet on fire by the enemy, the other by our
feamen. Thus concluded this remarkable 2idiion(c)i in

which

Sir Edzvard Haivke's Letter to Mr. C/evlanJ, Secretary to the

Admiralty.

Royal George^ off Penris Pointy Nov. 24.

6' / /?,

IN my letter of the 17th, bye:cprefs, I defired you would ac-
quaint their lordfhips with my havine received intelligence of
18 ml of the line and three frigntes of the Brejl fquadron, being
difcovered about 24 leagues to the N. W. of Belleijle, fteering to
the eaftward ; all the prifoners however agree, that on the day

* Rocks fo calle

ifj^g. The History of the War. 235

which the French had four capital Ihips deftroyed, one ta-
ken, and the whole of their formidable navy, in which con-
fifted the laft hope of their marine, (hattered, difarmed,
and difperfed. The long threatened invafron which was

we chafed them, their fquadron confifted, according to the ac-
companying lift, of four (hips of 80, fix of 74, three of 70,
eight of 64. one frigate of 36, one of 34, and one of 16 guns,
with a fmall veflel to looic out. They failed from Brejl the 24th
inft. the fame day I failed from Torbay.

Concluding that their firft rendezvous would be ^iberorty the
inftant I received the intelligence, I diredted my courfe thither
with a preft fail. Ar the firil wind blowing hard, at S. by E. and
S. drove us confiderably to the weftward. But on the i8th and
19th, though variable, it proved more favourable. In the mean
time, having been joined by the Maidjhne and Coventry frigates,
\ direfted their commanders to keep a head of the fquadron : one
on the (larboard and the other on the larboard bow. At half paft
eight o'clock in the morning of the 20th, BelleiJIe, by our reckon-
ing, bearing E. by N. one fourth N. the Maidjlone made the
fignal for feeing a fleet, I immediately fpread abroad the fignal fc*
aline abreaft, in order to draw all the (hips of the fquadron up
with me. I had before fent the Magnanime a-head, to makie
the land. At three fourths pad: nine (he made fignal for an ene-
my. Obferving, on my difcorering them, thaf they made off, I
tiirew out the ugnal, for the feven (hips neareil them to chafe,
and draw into a line of battle a-head of me, and endeavour to
ftop them till the reft of the fquadron (hould come up, who were
alfo to form as they chafed, that no time niight be ioft in the pur-
fuit. That morning there were in chafe the Rochejier^ Chat'
ham, Portland, Falkland, Minerva, Vengeance and Venus^ all
which joined me about eleven o'clock ; and, in the evening, the
Saphire from ^iberon bay. All the day we had very fre(h gales,
at N. W. and W. N. W, with heavy fqualls.

M. Conjians continued going olF under fuch fail as his fquadron
could carry, and at the fame time keep together, while we
crowded after them with every fail our (hips could bear. At half
pall two, P. M. the (ire beginning a-head, I made the fignal for
engaging. We were then to the fouthward of Belleijle, and the
Fiencb admiral headmoft, foon after led round the Cardinals* ,
while his rear was in aftion. About four o'clock the Formidable
Aruck, and a little after, the Thefee and Superb were funk. About

* Rocks (b called.

G g 2

five

236 The History of the War. 175^.

to repair their lofles in every part of the world, was dijTi-
pated, and the credit of their arms broken along with their
forces. The behaviour of the EngUfh captains and feamen,

five the Heros ftruck, and came to an anchor, but it blowing hard,
no boat could be fent on board her. Night was now -come, and
being on a part of the coaft, among iflaiids and (hoals, of which
we were totally ignorant, without a pilot, as was the greateft
part of the fquadron, and blowing hard on a lee ihore, I made
the fignal to anchor, and c^me to in fifteen fathom water, the
ifland of Dumer bearing E. by N. between t v ^ ano three miles,
the Cardinai- W. half S. and the flee ' "^ of Crozie S. E. as ve
found next morning.

In the night we heard many guns of » "'•efj l j-c^, but blow-
ing hard, want of knowledge of the coaft, and • aether they
were fired I v a friend or an enemy, prevented all means of re-
lief

By day-break of the 21ft, we difcovered one of our fhips dif-
mafted afhore on the Four^, the French Heros alfo, and the.SWw/
Royal, which under cover of the night had anchored among us,
cut and run afhore to the weftward of Crozie. On the latter's
moving, I made the EJJex^s fignai to flip and purfue her, but ilie
unfortunately got upon the Four, and both (he and the Refolutm
are irrecoverably loft, notwithftanding we font them all theaflift-
ance that the weather would permit. About four fcore of the
Refolution'% company, in fpite of the ftrongeft remonftrances of
their captain, made rafts, and, with feveral Fr^-wt^ prifoners be-
longing to the Formidable y put off", and I am afraid, drove out to
fea . All the EJfex's are faved (with as many of the ftores as pof-
fible) except one lieutenant and a boat's crew, who were drove
on the French fliore, and have not been heard of: the remains of
both (hips have been fet on fire. We found the Dorfetjhire, Re-
'venge, and Defiance, in the night of the zoih put out to fea; as
I hope the Siviftfure did, for flie is ftill mifiing. Tiie Dorfetjliiri
and Defiance returned next day, and the latter faw the Revenue
without. Thus, what lofs we have fuftained has been ov/ing to
the weather not the enemy, feven or eight of whole line of battle
fliips got to fea, I believe, the night of the adion.

Asfoon as it was broad day-light in the morning of the sift, I
difcovered {'even or eight of the enemy's line of battle lliips at
•anchor, between Point Penris, and the river Fillaine ; on v/liich
1 made the fignal to weigh, in order to work up and attack them;
but it blowcd fo hard from the N. W. that inftcad of daring to
cuft the fquadron loofe, 1 was obliged to ftrike top-gallant mall?.

§ A Sand I3ank- Moll

,.759- ^f^^ History of the War. 237

on the contrary, added as much to the glory of the Britifh
arms, as to the fafety of their country. Perhaps there ne-
ver was a naval engat^ement of fuch extent, in which no

captain

Mod of thofe fliips appeared to be a-ground at low water : but on
the flood, by lightening them, and the advantage of the wind un-
der the land, all except two got that night into the river Fil-
Inine. ^ "^

The weather being moderate on the zzd, I fent the Portland^
Chatham, and Vengeance to deftroy the Soleil Royal and Heros.
The French^ on the approach of our fliips, fet the firfl; on fire, and
foon after the latter met the fame fate from our people. In the
mean time I got under way, and worked up within Penris Pointy
as well for the fake of its being a fafer road, as to deftroy, if
poffible, the two fliips of the enemy which ftill lay without th.»
yUlaine ; but before the fliips I fent a-head for that pnrpofe
could get near them, being quite light, and with the tide of flood,
they got in.

All the 23d we were employed in reconnoitring the entrance of
that river, which is very narrow, and only twelve feet water on
the bar, at low water. We difcovered at leaft; feven, if not
eight, line of battle fliips about half a mile within, quite light,
and two large frigates moored acrofs, to defend the mouth of the
river ; only the frigates appeared to have guns in.

By evening I had twelve long boats fitted as fire-fliips, ready to
attemptburning them, under convoy of the Saphire and Co'ventry ;
but the weather being bad, and the wind contrary, obliged me to
defer it, till at leaft the latter fliould be favourable : if they can,
by any means be deftroyed, it (hall be done.

In attacking a flying enemy, it was impolTible in the fpace of a
fliort winter's day, that all our fliips fliould be able to get into ac-
tion, or all thofe of the enemy brought to it. The commanders
and companies of fuch as did come up with the rear of the Frsnchy
on the 20th, behaved with the greateft intrepidity, and gave the
ftrongcft proof of a true Britijh fpirit. In the fame manner I am
fatistied, would thofe have acquitted themfelves, whofe bad go-
ing fliips, 01 the diftance rhey were nt in the morning, prevented
from getting up. Our lols by the enciny is not confiderable ; for
in the fliips which are now with me, I find only one lieutenant,
and 39 Teamen and marines killed, and about 202 wounded.
When I confider the feafon of the year, the hard gales of wind
on the day of adion, a flying enemy, the fliortnefs of the day,
a'ld the coart we are on, I can boldly aflirm, that all thiat pofli-
bly could be done, has been done. As to the lofs we have fuf-

tained.

238 The History of the War. 17^^,

captain was accufed, nor even In any degree fufpefted of
mifbehaviour or cowardice ; in which thofe who engaged
and thofe who did not, gave proofs that they were equally
ardent in the fervice of their country.

Thofe

tained, let it be placed to the neceflity I was under of tuning all
rifles to break this (Irong force of the enemy : had we had but two
hours more day-light, the whole had been totally deftroyed or
taken, for we were almoH: up with their van when night overtook
us.

Yefterday came in here the Pallas, Fortune floop, and the Pro-
ferpine fire-fliip. On the i6th I had difpatched the Fortune to
^tbecy with direftions to captain Duffy to keep directly on his
guard. In his way thither he fell in with the Pbebe, a French fri-
gate of 40 guns, under jury-mafts, and fought her fevcral hours.
During the engagement lieutenant Stuart, 2d of the Ramilies,
whom I had appointed to command her, was unfortunately killed ;
the furviving officers, on confulting together, refolved tq leave
her, as (he proved too ftrong for them, I have detached captain
Toung to ^iberon bay with Hve fliips, and am making up a flying
fquadron to fcour the coaft to the ifle of .^ix, and if practicable,
to attempt any of the enemy's fliips that may be there.

/ am J Sir, l^c.

EDWARD HAWKE.

L I ST of Ships 'with Sir Edzvard Hatuke, Nov. 20, 1759.

Ships.

Royal George,

Union,

Duke,

Nauiur,

Mars,

Warfpight,

Hercules,

Torbay,

Magnanime,

Refolution,

Hero,

Guns. Men.

lOO

90
90

74
74

74
74
74
74

880

90 770

750
780
600
600
600
700
700
600
600

Commanders.

Sir Edward Hawke,

Capt. Campbell.

Sir Charles Hardy,

Capt. Evans.

Capt. Graves.

Capt. Buckle.

J. Young, Efqj Commodore.

Sir John Bentley.

Capt. Fortefcue.

Hon. Capt. Keppel.

Right Hon. Lord Howe.

Capt. Speke.

Hon. Capt. Edgcumbe.

Swiftfure,

1759' The History of the W A K, 239

Thofe who think fuch matters deferving of their notice,
have obferved, that this decifive naval engagement, the
furrender of the Pruflian troops at Maxen, and the taking
of Munfter, happened on the fame day, the 20th of No-
vember.

This

Ships.

Swiftfure,

Dorfetfliire,

Burford,

Chichefter,

Temple,

Revenge,

Eflex,

Kingfton,

Intrepid,

Montague,

Dunkirk,

Defiance,

The following Frigates joined Sir Edward Hawke between Ujbant

and Belleijle.

uns.

Men.

Commanders.

520

Sir Thomas Stanhope

520

Capt. Denis.

520

Capt. Gambler.

520

Capt Willet.

520

Capt. Waft. Shirley.

480

Capt. Storr.

480

Capt. O'Brien.

400

Capt. Shirley.

420

Capt. Maplefden.

420

Capt. Rowley.

420

Capt. Dieby.

420

Capt. Baird.

Rochefter,

Portland,

Falkland,

Chatham,

Minerva,

Venus,

Vengeance,

Coventry,

Maid (lone,

Saphire,

50
50
50
SO
3»
36
28
28
28
32

350 Capt.

220 Capt.

240 Capt.

200 Capt.

aoo Capt.

200 Capt.

220 Capt.

Duff.

Arbuthnot.

Drake.

Lockhart.

Hood.

Harrifon.

Nightingale.

Burfleni.

Diggs.

Strachan.

LIST of the French Squadron which came out of Brejly Novem-
ber 14, 1759.

1200 M. Conflans, Admiral.

f M. Beaufremont, Vice-Ad-
'°°°i miral.

r M. de St. Andre du Verger,

Le Soleil Royal,

Le Tonnant,

Le Formidable,

toco

Rear-Admiral.

Le Orient,

240 ^''-'^' History of the War. i^fg

This was the conclufion of the French affairs in Europe.
The iflue of the campaign in America had not been more
favourable to them. Although the events in the Eaft Indies
belong properly to the laft year, yet, as the accounts did
not arrive until this, and that the actions there were of
great importance, and equally fortunate on our fide, it is
proper that we fliould take fome notice of them here.

The

Ships.

Le Orient,

L'lntrepide,

Le Glorieux,

Le Thefee,

L'Heros,

Le Robufte,

Le Magnifique,

Le Jufte,

Le Super be,

Le Dauphin,

Le Dragon,

Le Northumberland, 64

Guns. Men. Commanders,

t#
74
74

74
70

Le Sphinx,
Le Solitaire,
Le Brilliant,
L'Eveille,
Le Bizarre, •'»
L'lnflexible, >
L'Hebe,
La Veftale,
L' Aigrette,
Le Calypfo,
Le Prince Noir, a
look out.

64
«4
64
64

1000
81

800

750

3<
16

fmall veflel to

{

M. Guebriant, Chef d'Efca-
dre.

The above (hips were all in company when the aflion began,
except the Hebe frigate. •

Admiral Saunders was not prefent at the engagement, which
he fought with fo much honour, as he did not join Admiral
Hanvke until fome time after.

General Toivnjbend came from the fleet with the exprefs, the
fate of the enemy being determined ; he refufed to be put on
ihore when the Admiral declared his intentions of feeking the ene-
my, but went with him as a volunteer.

1759- ^bf History of the War. 241

The Englifti had by no means that fuperiority over the
French in the Eaft Indies, which they had in America. It
was here the French Teemed to have made thofe efforts, by
which they hoped in fome degree to ballance their loffes in
other parts. They had a very ftrong fquadron under M.
d'Ache in thofe feas. M. de Lally, an officer of credit, and
of greater rank than had ufually been fent on that fervice,
commanded a body of 2000 Europeans, a great army, in
a country where the name of an European is itfeif a ftrength.
In the beginning, their fuccefs feemed proportioned to
their forces ; they took the fort and tity of St. David's.
But in a very fliort time the ill ftar of France, which in no
part of the world fet well on their affairs, began to influ-
ence them here. M. d*Ache, in two naval engagements,
was worfted, and prevented from co-operating with the
land forces for the reft of the campaign. And had the fpirit
and conduft of Admiral Pococke been as well feconded by
fome of his captains, as it was by others, there is great
reafon to believe, that the French naval power had been as
effedually deftroyed in thofe feas, as it has been in thofe of
Europe.

Notwithftanding thefe checks, it was neceffary that M.
Lally fhould a£t. But it was not only the difgrace of the
French fleet, but an extreme want of money which delayed
his operations. A Prince of the country, the King of Tan-
jour, appeared the only refource which was open. To
this prince he applied for a confiderable fum of money,
which being refolutely refufed, he carried the war into his
dominions, and laid fiege to his capital city. But after lying
feveral days before it, and after having even made a prac-
ticable breach, the (kill of fome Engliih gunners, the want
of provifions and ammunition, and the diforders which
reigned in his army, obliged him to return without the
money, and with the mortification of being beaten from a
place, only fortified after the Indian manner.

This failure in their pecuniary expedations, and their
repulfe from an Indian town, were bad encouragements to
the undertaking of an enterprize againft an Eur pean ene-
mj, and a fortification in fome degree regular, bat having
feized upon a Dutch veffel, as it is thought much with its
own confent, which contained a large treafure, they fet
out at length to befiege Madrafs. But here their fuccefs

H h waf

242 ^^ History of the War. \j^g

was no better than at Tanjour, tho' their ftrength was
greater, and iheir efforts much more obftinate.

Colonel Draper and Major Brereton defended the place
with the utmofl fkill and bravery. Mr. Pigot likewife with
equal generofity and prudence, feconded their endeavours,
by the fupplies of ftores and ammunition, which were ad-
mirably diftributed, and co-operated with the military with
a firmnefs and intrepidity, by which he obtained an honour
equal to any in the defence of the place. Whilft the town
was defended with great fpirit within ; parties were conti-
nually fent out, which fo infefted the roads through which
the enemy's convoys were to pafs, that their army in the
trenches were infinitely weakened by the detachments
which they were obliged to fend out. After a fiege of more
than two months, they were obliged to abandon their en.
terprize, and by that means renounce for ever all thofe fan-
guine hopes, which they had entertained from the forces
in this part of the world. The Rnglifh, on the contrary,
went on from fuccefs to fucccfs. Whilft they defeated the
French on the Eaftcrn coaft of the great peninfula of India,
on the Weftern they took the great and opulent city ot
Surat from the powers of the country, with very little lofs.

General Lally left Madrafs in the utmoft tranfports ot
rage and defpair, which a man of honour and ability in hi»
profedion can feel, who is ill feconded by his troops, ne-
glebed by thofe who ought to fupport him, and cheated hy
the villainy of contraftors, and of all thofe who turn war
into a low traffick (a. J His letter is a (trong and very ftriking

pidure

(a) Gen. Lolly's Letter to M. tie Lyrit, dated Madrafs ^ the i \th

of February, 1759.

A Good blow might be ftruck here : There ts a fliip in the
roa(J, of 2C guns, laden with all the riches of Madraft,
which it is faid will remain there till the 2o:h. The Expediim
ia juft arrived, but M. Gorlin is not a man to attack her : for (he
has made him run away once before. The Brijlol on the other
hand did but jud make her .ippcarance before St. Thomas ; and
on the vague report of thirteen Ihips coming from Porto Novo,
flic took fneht ; and after landing the provifions with which (he
was laden, flie would not (lay long enough even to take on board
twclv^ of her own guns, which (he had lent us for the fiege.

1759- ^^^ History of the War. 243

pifture of thefe agitations ; and certainly it is worthy of
remark, that every where there (hould appear fomething
niore unaccountably wrong and weak in the management
of the French, than has been in the condud of that or
almoft any other nation at any time. It feems to argue an

eHential

If I was the judge of the point of honour of the company's
officers, i wouhi break him like glafs, as well as fome others of
fbem.

The FiJet/e, or Hurlem^ or even the aforefald Briftol^ with the
twelve 2;uns reftored to her, would be fufHcient to make them-
felves mafters of the Englijb fhip, if they could manage fo as to
get to the windward of her in the night. Maugendie and 'Tremii'
Htr are faid to be good men ; and were they employed only to
tranfport 200 wounded men, that we have here, tneir fervice
would be of importance.

Wc remain flill in the fame pofaion : the breach made thefe
Hfteen days ; all the time within Bfteen toifes of the wall of the
place, and never holding up our heads to look at it.

I reckon we (hall at our arrival at Pondkberry endeavour to
le(»rn fome other trade, for this of war requires too much patience.

Of 1 500 Cipayes which attend our army, I reckon near 800 are
employed upon the road to Pondicherry, laden with fugar, pepper,
and other goods ; and as for the Cauiis they are all employed for
the fame purpole, from the firft day we came here.

1 am taking my meafures from this day to fet fire to the B/ack
7own, and to blow up the powder mills.

You will never imagine, that $0 French deferters, and 100
Swifs, are aftually (lopping the progrefs of 2000 men of the
King's and Company's troops, which are ftill here exitHng, not-
withftanding the exaggerated accounts that every one makes here,
according to his own fancy, of the (laughter that has been of
them J and you will be ftill more furpri/ed, if I tell you, that,
were it not for the two combats and four battles we fuftained, and
for the batteries which failed, or to fpeak more properly, which
were unfkilfuUy made, we (hould not have loft 50 men, from the
commencement of the fiege to this day.

I have wrote to M. deLanbe, that if he perlifts In not coming
here, let who will raile money upon the Paleagers for me, I will
not do it : And I renounce (as I informed you a month ago I
would do) meddling direftly or indiredlly with any thing what-
ever, that may have relation to your adminiftratlon, whether
civil or military. For I bad rather go, and command the Caffrtt
of Mndagafcafy than remain in this Stdom ; which it is impoflible

H h A but

55i;imN:ir'*«^'*5'^''

^mm

244 ^^^ History of the War. i*^^q

cfTential and radical fault in fonie fuperior part of their
government, more eafily indeed vifible in its confequences
than difcoverable in its caufe.

In Europe they received offers of peace from the Kings
of Great Britain and Pruflia. But as they did not expcft
from their fituation, "cry advantageous or honourable
terms, they refolvcd to a£l, in one inftance, the Roman
part, and flill hold out, determined to hazard the laft ex-
tremities ; perhaps, hoping fomething favourable from the
fortune of their allies, fmcc their own had deferted them •
and refolving to contract their plan, and to make one ftrong
effort in one part, rather than unprofitably to wade their
ftrength upon fcveral inferior objefts. This effort could
be made with any profpefl of fuccefs only in Germany, (a)

But

but the fire of the Englijb muft deftroy, fooner or later, even
though that from Heaven fhould not.

/ ha've the honour to he, Cjff . t^c.
Signed, L A L L Y.

P. S. I think it neccffary to apprize you, that, as M. dt
Soupire has Tefufed to take upon him the command of this army,
which I have oflered to him, and which he is impowered to ac-
cept, by having received from the court a duplicate of my com-
mlHion, you muft of neccifity, together with the council, take
it upon you. For my pa- ^ I undertake only to bring it back
either to Arcotte or Sniirajle. Send therefore your orders, or
come yourfelf to commanci it j for I rtiall quit it upon my arri-
val there.

(a) The Due de Belleijle's Letter to Marfhal Contades, dated
rerfai/lesy July 23, 1759.

J'Ai toujours pcur queFifcher
ne foil parti trop tard : II eft
cepcndant hicn important, ct
bien cft'cntiel que nous pui/Kons
tircr lie grolfcs lontributions. )e
ne vois dc rcHourccs pour nos
Depcnfcs les plus urgentes, et
pourKsrcparatmnsdcs Troupe^,
que dans I'Argtntque nous pour-

rous

I AM ftill afraid that Fifchcr
fet out too late : It is, how-
ever, very important, and very
effential that we fhould raile
large contributions. I fee no
other refource for our nioft ur-
gent expcnccs, and for refitting
the troops, but in the money
we may draw from the enemy's

country j

,-^p. I'ke History of the War. 245

gut the fuppUes neceffary for this great charge were
difficult to a nation, whofe trade was wholly deftroyed.
On this occafion they did not fcruple to break in upon

the

rons avoir du Pais enemy ; d'ou
ilfaudraegalement titer des lub-
fiftancesde toutes Efpeces, inde-
pendamment de I'Argent, c'eft
a dire des Foins, dec Failles, des
Avoinespourl'Hyver, desBleds,
des Beftiaux, des Chevaux, et
meme des Hommes pour recru-
ter toutes nos Troupes Etran-
geres. La Guerre ne doit pas
ctre prolong^e, et peut-6tre fau-
drat-il, fuivant les Evenemens
qui arriveront d'ici a la Fin de
Septembre, faire un veritable
Defert en avant de la Ligne des
Quartiers, oue Ton jugera i. pro-
pos de tenir pendant THyver,
afin que TEnnemi fe trouve dans
une Impoflibilitd reelle d'en
pouvoir aprocher en nous re-
i'ervant de la Subfiilance feule-
inent fur la Route qui pourra
nous convenir de prendre dans
le milieu de I'Hyver, pour cul-
buter ou enlevert nous monies
les Quartiers des Ennemis. C'eft
pour pouvoir remplir cet Ob-
jet, que je fais travailler fans
Ralache a tout ce qu'il faut pour
que toutes vos "^rroupes, fans
Kxccption, foient bien nabilldcs,
bicn armtes, bien equipdes, ct
bien rcpar^cs, en tout Point,
avant la Fin de Novembre, avec
des Tcntes neuves, pourque ft
celaconvient aux Affaires Poli-
tiques ou Militaires du Roy,
vous puililez aircinblcr Ic tout
oil partie de votre Aini<?e pour
ajjir ottVnfivcment ct avcc Vi-

jiucr,

country j from whence we muft
likewife procure fubiiftence of
all kinds, (independently of the
money) that is to fay, hay, ftraw,
oats, for the winter, bread, corn,
cattle, horfes, and even men to
recruit our foreign troops. The
war muft not be prolonged, and
perhaps it may be neceflary, ac-
cording to the events which may
happen between this time and
the end of September ^ to make
a down right defert before the
line of the quarters, which it
may be thought proper to keep
during the winter, in order that
the enemy may be under a real
impoflibihty of approaching us :
at the fame time referving for
ourfelves a bare fubfiftence on
the route, which may be the
m ift convenient for us to take
in the middle of winter to beat
up, or feize upon the enemy's
quarters. That this objeft may
be fultilled, I caufe the greateft
alliduity to be ufed in prepnring
what is neceflary for havmg all
your troops, without exception,
well cloathed, well armed, well
equipped, and well refitted in
every refpeft, before the end of
No'vetnber, with new tents, in
order that, if it (hall l^eadvifea-
blc for the king's political and
military afl^airs, you niay be able
to aflemblc the whole, or part
of your army, to a£t offenfively,
and with vi^ur, from the be-
ginning of January^ and that

you

■Rr pxi-mr

mm'-

246 7he History of the War. i^^^

the public faith, and to find fupplies for one year in an
expedient, that ftruck at the fources of all future credit.
They (topped the payment on nir ny public bills and funds*
The King th cv in h:R own plf^re into the public ftoclc
as an exarr.p'?, ^n1 z requell that others ftiould contri-
bute in the \\vuk manner from their private fortune, to the
neceflities ot the (late j tho' fcveral of the nobility, and
many churches and convents fent in their plate, there wai
yet a general backwardnefs to give into this method of fup.
ply, and to truft the public with fo confiderable part of their
fubftance at the inftant when they faw it fo notorioufly
break its faith in other particulars.

However,

guer, des le commencement de
Janvier, et que vous ayez la
Satisfa6lion de montrer a nos
Ennemis, et d toute I'Europe,

Jiue les Francois fcavent agir et
aire la Guerre en routes Saiibns,
quand ils ont un general tel que
vous, et un Minidre Miiitaire
qui fcait prevoir et fe concerter
avec le General.

Vous fentez, Monf. le Mare-
chal, que ce que je vous dis
peut devenir non fculment utile
et honorable, mais peut-etre
nieme neceflaire rclativement a
ce que vous fcavez, et dont jc-
vous pnrierai encore dans uia
Lettre particulicre.

(Signd) M. Duc.de

you may have the fatisfaflion to
(hew our enemies, and all Eu-
rope, that the French know how
to a£t and carry on war, in all
feafons, when they have fuch a
general as you are, and a mi-
nifter of the department of war,
that can forefee and concert
matters with the general.

You muft be fenfible. Sir, that
what T fay to you may become
not only ufeiul and honourable,
but perhaps even ncce(rary with
refpeft to what you know, and
of which I (hall fay mure in my
private letters.

Belleine.

* The French court ftopt payment of the following pub-
lic debts, viz. i. The three kinds of rents created on the polls,
a. Thofc conftituicd upon the chert of redemption. 3. The
coupons of bills on the fame chert. 4. Thofe of the two royal
lotteries. 5. The reiiiiburfcmenr of bills drawn to bearer on the
fame chert. 6. The bills of the two royal lotteries. 7. The
rents created on the two fols per pound of the tenth penny. 8.
The rtimburiemcnt of the capitals of rents. 9. The paymentj
of bills difchargcr'' ,v in nine years, under the name of annuities.
10 Tlioii? of the nov. aflions on rhe benefit of the farms. 11.
AM the bills drnwn by the colonies upon the government, amount-
ing to 1,333,000].

1759' ^^' History cf the V7aR. 247

Howevtr, thtfe re<'jnrccs, fuch as i'\?y a*-? will enable
them to keep ♦I-e v a- on 'Oct. Ti;cy lurn their whole at-
tention to Germi^n*/, where they have very greatly aug-
niented their -my, ;ind placed it under a general, from
whom thty have fume l.opes, after their repeated difap-
pointments, and the frequent changes they have made.
They propofe alfo another army under the prince de Sou-
bife ; if they can compafs this latter proje6t, as it is believ-
ed they may, the fyftem ot Germany is dill in very immi-
nent danger. For notv/ithftanding the tried goodnefs of
our troops, and the afii'iirablc commander at the hei d of
them, it it certain, even with any reinforcements we may
be able to fend, we (hall find it very difficult to contend
with two armies, fuppofing thai we (hall have no other
than French armies to contend with, and that the King of
Pruflia ihould be able, as he has hitherto been, to find
employment for the many, the powerful, and the implaca-
ble enemies that furrouna him.

It is certain he is much reduced ; and that his refources
are nearly exhaufted. Thefe are fafts which cannot be
concealea ; and yet <bme glimmering of hopes may be ftill
perceived, when v/i* confider the admirable talents for war
and government, vhich that monarch polfeflTes; and when
we confider c\ en the events of the laft (to him) unfortunate
campaign ; where after having fuffered four capital defeats,
and having obtained no one confiderable advantage, he has
yet continued ir? ionie fort fuperior in the field ; the enemy
has not been able to make the leaft impreffion upon his do-
minions ; and he has, at laft, more than divided Saxony
with them; the city of Drefden is all that they poflTefs in
that country, and the acquifition of which has been the only
friut of four campaigns, and four vi£\ories in one campaign,
and the efforts of the united forces of Auftiia, Ruflia, and
the Empire, to fay nothing of France and Sweden.

As for Great Britain, flie has only to fear from her con-
nexions. In no one year fince (he was a nation, has (he
been favoured with fo many fiicccfles, both by fca and land,
and 111 every quarter of the globe ; nor have her officers,
both by fea and land, ever done more honour to their coun-
try, by their (kill and braver). And \vith regard to the in-
ternal adminiftration, it fumces to f.iy, J:hat whilft France
became bankrupt, without delay or murnuiring tliere have
been more than fix millions borrowed in »j»g'und at a ver\

caly

, ;Iamr^^^HBHfl

^HB

^^^^^^I^HB

B'.iiB

li'i

'^^^^^^1

''^^^^^H

iii:

?^iU

'"m

P^^^^H

W-v

248 T'/frtf History of the War. ly^g

eafy rate ; and that the intereil on this immenfe fum has
been made good by a fingle tax upon malt, which will
fcarce be felt by the people. By this the refources of
England may be imagined ; efpeciaiiy if we conflder, that
highly as we are taxed for the neceflary charges of the war*
we have not been prevented from great and expenfive vo-
luntary exertions of public fpirit and beneficence. The
cities of London and Weftminfter, and after their example
other towns, made a large fubfcription for enliding ibldiers.
Subfcriptions were alfo carried on to a great amount, for
cloathing the enemies prifoners, abandoned through the
neglect or poverty of their fovereign ; and for adminifter-
ing to the relief of the families of thofe who had fallen in
the battles of Quebec and Minden. Thus a£luated by the
warmed patriotifm, which far from extinguifliing, feemed
to kindle a beneficence towards our enemies in their diftrefs.
The condition of F^urope, which all people thought
would have been decided in this campaign, is nearly as du-
bious as ever ; and the difficulties which oppofe themfelves
to a peace are rather augmented than diminifhed. Here
then we clofe the fcene, and conclude the events of the
prefcnt year ; in the next we hope, notwithftanding appear-
ances, after fo many fcenes of horror, to have the more
pleafing talk of relatmg the ftep^ tiken to a general peace,
on terms as particularly advaiU.rgeous to our own country,
as the mixed intcreils of Kurope, nnd the various fortunes
of the powers embarked in the fame; caufe, nill admit.

r n i>

;. /- ■

>.. i

[ 245 ]

r.«

THE

ANNUAL register:

O R

HISTORY

O F T H E

WAR.

For the YEAR 1760.

C H A P. I.

Xotbing (leiided in the war. State of tbe feveral powers
concerned. Great Britain and Pruffia propofe an ac-
commodation. Difficulties in concluding a peace. The
condition and hopes of France. Demands on the King of
Prujfia. Treaty faid to be between Rujpa and Aufiria.

IF nil the wars which have harrafled Europe for more
than a century had not proved it, the events of the
laft campaigns muft have latisfied every thinking man,
that vlftorics do not decide the fate of nations. Four
mod bloody, and to all appearance mod ruinous defeats,
which he fuffered in that year, had defpoiled the King of
Priiflia of no more than a ftngle town. After thefe accumu-
lated blows he ftill found himfelf in a condition to make
conci his winter-quarters; to cover his dominions ; and to
Hmpt the favour of fortune in another campaign.

1 i To

2^o The History of the War. 1^5^

To carry our attention a little further back ; ^vuo could
have imagined, that when the French had compelled the
Hanoverian troops to lay down their arms, when they had
thruft them into a defencelefs corner, had bound them down
with the yoke of a ftri£t and fevere capitulation, and had
pofleffed themfelves of every place which could boaft the
ihialleft iliare of Itrength in the king's German dominions
that in a few months they fhould find themfelves compelled
to fly before their captives ; and after having fuffered a
coniiderable defeat, Ihould be pufhed back almoft on their
own territories.

On the other hand, it might have been fuppofed that
the efFefts of thefe advantages under the management of a
very great commander, who was bcfides largely reinforced,
could have been fruftrated only by the lofs of fome great
battle. But the fa£l was otherwifc. The Hanoverians,
without any adverfe ftroke in that campaip;*^, were obliged
to repafs the Rhine and the Lippe ; and fince that time,
fortune having decided nothing by the events of five years
war, has given to Prince Ferdinand the poflefllon of a great
part of Weftphalia in the manner of a conquered country;
and yet fees him abandoning Hefle, and with difficulty co-

veriii^ the borders of Hanover.

In fhort, the viftory of Crevelt could not enable the
Duke of Brunfvvick to defend the Rhine. The battle of
Bergen did not give M. Broglio an enirance into Hanover,
The great victory of Minden did not drive the French
from the Maine. We have feen armies, after complete
viftory, obliged to ad as if they had been defeated ; and
after a defeat, taking an oP'onfive part with fuccefs, and
reaping all the fruits of victory.

i'hefe refleftions are iHll more ftrongly enforced by the
fortune of the King of Pruflla. Covered with the laurels
of Loworttz, Prague, Rofbach and Lifla, when he began
after fo many compleat triumphs, to purfiie his advantages,
and to improve fuccefs into conqueft, tiie fcene was fud-
denly altered. As foon as he attcmj^ted to penetrate with
effect into the enemies country, without having fu(7ered
any very fignal blow, without any coufiderable milhkc
committed upon his fide, Fortune, who hath as it were at-
tached herfelf to the defenfive, immediately forfook him.
He was not able to take a fingle place. And thofc advanta-
ges which at other times and fituations, would have laid

t,;(

1760. The History of the War. 251

the foundation of lading empire, have in his cafe only
nrotrafted a fevere deilii y, which fome think in the end
inevitable ; but which as many, as great, and as entire
victories fince obtained over his forces, have not been yet
able to bring upon him.

The ballance of power, the pride of modern policy, and
originally invented to prefcrve the general peacc"^s well as
freedom of Europe, has openly preferved its liberty. It
has been the original of innumerable and fruitlefs wars.
That political torture by which powers are to be enlarged
or abridged, according to a ftandard, perhaps not very ac-
curately imagined, ever has been, and it is to be feared
will always continue a caufe of infinite contention and
Hoodfhed. The foreign ambaffadors conftantly refiding
mall courts, the negotiations inceflantly carrying on, l^read
both confederacies and quarrels fo wide, that whenever
hoftilities commence, the theatre of war is always of a pro-
digious extent. All parties in thofe difFufive operations,
have of neceflity their ftrong and weak fides. What they
gain in one part is loll in another -, and in conclufion, their
affairs become fo ballanced, that all the powers concerned
are certain to lofe a great deal ; the mo/l fortunate acquire
little ; and what they do acquire is never in any reafonable
proportion to charge and lofs.

Frequent experience of this might prove one of the
(Ironged grounds for a lading peace in Europe. Bu*^ that
fpirit of intrigue, which is the political diflemper of the
time, that anxious forefight which forms the chara^er of
ail the prefent courts, prevent the falutary efFeds which
might refult from this experience. Thefe modern treaties
of peace, the fruits not of moderation but neceflity; thofe
eni':;agemcnts contrafted when all the parties are wea-
ried and none fatisfied, where none can properly be called
conquerors or conquered, where after having fought in
vain to compel, they are content to over-reach, teem in the
very moment they are formed, and from the very aft of
forming them, with the feeds of new difTentions, more
implacable animofities, and more cruel wars. For if to for-
ward the work of peace, any member in rhefe alliances
Ihould acquire a ceflion of any importance in its favour,
this afterwards becomes a ground for another alliar'.''e, and
lor new intrigues to deprive them of their acquifition. To
itttle the ptace of Germany, Silclia was yielded in i 745

I i 2 to

',-«?;,,,

*k 252 The History of the W\R. i'76o.

to die King of Pruflia, and that ceflion gave occafion for
the war of 1756.

The kings of Great Britain and Pruflia chofe the mo-
ment of fuccefs, to propofe an accommodation ; and they
defired that the oppofite powers (hould concur with them
in nominating fome place for a congrefs. Some fpoke of
Leipfic, a« a means of indemnification to that unfortunate
city ; the States General would have given a town of theirs;
King Staniflaus offered Nancy, his capital : but the •■imeof
peace was not yet come. The two kings made a difplay of
moderation ; and they had reafon to think that if their pro-
pofals fhould be accepted (which probably they did not then
expefl) they muft naturally take the lead in that negotiation,
and mufl: give the whole a turn to their advantage. But
the adverfe alliance unanimoufly rejc6tcd their efforts, and
the refufal of fome of its members was couched in terms
fufficiently haughty.

I'o fpeak impartially, they could not at that time have
accepted propofitions for peace. France had fuffercd in
every quarter : in her prefent condition fhe could fcarcely
look for every favourable terms. As they had now aban-
doned in defpair all attemps by fea, and confequently all
efforts in North America and both the Indies, all their
hopes were centered in Germany. Hitherto their fortune
in that country had not been very encouraging. But ftill,
in that country lay their beft and indeed their only profped.
The strength and perfeverance of the two cmprelTcs the
wailed condition of the King of Pruffia, the enormous ex-
pence of the German war to England, which muff gradually
exhauft the refources of her credit, and with them the pa-
tience of an inconftant people, had infpired with no ftnall
hope. All thefe confiderations confirmed their rcfolution
of hearkening to no terms, until bv acquiring fuperioritv,
or at leaft an equality, they might be alVured of procuring
fuch as were not very difadvantageous or humiliating.

The emprefs queen upon her part had a moral certainty,
that fhe could not procure, by a treaty propofed at fuch a
junfture, thofe objc6ts for which flie had begun, and with
fuch fleadinefs in every fortune had carried on the war. In
reality, her circumftances then were, and they Hill continue,
very intricate and embarralTcd. It was neceffary that lite
fhould have allies of great power; but if they have done
her great fcrvices, they have formed high pretenfions; in-
deed

1760. 1'he History of the War. 253

(ieed To high, that if fhe and her allies cannot abfolutely pre-
fcribe the terms of peace, it is impofl'ible that they fliould
ill be in any degree fati^fied.

Her fituation in this refpeft has pufhed ad internecioiiem^
the war between her and the King of Pruflla. Even the
cefllon of all Silefia in her favour, cannot procure a peace
tor that monarch. The Ruflians will never let loofe their
hold of the ducal Pruffia ; a country conquered by their own
arms, a poflefllon which rendered the King mod formida-
ble to them, and whicii i^ their fole indemnification for
what they have expended in 2: war entered into for other
views than thofe of glory, or even of revenge. It has been
confidently aflcrted, that the emprefs queen of Hungary
bns adually guarantied the pofTeiTion of that country to its
conqncrors. This is indeed a very extraordinary ftep, and
thefaft is not fufficiently authenticated. But the report is
not altogether improbable. We may be fure that if fuch
a guarantee has been made, it has been entered into upon
fomc reciprocal engagement of equal force, and for an ob-
ject equally important.

Nothing but the laft defperate ncccfllty, nothing in fhort
i)ut being conquered in the moft abfolute fenfe, will ever
induce the King of FrulTia to fubmit to both thefe ceflions.
By fuch a fubmiflloi!, befidc being dcfpoiled of that con-
queft, which is the great glory of his reign, and conftitutcs
the firmeft fupport of his revenue, he will fee his heredi-
tary dominions curtailed of another province from whence he
derives his royal title, and what makes it of infinitely great-
er importance in his eyes, the befi: commercial part of his
territories, and that onlv part of his territories, by which
he could have hoped to become in any degree a maritime
power.

But though it were poflible that his Pruflian Majcrty
could be brought to fubmit to thefe humiliating terms, a
great deal dill lemains to be adjufted. There are other de-
mand?, which though not fo high in their nature, nor fo
Ihonpiv enforced, are notwithftanding confiderable, and
cannoi, with any decency be totally neglefted. What is
the nature of the bargain between the Emprefs and the Se-
nate of Sweden, has not yet been made publick. Be it
whnt it will, this is probably the leall perplexing part of the
whole.

But fome indemnification for the Kirg of Poland, on
-■-i _ whofe

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(716) 172-4903

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254 ^^^^ History of the War. iy6o.

whofe dominions the greateft calamities of the war have
l:^llen, fecms abfolutely necefTary ; and on what principle
can Auflria ever expeft an ally, if fhe fhould fecure all the
benefits of the pacification to herfelf, and leave to her con-
federates nothing but the fufFerings of a war in which they
were involved purely in her quarrel ?

This variety of demands, all to be fatisfied out of the do-
minions of a fingle Prince, mufl neccflarily perplex the
work of peace with almofl: infurmountable difficulties. It
ought not indeed to be concealed, that there are circum-
ftances which feem to lead to fome folution of this embar-
raflment. But if they are attentively concerned, they will,
I believe, be rather found to increafe it.

Great Britain has had remarkable fuccefs againft France
at fea, in America, and in the Indies On the continent of
Europe, her fortune is even at this day, tolerably ballanced :
the two weak parts, therefore, in the oppofite alliances, (I
fpeak only with regard to the events of the prefent war) are
France and PrufTia. As therefore France will expeft fome
cefTions from Great Britain, it is reafonable that they fhould
be bought by fome moderation of the rigorou> terms which
otherwife would have been impofed on Pruflla.

All the facrifices to peace mufl: be made out of the ad-
vantage acquired by Auftria and Great Britain. But when
Great Britain fhall have confented to fome concefTions, to
forward this great work, what return can the Emprefs
Qiieen make, but an abatement of her demands upon Sile-
fia ? That is, by giving up that grand, favourite, and in-
deed to her fole objeft, for which fhe has brought upon
herfelf an heavy war, difgufl:ed her an'-icnt and natUial al-
lies, and purchafed the aid of her natural enemy, at the
pricf of places which the befl blood of Europe has been fo
often filed to prefcrve in her family. To all who confidcr
the chara6\er of that court, it will appear very plainly that
flie will hazard almoil any thing, and even rifque thofe con-
fcqucnccs to wliich her imprudent alliance with France has
cxpof (1 h.er, rather than accept a peace which mufl deprive
her ot her hopes of Silefia.

When thcfe things are weighed, it will not appear won-
derful that there have been fo few ferious overtures for
pc-irc: and that the longer the war continues, the greater
difHcultici. fccm to oppofe themfelves to any conclufion

of it-

The

1760, The History of the War. 255

The only hope that remains of any happy conclufion, is
that fome of the great members of the alliance, wearied and
exhaufled, will at length fly off, and thereby throw the reft:
into fuch confufion, that a peace will be fuddenly huddled
up; and all difficulties not removed, but forgotten, by not
allowing time to weigh and fl:udy what may be gained or
loll. This m..il produce a fyfl:em of pacification, the na-
ture of which it is impoffible to forefee ; becaufe it cannot
be faid upon which fide this defection will begin ; but prin-
cipally becaufe the war ftill continues, in the event of which,
infpight of all that can be conjefitured from the ftrcngth and
preient condition of the powers concerned, fortune will
have fo large a fhare. But we may predict without rafhnefs,
that the firfl: overtures will be between Great Britain and
France : for they never think of peace in Germany.

CHAP. II.

State of the Engliflj garr'tfon at ^tebec. Deftgns of Monf.
Levi. Preparations for a fieg?. French army marches
from Montreal. Their flrength. Battle ^ Sillery.
Gen, Murray defeated, ^lebec befteged. The Englijh
fleet under Lord Cohillr arrives. French veffel.' deflroy-
ed, Levi raifes the fie ge.

THIS was the pofture of Europe at the clofe of the
campaign of 1759. And all thoughts of peace being
entirely removed, the war wap profecuted in this part of
the world with the utmoft vigour as foon as the feafon per-
mitted them to recommence operations.

Rut in America, the feverity of winter was not able whol-
ly to interrupt the progrefs of the war. Canada had been
luppofcd conquered, by the taking of Quebec. Indeed
without the pofleflion of that place, it had been impofllble
to reduce that country ; but ftill a great deal remained to
compleat the advantage to which the taking of Quebec had
only given an opening. The French troops alter their de-
feat, had retired into the heart of their country. And the
Eni^lifli navy having provided the town fufficiently with
military ftores and provifions, fct fail, fearing leit they
fhould be overtaken by the froft:. 'Ten battalions, two
companies of the artillerv, one of American wood-rangers,
in all about 7000 men, formed the garril'on which was Itft

^>ij^j

ii <• >,

'MB%

256 I'he History of the War. i^^q

in Quebec to command Canada during the winter, and to
lacilitate the entire redu<5Vion of that province in theenfuin?
campaign. They were under the orders of General
Murrav.

As the river St. Laurence is commonly (hut up by Ice
for the greater part of the winter, all communication with
Europe was cut off. The conquering army was therefore
fubjefl to be inverted in Quebec. The French command-
er, M, Levi, was fcnfible of this advantage ; and he faw
that it was the only refource by which he could have any
chance of prefcrving Canada. He accordingly prepared to
make ufe of this laft, and only opportunity ; and he was not
without fome profpeft of fuccefs.

He knew that the fortifications of Quebec were weak
and incomplete, without any kind of outwork ; that the
town was almoft a general ruin, fmce the late fiege ; and
that the Englifh garrifon had been much enfeebled, and
greatly reduced in their numbers by the fcurvy. He
knew alfo, that by (ome misfortune, no provifion had been
made to prevent his attaining a fuperiority on the river ; as
no veflels had been left, on a fuppofition, that they could
not be ufeful in winter.

The winter had pafled in fkirmifhes always terminating
in favour of the Englifh, by which they enlarged the fpherc
of their fubfiflence. M. Levi had indeed propofed, during
the rigour of the feafon, to attempt the place by a coup dc
main ; and had made preparations for that purpofe. But
the activity of the garrifon was fuch ; and all the outpofts
fo well fecured, that he thought it more prudent to abandon
that defign, and to poilipone his operations, to the opening
of the fpring, when a regular ficge might be formed.

The forces which ftill remained in Canada, were not un-
equal to the attempt. Ten biUtalions of regular troops,
amounting to near 5000 men ; 6000 of experienced militia
of Canada ; about 300 favagcs. This was the force which
M. Levi had colle6lcd at Montreal, and with which he
took the field on the 17th of April, 1760.

His provifions, ammunition, and heavy baggage, fell
down the river St. Laurence, under the convoy of fix fri-
gates from 44 to 26 guns. By this fquadron, which there
was nothing to oppofc, he acquired the uuvlifputcd com-
mand of the river, a point of the greateft importance to

the

were, confcfTec

iy6o. The History of the War. 257

the whole defign. In ten days march, the French army
arrived at the heights of Abraham three miles from Quebec.
When Gen. Murray perceived the approach of the ene-
my, he had two parts to take, either to keep within the
town, and confiding in his troops, which though weak as
in army, were ftrong as a garrifon, to fuftain the fiege to
the utmoft extremity; or to march out, and by trying the
fortune of the field, to avoid the tedious hardfhips of a
fiege, in a place which feemed to him fcarcely tenable.

He refolved on the latter part. But when he came to
review his ■ ability for this undertaking, he could poflibly
draw into the fiisld no more than 3000 men. However he
was not frighted by the enemy's great fuperiority. He de-
termined to engage ; and he grounded his refolution on the
following reafons.

Firft, that his army, notwithftanding its inferiority, was
in the habit of beating the enemy. That they had a fine
train of field artillery ; that to fliut themfelves up at once
within the walls, was putting all upon the fingle chance of
holding out for a confiderable time a wretched fortification;
a chance which an aftion in the field could hardly alter, at
the '"ime time that it gave an additional one, and perhaps a
better ; and in fine, that if the event was not profperous, he
might, after holding out to the laft extremity, retreat, with
what fhould remain of the garrifon, to the ifle of Orleans or
Coudres, and there wait for reinforcements.

It is not eafy to comprehend the prudence of engaging in
the open field, an army four tir " fuperior ; efpecially when
the weaker army had it in their power to keep upon the de-
fenfive in a ftrong poll ; and Quebec may well be confider-
cd at leafl: as a ftrong retrenchment. It is as hard to under-
lland how the chance of iiolding out a fortrefs, (liould not
be leflened after a defeat of the troops, which compofe the
garrifon, who mud neceflarily fuffer by fuch an event, both
in numbers and in fpirit ; it is equally difficult to conceive
how the remains of that garrifon, which {hould be driven
from Quebec, could have fafely retreated to the ifle of Or-
leans or Coudres, or have remained in either of thofe places,
with any tolerable fecurity, whilfl: the enemy were, as they
were, confcfTedly mafters of the river. Thefe are matters
not fo eafily comprehended by thofe who are at a diftance
from the fcene of aftion ; there circumftances may have
given thefe reafons their due weight ; and they had the

K k greater

258 ^he History of I be War. i-^^q

greater influence from the chara6ler of the general ; a man
of the mod ardent and intrepid courage, paiTicnately defi^
reus of glory, and emulous of the reputation Wolfe had ac-
quired. He knew that a bold and fuccefsful llroke, and
well purfued, might fo difable the enemy, who were in no
likelihood of receiving fpeedy or confiderable fuccours from
France, that the way to conqueft would lie plain and open
before him ; and he might exped the honour of the total
rcdu(flion of Canada, before the arrival of the refl: of the
king's forces to his afliflance.

Thus depending on fortune, on the tried goodnefs of his
troops, and his own courage to animate them, he marched
out oi' the city, and defcended from the heights of Abra-
ham with the army mentioned above, and twenty field-pie-
ces. The right and left of the enemy's van poflefled thcm-
felves of fomc fmall woody eminences j the nain army
niarched by the road of St. Foix ; and formed themfelve*
under the fhelter of the woods. Whilft the body of the
enemies army was yet unformed, the Englilh troops attack-
ed their van, both on the right and left, with the ut-
inoft impetuofity, and drove them from the eminences,
though they were well maintained ; the advanced ports ol"
tiie French centre gave way, without a blow, and fell back
upon their main army. .-i; t.:/\- .•:■ ■

Hitherto the fortune of the field was favourable to the
Englifli ; but now the advantages they had obtained brought
them full on the main army of the French, which formed
in columns, and advanced with great rapidity to fupport
their broken vanguard. The fire became very hot, and flop-
ped the progrefs of our troops ; whiUl thofe of the enemy
having fupported their centre, wheeled round the flanks of
the Britifh army to the left and right, andfonned a femi-
circle, which threatened to clofe upon our rear. Proper
movements were made to protect the flanks, but it was
evident the army was in the greatefl: danger, not only of a
deteat, but of feeing itfelf furrounded, and its retreat to
Quebec in tirely intercepted. Near one thoufand men, fol-
diei-s and officers, (a third of the army), had been by this
time killed and wounded. Nothing could be now thought
of but as fpeedy a retreat as poflible ; and in this there
were difficulties, which nothing but the bravery of the fol-
diery and the flcill and fpirit of the ofl'icers could overcome
Tliey gained Quebec with little lofs in the purfuit ; but
'-•'■' the)

,760. The History of the War. %S9

they were obliged to leave their cannon, which they could
not bring off, or. account of the wreaths of fnow, which
even in this advanced feafon, and in the temperate latitude
of 47, ftill lay upon the ground. The French loll at leaft
2000 in the action.

V/hen the account of this victory arrived in Europe, the
French were for a while infinitely elated. The blow was
fenfily felt in England. Our fanguine hopes were at once
funk. If Quebec was loft, it was evident that the greateft
difficulties muft have arifen to our affairs in America ; and
the reduQiion of Canada muft become the work of more
than one campaign. Nobody imagined that the town could
hold out long after fuch a defeat ; and the fleet fent from
Europe to reinforce the place was then at a great diftance.

Neverthelefs all things were prepared at Quebec for a vi-
gorous defence. The late check he had received, only
roufed the governor to more ftrenuous efforts. He knew
that the lofs of the place would be attributed to the teme-
rity of his councils ; he was fenfible that in proportion to
the honours paid by the public to thofe who had conquered
Quebec, would their indignat:..n fall upon thofe by whom
it fhould happen to be loft ; and that in general nothing
makes a worfe figure, than a raihnefs which is not fortu-
nate. Thefe thoughts were perpetual ftings to a mind like
his, paffionately defirous of glory ; and that very difpofiti-
on which led him to fight unfuccefsfully with a weak army,
gave him aiStivity and fuccefs in the defence of a weak forti-
fication.

The French, whofe whole hope of fuccefs depended on
perfecting their work before a Britifli fquadron could ar-
rive, loft not a moment's time to improve their vi£tory.
They opened trenches before the town the very night of
the battle. But it was the i ith of May before they could
bring two batteries to play upon the fortifications. They
were greatly de'^rient in this refpeft. Their accounts
fay, they had no more than twelve pieces of iron artillery,
which carried twelve pound balls. The Englifli train, was
without comparifon, fuperior. Before the French had
opened their batteries, 132 pieces of cannon were placed
n the ramparts. The fire of the bcficgers was therefore
always flack, interrupted, and of little effect.

Notwithftanding ihe weaknefs of the enemies fire, liie
Superiority of the Englifli artillery, and the refohition of

K k 2' the

' "• 'IP

1 ' if.

. ' ! ii) ;-' H \w

26o The History of the War. i-j^q

governor and garrifon, the relief of the place depended en-
tirely on the early arrival of the Britifh fleet, which wai
looked out for every hour with the mofl: anxious expedati-
on. Had any French fhips of force come before the Kn-
glifh, it was the general opinion that the place muft inevi-
tably have fallen into their hands.

On the 9th of May, to the great joy of the garrifon
an Englifh frigate anchored in the bafon and brought them
an account that the Britifh fquadron commanded by Lord
Colville, was then in the river. On the 15th, a fhin of
the line and a frigate arrived ; the next morning the two
frigates were fent to attack the French fquadron above the
town. They executed their commifTion fo well, that in a
moment all the French veflels of whatever kind were dif-
perfed, and the greareft part deftroyed or taken.

M. Levi, who had the mortification to behold from the
eminences this aftion, which at one (troke put an end to
all the hopes he had conceived from his late vi6iory, was
perfuaded that thefe frigates by the boldnefs of their man-
ner, muft have been the vanguard of a confiderable rein-
forcement ; and that too clofe at hand : he therefore raifed
the fiege in the utmoft hurry and precipitation, leaving be-
hind all his artillery, and a great part of his ammunition
and baggage, although Lord Collville, with the r"(\. of the
fquadron, did not arrive at Quebec until two days afterftfj,

Thus

Thus was fortui
incer, the moft <

(a) The Hon. James Murray s Letter to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated,
^tebec. May 2$, 1760.

^" SIR, ^1 -^ ^ . ^ -

y. ■>.■',> ' ■ . .

HAVING acquainted General ^w^fr/?, three weeks ago, that
^ebec was befiegtd, by an army of i 5,000 men, I think
it neceflliry, to do myfelf the honour of addreffing diredtly to you,
the more agreeable news of the fiege being raifed, left, by your
receiving the former intelligence, before the latter, fome incon-
venience might arife to his Majefty's fervice.

By the journal of my proceedings, fince I have had ihe com-
mand here, which I have the honour to tranfmit to you, you will
perceive the fuperiority we have maintained over the '^ncuiy, du-
ring the winter, and that all Lower Canada, from the Point Au
Tremble, was reduced, and had taken the oath of fidelity to the

King,

^4o. ^he History of the War. 261

Thus was fortunately prefcrvcd from the moft imminent
iljngtT, the moft confiderable place vvc hatl taken in the
vsar; and that which gave us the mofi: decifive advantage.

The

iiing. You wili, no doubt, be pleafed to obferve, that the ene-
my's attempts upon our polls, and ours upon theirs, all tended
[othe honour of his Majefty's arms, they were always baffled, and
Vie were conftantly lucky.

I wilh I could fay as much within the walls ; the cxceflive cold-
nefsof the climate, andconftant livinorupon fait provifions, with-
out any vegetables, introduced the ifcurvy amon^; the troops,
which, getting the bettei' of every precaution of the olHcer, and
every remedy of the furgeou, became as univerfal as it was invete-
late, infomuch, that, before the end of April, '. 000 were dead,
and above 20or of what remained, totally unfit for fervlce.

In this fituation, I received certain intelligence, that the Che-
valier ile Le'vis was aflembling Ms army, which had been cantoned
in the neighbourhood of Montreal ; that he had complcatcd his
eight battalions, and forty companies of the Troupes de Colonic,
from the choice of the Montrealijis ; had formed thefe forty
companies into four battalions ; and was determined to beliege
us, the moment that St. Laurence was open, of which he was en-
tirely mafter, by means of four King's frigates, and other craft,
proper for this extraordinary river.

As 1 had the honour to acquaint you formerly, that ^ehec
could be looked upon in no other light, than that of a ftrong can-
tonment, and that any works I ftiould add to it, would be in that
Itile, my plan of defence was, to take the earliell opportunity of
entrenching myfelfupon the heights oi Abraham^ which entirely
command the ramparts of the place at the diftance of 8co yards,
and might have been defended by our numbers againfl: a large
army. B it the Chevalier de Le^vis did not give me time to take
the advantage of this fituation ; the 23d, 24th and 25th oi Aprils
I attempted to execute the projefted lines, for which a provifion
of fafcines, and of every necefTary material, had been made, but
found it impradticable, as the earth was ftill covered w fnow
in many places, and every where impregnably bovnd up uy the
frofl.

The night of the 26th, I was informed, the enemy had land-
''d, at Point Au Tremble^ 10,000 men, and 500 barbarians. The
poft we had taken at the cmbout^^ure of the nver Caprouge (the
moft conve lient place for difembarking their artillery and (lores,
and for fecuring their retreat) obliged them to land where they
did, 20 miles higher up. ; -.j • , ■

-.. „ The

r,«';: "tx^

, t ■ '' j V

IT,:,,

!z6z

The HistorV of the War. iy(j\^

The triumph of tlie French, and the anxiety of England
were hut fhort. The account of the fiege, and the raifinr

it, followed clofe on the heels of each other.

And there
Was

The 27th, having broke down all the bridges over the Caprowe^
and fecured the landing places at SiUerj, and the Foulon, I march- i
ed with the grenadiers, piquets, y^mher/Vs regiment, and two '
field pieces, and took poll fo advantageoufiy, as to fruftrate the
fchemes they had laid of cutting off our potts. They had be»un
to form from the defile they were obliged to pafs, but thought
proper to retreat, on reconnoitring our pofition ; and about four
this afternoon we marched back to town, having withdrawn all
our pofts, with the lofs of two men only, though they did every
thing in their power to harrafs the rear.

The enemy was greatly fuperior in number, it is true i but
when I confidered that our little army was in the habit of beatino
that enemy, and had a very fine train of field artillery ; that flat-
ting ourlelves up at once within the walls, was putting all upon
the fingle chance of holding out for a confiderable time, a wretch-
ed fortification ; a chance which an aflion in the field could hard-
ly alter, at the fame time it gave an additional one, perhaps abet-
ter, I refolved to give them battle ; and if the event was not
profperous, to hold out to the laft extremity, and then to retreat
to the ifle of Orleans, or Coudres, with what was left of thegar-
rifon, to v/ait for reinforcements.

This night the neceflary orders were given, and half an hour
after fix next morning, we marched with all the force I could
mufter, viz. three thoufand men, and formed the army on the
heights, in the following order ; Amherji'sy Anjlrufherh, 2d bat-
talion of Royal Americans, and IVehh^s, compofed the right Bri-
gadj, commanded by Col. Burton: Kennedy s Lafcelles's, High-
lantlers, and Toivnjhfnd's, the left brigade, commanded by Col.
Frafer : Otivays, and the third battalion oi' Royal Americans, were
the corps de refer ve. Major Dallingh corps of light infantry co-
vered the right flank, and Capt. Hazzenis company of rangers,
with JOG volunteers, under the command of Capt. Donald Mac-
donuld, a brave and experienced officer, covered the left. The
battalions had each two field n'.eces.

While the line was forming, I reconnoitred the enemy, and
perceived their van had taken poflefi'ion of the rifing grounds,
three quarters of a mile in our front, but that their army was up-
on thtMuarch, in one col'imn, as far as I could fee. I thought
this the lucky moment, and moved with the utmoft order to attack
them, before they had formed. We foon beat them from the

heights

1]60.

,as nothing nl

juaion ot Call

jrmiesj

who

ti-ights they hal
)t[i]Q: Dalling,
liiviour this da)
corps of gvenadil
of, to cover thel
vfPte wounded A
corps which wd
ind difperfed al
wing from takir
on the enemy's 1
[{gain the flan
thrown into difo
officers killed a;
during the adi
mdfuftainthe r
tempts to pene
grenadiers of (
there, the left >
two redoubts, i
united efforts c
till at laft fairly
fuftained by th<
and Kennedy a 1
they were oblig
Q^Roufillon, V
The diforde
but the whole
ture upon a t
roughnefs of t
polfible to br
nailed up.

Our killed
Eeld : that of
men ; which
hour ivnd thrc
Here 1 thi
in general, a
troops.

On the ni
the town ; a

;,6o. 57^^ History of the War. 263

^as nothing now to cloud the profpe£l of the certain re-
duction of Canada, by the united efTorts of three Englifh
irmies, who by different routes were moving to at-
tack

heights they had pofTefled, the' they were well difputed ; and
)i[i]OiDalling^ who cannot be too much commended for his be-
haviour this day, and his fervices during the winter, forced their
corps of grenadiers from a houfe and windmill they had taken hold
of, to cover their left flank. Here he, and feveral of his officers
were wounded ; his men, however, purfued the fugitives to the
corps vi'hich were now formed to fuftain them. They halted,
and difperfed along the front of the right, which prevented that
wing from taking advantage of the firft imprelUon they had made
on the enemy's left. They had immediately orders given them to
regain the flank, but, in attempting this, they were charged,
thrown into diforder, retired to the rear, and from the number of
officers killed and wounded, could never again be brought up,
during the adion. Otivay's was inftantly ordered to advance,
and fuftain the right wing, which the enem^ in vain made two at-
tempts to penetrate. On thefe occafions, Capt. Ince, with the
grenadiers of Olivafs, were diftinguiflied. While this pafled
there, the left were not idle ; they had difpoflTefled the enemy of
two redoubts, and fuftained with unparallelled firmnefs the bold
united efforts of the enemy's regulars, Indians and Canadians^
till at laft fairly fought down, and reduced to a handful ; though
fuftained by the 3d battalion oi Royal Americans from the referve,
and Kennedy \i from the centre, where we had nothing to fear,
they were obliged to yield to fuperior numbers, and a freih column
oiRou£il/on, which penetrated.

The diforder of the left was foon communicated to the right ;
but the whole retired in fuch a way, tliat the enemy did not ven-
ture upon a brilk purfuit. We left moft of our cannon, as the
roughnefs of the ground, and the wreaths of fnow, made it im-
poifible to bring them off; what could not be brought off were
nailed up. -' -j •' . ,. . -.

Our killed and wounded amounted to one third of thofe in the
field : that of the enemy, by their own confeflion, ex ^eds 2500
men ; which may be readily conceived, as the aiilion lafted an
hour and three quarters. : *. :

Here I think it my duty to exprefs my gratitude to the oificers
in general, and the latisfadion I had in the bravery of all the
troops.

On the night of the 28th, the enemy opened trenches againil

the town : and.

at the fame time, we fet to work within, to for-
tify

y. I. ' ^

,, -„„.„,, J '*v li,

^ mmm

264 '^f-'<^ History of the War. i^^q j

tack thofe parts of it which ftill remained to France. In
the mean time that haughty power was obhged to fit the
impotent fpe6tator ot the ruin of her colonics, without be

ins:

tify it, which we never had in our power to attempt fooncr, froni
the feverity of this climate during the winter, and the abfolutene-
celfity of executing works of more immediate importance lall au-
tunm, before the froll: fet in. I wanted the aififtance of Majof
Mackeller, the chief engineer, dangeroufly wounded in the aftion;
his zeal for, and knowledge in the fervice. is well known; but
the alacrity of the garrifon made up for every defeft.

My journal of the fiege, which accompanies this, fets forth in
full what was done ; and I flatter myfelf, the extraordinary per-
formances of the handful of brave men I had left, will pleafe his
Mnjerty, as much as they furprized us who were eye witnefTes to
them.

Great praife is due to Commodore Siunntott, and the Captains
Schomberg 2iX\d Dean ; I have not words to exprefs the readinefs,
vivacity, and ralour they (hewed in attacking and deftroying the
enemy's fquadron. Capt. Dean has loft his (hip ; but it was in a
good caufe, and he has done honour to his country.

The morning of the 27th of Mayy I had intended a ftrong for-
tie, to have penetrated into the enemy's camp, which, from the
information of the prifoners I had taken, and the concurrent ac-
count of the deferters, I conceived to be very pradlicablc.

For this purpofe, I had ordered the regiments of Amherjl,
Tonunjhendy Lafcellesy Anjiruther, o.nd Highlanders ^ with the
grenadiers and light infantry under arms, but was informed by
Lieut. M'Alpin, of my battalion (whom I fent out to amuie the
enemy with fniail fallies) that their trenches were abandoned.

I inllantly pulhed out at the head of thefe corps, not doubtins;
but we muft have overtaken and forced their rear, and had ample
revenge for the 28th of Afril ; but I was difappointed, for tliev
had croffed the river Caprouge, before we could come up with
them. However, we took feveral prifoners, and much baggage,
which would otherwife have efcaped. They left their camp ita.^d-
ing; all their baggage, ftores, magazines of provifions and am-
munition, 34 pieces of battering caiinon, four of which are brat?
12 pounders, 10 field pieces, 6 mortars, 4 petards, a large quan-
tity of fcaling ladders and entrenching tools beyond number ; and
have retired to their former afyluni, Jacques Cartier. From the
information of prifoners, deferters and fpies, provifions are very
fcarce : ammunition does not abound ; and thegreateft part of the
Canadians have deferted them. At prefent they do not exceed

15000

ifSo.

The History of the War, 3^5

It was then flie

ing able to fend them the fmalleft fuccour.
found what it was to be inferior at fea.

We fliall refume the American affairs, when we have re-
viewed tliC fcenes that began about this time to open on the
theatre of Europe. * '^^

CHAP.

'«

5000 men. The minute I am joined with that part of my garri-
jon, which was fent from hence laft autumn, I fhall endeavour to
co-operate with Mr. Amherjiy towards compleating the redudlion
of this country ; though, if rightly informed, he can Hrdly att
by the lakes before the month of 7^/y, of which I am the more
convinced, becaufe from the intelligence forwarded to him laft
hhruary, of the enemy's defigns, by Lieut. Montufor, he would
certainly have been upon them betore now, had it been at all
prafticable.

Major Maitlnnd^ the bearer of thefe difpatches, whohasafted
as Adjutant General this laft winter, is well acquainted with all
our tranfadions here ; he has a thorough knowledge of the coun-
try, and can give you the beft lights with regard to the meafures
farther to be taken, relative to his Majefty's views in Canada.

I cannot finifh this long letter, without obferving how much I
think myfelf obliged to the Lieut. Governor, Col. Burton ; his
aflivity and zeal were confpicuous during the whole courfe of this
winter's campaign, and I flatter myfelf, Sir, you will be pleafed
to lay his fervices before his Majefty.

P. S. Since I have wrote the above, a nation of Indians has fur-
rendered, and entered into an alliance with us. .,

.! .■.. ;,

/ have the honour t<j he.

With great regard^

SIR, yours, l^c. ' 'i'"
- ■ -^ ' • JAMES MURRAY.

Admiralty-Office, June 27, 1760. . • ' •

CAPTAIN Schomherg arrived this morning, with difpatches
from Lord Col'ville, and Commodore Sixianton, dated at ^te-
hee, the 24th of May, giving an account, that on the nth of
that month, the latter arrived at the Ifle of Bee, in the river of St.
Laurence, with the Vanguard and Diana, where he intended to
wait for fuch of his fqiladron as had feparated from him in his paf-

^^^H||tijg|i

1 "'n

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H|; ' ^i

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. " \'- ' " '.'1

iM :hi.

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fage

lis

266

T'/je History of ihe War.
C H A- P. III.

1760.

D'tjirefs of Saxony. M. BrogHo commands the main body of
the French army. St. Germain commands on the Rhine.
EngJiJh army reinforced. King ofPruffta''^ ^^jj^^' Thea-
tre of the ivar in the eafl of Germany. Fojitions of tJj^
Jiuflrien and P ruffian armies. Battle of Landfhut. Pruf-
ftun army under Fouquet drfiroyed.

Winter remarkably fevere fucceeded the bloody cam-
paign of 1758. At Bareith in the night of the i6th
December, the cold w^s infupportable. Reaumur's

ther-

r ':

\it

■t ^^

fage from England i but having on the 14th, received advice
from Brig. (ren. Murray ^ that the enemy had befieged ^ehec, he
got under fail with the utmoft difpatch, and anchored above Point
Le'vi the 15 th in the evening, where he found iht Leojloffe^ one
of his fquadron, which arrived a few days before, and whofe com-
mander, Capt. Deane^ immediately came off to him with a melfage
from the General, earneftly Tecommending the fpeedy removal of
the French naval force above the town, confiding of two frigates,
two armed fhips, and many fmaller veffels ; in confequence of
which he ordered Capt. Schomberg of the Diana, and Capt. Deane
of the Leofioffe, to flip their cables early the next morning, and at-
tack the enemy j but they were no fooner in motion, than the ene-
my fled in the greateft hurry and diforder : the Pomona, one of
the frigates, was driven on ihore above Cape Diamond ; ihtAta-
hint a, the other frigate, run afiiore, and was burnt at Point A
Tremble, about ten leagues above the tow. and mofl: of the
other fliips and vefl'els were likewife driven afliore, or effectually
deft roved.

The night following, the enemy raifed the dc^'c of ^ebec ve-
ry precipitately, leaving their cannon, fmall arms, Itores, &c. be-
hind them.

The Leojloffe run upon fome unknown rocks, in purfuit of tlic
enemy, and was irrecoverably lofl:, but the officers and men were
f.ived.

Lord Cohille failed from Halifax with the fquadron under his
command, fhe 22d oi' j4pril, but did not arrive at ^ehec till the
18th of May ; having been much retarded in his paifagc by thick
fogs, great quantities of ice, and contrary winds.

. ,^ . [ Gazette Extraordinary, j

,y6o. The History of the War. 267

thermometer was funk to 15, which is precifely the fame
lierree it fell to in 1 709. A year like this diftingiiifhed by
the intenfenefs of the cold, and the fury of war. Birds
(iropped dead in their flight. At Leipfic ten centinels were
frozen to death. An infeftious difeafe which began in the
armies, diffufed itfclf among the inha^ ints of Saxony,
and made a dreadful havock. A peftilei ual contagion ra-r
ged among the cattle. Famine was foon added to the reft
of their calamities ; and every mifery that can affli6t man-
kind, was poured out upon that unfortunate people with
the mofl: liberal meafure. There was no profpe£t of an al-
leviation of thefc diflrefies. On the contrary, the fuffer-
ings of the people only made their fovereigns more earned
for revenge ; and out of the general want a refource arofc
to their armies, who were the more readily recruited, be-
ciiife the fcanty pay and fubfiftence of a foldier, became an
objed of envy to the vi'retched peafantry in mofl of thefe
countries ; and death feemed more honourable and Icfs
certain by the fword, than by penury and difeafe.

France and England vied in their endeavours to augment
their forces in Germany. M. Broglio had now the com-
mand of the grand army, and the f^ole conduct of the 'ge-
neral plan of operations. He had early in this year, been
honoured with the flafF of a marfhal of France. And no-
thing was omitted to give luflre to his command, and to
furnifh him with every means of exerting his talents. His
corps was augmented to near 109,000 efl'e£tive men. Thir-
ty thoufand drawn out of their quarters in DufTeidorp,
Clevcs, Cologne and Wefel, and compleated by draughts
from France, formed a fcparate army on the Rhine, under
the Count de St. Germain. This difpofition was made
not only to divide the attention of the allied army, but to
prevent the ill confcquenccs of the mifunderflanding which
was known to fubfiil between this general and the Duke
de Broglio. The third army propofcd at the clofe of the
fcrcqoing campaign did not appear.

On the fide of England, the preparations were not lefs
confiderable in proportion to her ability for that kind of
war. Six regiments of foot commanded by Major Gene-
ral Griffin, were forthwitJi fent to reinforce the allied ar-
my. Elliot's regiment of light horfc foon followed them.
At the opening of this campaign, we had in Germany
twelve regiments of heavy, and one of lifchl horfe; and

LI .'. twelve

Iftiilii^^^^:

iiir'-iniili

' t'. 1 1

WldlfilfclHl

a68 The History of the War. \']^o.

twelve regiments, with two Highland battalions of foot •
the whole amounted to near 22,000 men. In the courfe
of the fummer, they were further reinforced to near 25,000.
Such a number of Britifli troops, ferving in one army, had
not been feen on the continent, for two hundred years paft.
The allied army indeed fell fhortof the French in numbers-
but they exceeded it in the quality of the troops. Thofe
newly arrived from England were frefh but not undifciplin-
ed; the old were indeed harafled, but they had been ac-
cuftomed to viftory.

In the beginning of the year, the death of the
Jan. 31. Landgrave of Hefle Caflel had excited fome ap-
prehenfions ; the difpofitions of the fucceflbr were
uncertain ; and his withdrawing himfelf from the caufe of
the allies would have made a breach in their army, that it
would have proved almoft impofllble to Hop. But thefc
fears were foon diflipated. The new Landgrave among
the very firft a£ts of his ptvernment, gnve the ftrongell
proofs of his fteady adherf e to the fyftem of his father,
and even agreed to add com rably to the Heflian troops
in the pay of Great Britain ; fo that all things promifed as
favourably to the allies, as from that irremediable inferiori-
ty in numbers could have been expefted.

The king of Pruflla was under far greater difficulties ;
he had felt the heavieft blows, and was mod fcanted in the
means of healing them.

His loffes were not to be reckoned by the men killed and
prifoners, but by armies deftroyed or taken. Forty gene-
rals had died, or were flain in his fervice, fmce the iftof
O£lobcr 1756, exclufive of thofe who had been wounded,
difabled, or made prifoners. And this alone would have
been a lofs not to be repaired, if thefe murdering wars
which cut off fo many experienced officers, did not at the
fame time, form fo many more to fupplv their places. The
king had renewed his alliance on the former terms with
Great Britain. By his indefatigable induftry, no gaps were
feen in his armies. But they were no longer the fame
troops, and if the king of PrufHa had formerly the merit ot
ably commanding the mofl: excellent armies; he was now
to fill up the moil remarkable deficiency on the part of his
troops by his own heroifm ; and to undertake far more ar-
duous enterprises, than liis firft, with infinitely weaker in-
jGlrum.ents. His affairs xvore a bad afi">cct in the opening of

the

qSo. 'The History of the War. 269

tjje former year. In this they fcemed ahogether dejpe-

rate.

The Ruffians had futTered ; but they were fufficiently
reinforced. The Swedes who had been generally obliged
to give ground in the winter, had in that of 1759 the ad-
vantage in feveral fmart (ls.irmifhes, and had even taken
prifoner the PrulTlan general Manteuffel. As to the Aiif-
trians, viftorious for a whole campaign alnioft without
fighting, their armies and magaz-ines v/ere full, their corps
compleat, their men frefh, vigorous, and full of refolution.
Several fkirmilhes of confequence had been fought during
the cefTation of the great operations : and they were gene-
rally to their advantage.

The King of Pruffia was fenfible, that in this, as in the
former campaigns, he fhould be attacked by four armies ;
and that his dominions would be inverted upon every fide.
As thefe operations were very extenfive and complicated,
to enable the reader to form an idea of the campaign, it
will not be amifs to fay fomething of the ground the king
had to defend, which is circumflanced in this manner.

To the north is Pomerania. This country is very open ;
nnd it is defended on that part on v/hich the S»vedes gene-
rally a6l, with but few, and thofc »nean fortifications, An-
clam, Demmein and Paflewalk. But then the Swediih
army is not numerous, and if they fliould attempt to pene-
trate far into the country, they mufl leave Stctin, in which
there is always a ftrong garrifon behind them to their left,
which would render their fubfiftence difhcuU, and their re-
treat in cafe of any misfortune, extremely ha/.ardous ; and
they have not fufficient ftrength to mafter this place by a
regular fiege. This has always proved a check to the pro-
grefs of that army, even when they have been otherwife
fiiccefsful.

This fame country to 'he eaflward of the Oder, is one
great objeCt of the Ruffian defigns. Its chief lT:repr;rh in
this quarter is the town of Colberg ; a place they have
frequently attempted, hut always without fuccefs. And
their failure, in this inftance, has been the main caufe why
they have never been able to take winter quai rers in the
King of Prullla's dominions, or even during the campaign,
10 make any confiderable imprelTion upon Pomerania. I'or
they can have no communication with their o'»\n country by
{ea, for want of this port. On their rear, lie; the exten-
five

,>' /

> I h I fir hL
i f <

^ ]
- '' H if*

1 « 'M ' |i 'H I'"'
1 J . '' '1 1 IVif-;'
i I Ji ^ • ' I' 'i n

270 The History of the War. ^5^

five and inhofpitable dcfert of Waklow ; and tliis witli the
uncertain difpofition of the city of Dantzick, renders their
fupplies of provifion from Poland difficult and precarious
Neither is it pofllble in thefe circumftanccs, to unile their
forces with thofe of Sweden afting in the fame counirv.
The Oder flows between them ; which is fo commanded by
the city of Stetin, as to make all communication between
thefe armies in a great meafure impradicable. Infomuch

, that on tiie hde of Pomerania, the force of thefe two pow-
crs is compelled to a6l feparately, without concert, and
therefore weakly and ineffc^tuaily.

To the weftward, the King of FrulTia is fufficiently co-
vered by tl'ij city of Magdcbourg, the ftrongeft place in his
dominionr-, and in that part of Germany. Here are his
greatefl: maj^azines, and his principal founderies ; and this is
the repofitory of whatever he finds necefiary to place outcf
the reach of fudden infult.

To the fonthward he is obliged to defend Saxony and Si-
lefia. Both of i\\t{Q countries on their frontiers towards Bo-
hemia, rife into very rough, broken, and mountainous
grounds, abouniiing in advantageous pofl:s and flrong fituati-
ons. Lufatia lies between them ; a level fandy plain; (in-
terfperfed with pine-woods,) extending without any obfta-
cle to the very gates of Berlin. Through this country the
king's communication between Silefia and Saxony muft be
kept up, and therefore it has been from the beginning of
this war, the great fcene of thofe remarkable marches and
counter-marches, by Avhich his Prufllan majefty has acqui-
red fo great a reputation ; and alfo of thofe bold and fudden
attempts which have diftinguiihed fome of the generals of
the adverfe party. As an army cannot be advantageouGy
ported in this territory, it has not been ufual for a confide-
rablc body to remain there long ; and it is particularly un-
favourable to defcnfive operations. This country may be
confidered as the curtin, and the frontiers of Saxony and
Silefia as the baftions, that flank the fort of fortification,
which the king is to maintain.

No part of that monarch's territories are naturally more
dcfcncelefs than the eaflern \ at the fame time that it is at-
tacked bv the mofl: powerful of his enemies. A country al-

. together fandy and level, extends along both fides of the
Oder, from the northern frontier of Silefia, until it meets
Pomerania, a country of the fame kind. Theie is no rc-

fpcdablc

i-jSo. ^he History of the War. 271

fpcftable fortification on this fide ; nnd the river Warta
that falls here into the Oder, makes the tranfport of nrvi-
vifions, and confequently the fubfiftcnce oF the armies that
adagainfl: him more eafy.

As to Silefia, it is covered on the Bohemian fide wiih
mountains, and it contains places of fuch ftrengtli as to be
al)Ove the neceflity of yielding to the firfl: army that appears
before them. Indeed it is to be remarked, that fuch a w~
(Tree of ftrength fccms fufiicient for the kind of fervicc
which has diftinguiihed this war. Never was a warcffnch
a length and extent, in v/hich fewer ficges of confcqr.cnce
have been formed ; and the late fervice Avhich affords ['0
large a field for experience in every other fpecies of military
operations, affords very little matter of improvement in the
art of reducing or defending ftrong places.

The King of Pruffia's defign feems to have been to fave
himfelf as much as polTible to the end of the campaign ;
the only time when his fuccefs might be decifive, and his
ill-fortune not ruinous. He therefore formed a defenfive
plan. In purfuancc of this he withdrew his out-pods from
Freyberg, and drawing a chain of cantonments from the
forell of Tharandton his right to the Elbe, he took a moll
advantageous camp between that river and the Multa ;
ftrongly entrenching it where it had not been previoufly for-
tified by nature; and furnifhed it with fo numerous an ar-
tillery, that they reckoned in their front only 250 piece.) of
cannon.

In this fituation he covered the mofl: material parts of
Saxony, kept the attention of AI. Daun's army engaged,
and was enabled to fend out reinforcements to Prince Henry,
or elfewhere, as occafion fliould require, without expofing
one part whilfl: he defended another.

Whilft the King's army defended his conquefls in Mif-
nia, Prince Henry had aifembled an army about Frankfort
on the Oder, and took various pofitions about that place
and Croffen. In this pofition, he commanded three prin-
cipal communications, in fuch a manner as to proteft ar
once Silefia, the New Marche of Brandenburg, and the
avenues to Berlin; all which were threatened by fcveral bo-
dies of the enemy. General Fouquet had crLablillicd his
quarters near the county of Glatz, and whilft he covered
that fide of Silefia, he communicated with Prince Ilcnry, and

v»-a?

;T' <^.:

mA f^^^

;

27" ^^''* History nf tbc War. x'jf-i

V :is fo (lifporcil !is to fend to or receive fiiccours from hji,, ]
as eith< r pnrty JhouUI liapi-icn to ho | rcircd.

M. DrtuM, as loon as Ik- law iluu the Kinc; of PniHla I^l
fortifiv'd hinilVU in his poll, he too buried hiniCtli in cp.
treiu hnientj^, and kept the inofl attentive eye upon all hj^
majelly's inoiituis. Whilll he confined hiinlelf in this po.
fitioM, in order to tic down the King of PrufTia, (-[tncnil
r.amioln, with a llionj^ hut lir;iit and dilincunihcrcil army
mo\'cd iVotw the canip he had orcnpieil durinj;* tlie "w inur in
lUiliemia, and prefentinj^ liiinfelf alternately on the fuK- of
I.ulavia, and on fl.e frontiers of Silefia, threatened fninr
titnes (o penetrate lo Herhn, fosiutinies hy a hold llroko to
elVo*;! aiunelion with the Rnllians, and attack Prince [fcnrv
(omelimes to fit liown heforc CJlat/., ochweidnit/,, or Hit|.
Iiri ; aiid thus the alarm was fpread upon every fulc, not
knowjtip; where the (lorm wonivl lall.

At lenk;*th he declared hitnlelf. Havinj^ hy fevcral feint:,
rerf'iaded general }'\niqnel that his Mitentions were ar.iinll
."^chueidint/, that general marched thither a confulcrablc
hc(\\ of his troops, and left Glat/, uncovered. As fooii ;i<;
1 andojnt perceived this movcricnt, he on his fulc made
incthcr, and poirelTcd hlmfelf of 1 .andfluit ; and when W
had taken [>andiluit, he pretended a deiign of fecuring tliii;
poll hv leaving a fmall body of troops there. This feint
alio iuccecded, and drew general Touquet frorn Schwoid-
nit,'. hack again to Landfhut. lie drove t!ie Auilrians from
that place without ditlicuity ; but in the mean time Lira-
tiohn made hinifelf mailer of fevcral important palVes, In
which he was in fomc fort enabled to furiound the corps of
CuMcral Fouquet.

That commander finding hlmfelf in thofe dangerous rir-
cumllanees, had nothing left but to fortify his poll, lor-
merly made a vcrv (Irong one, with additional works ;
wliich ho did with fuch effefV, that it had more the refcm-
biance ofa regular fortification than an cntrcnchm jnt. How-
vxcVy the anr>v he commanded was far from numerous; and
h.c was obliged to weaken it llill farther by a detachment ot
2000 men, to preferve, if poflible, a communication with
Schvveidnit/,.

Laudolm longed to dillinguihi himfelf by fome capital
ilroke ; and he bad rsow bv a feriesof very artful movements
procured a m.oil favourable opportimify. Firfl;, therefore,
he lluu up with pjcat dexterity the pafies on every fide, and

rendered

1 ,760. ^/''

tendered his ai'v
[,fgan an attack
ll,c dead of the
The fignal for
fired in the air.
uncommon fury,
lotion, that in tl
entrenchments w
enforced. The
inijlicd back fron
entrenchments.
llicir retreat rcgi
1,1 jTc at the deare
j w\\\ down by
I In two mortal vv
wilt of the armj
rn the field of b
On the fide of
The prifoncrs w
Fouquet i two r
offiecrs of the in
foldiers, 58 piec|
Never was a mo
iirmy, general, u
three hundred oi
The corps alone
on, together witl
engaged, with d
cxfeQ^ed cvciy
toft the Auftriar

I'he Aujlriiint f
mies. King <■
cehcs M. D
Siege of Drt
Sirfc raifed.
of Prince IJe

THIS viao
was obta
dohn immediat

^•j6o. ^he HtsToRY of the War. 273

ffnckrcd his atVciTary's retreat inipraf\ical)lc. Then he
tan an attack on the Prufllan entrenchments in ,
ilic ilcad of tlic night in three diflVrent pkiccs. ^ ''

The lignal for t!ic alfauU was given by Four hawhitzers
fired in the air. The Auilrians ruflied to the attack with
uncommon Fury, and maintained it with Fo (leady a refo-
liition, that in thee ([uarters ot an hour the two flrongcrt
entrenchments were carried, and the line oF communicati-
on forced. Tlie Prufllans at day-l)rcak found thcmfelves
piillicd back From hill to hill, and line to line, to their laft
entrenchments. Their rcfiftance was all along brave, and
llicir retreat rcp;ular. The enemy purchaFed every advan-
t.ijTc at the dearcft rate; hut at laft prelFcd upon every fide,
worn down by a terrible flaughtcr, their general diFabled
In two mortal wounds, at eight in the morning the rem-
nint of the army threw down their armi;, and Furrendcred
rn the field of battle.

On the fide of the vanquiflied, the (lain were about 4000.
The prifoncrs were, one general of foot, namely general
Foiiquct ; two major generals ; two hundred and thirteen
officers oF the inferior ranks ; and upwards of 70(^0 private
loldicrs, 58 pieces of artillery, with a number of colours.
Never was a more entire and dccifive vidory. The whole
urmy, general, i.fficers, every thing was defl roved. Scarce
three hundred of the body intrenched by Landmut efcaped.
The corps alone which was to preferve the communicati-
on, together with Fome bodies oF cavalry who had not been
engaged, with difficulty got into Schwcidnit/., where they
cxpefl^ed every moment to be beficged. This advantage
toft the Auftrians above 12000 men killed and wounded.

'Mif

' i^ 3

Bfic^V'

• 1 iSlj

} I

r I"! i '- >" 1

CHAP. IV. ' '

The Aujlriant hike Glatr.. Situation of the Prufptin ar-
mies. King of Pnijfia fnarcbes towards Silcfia and dc^
ceivfs M. Daun. King of Prvfp.a returns to Saxony.
ISicge of Drefden. 'Town burned. Return of Daun,
Sierc raifed. Brcflau hefxegcd hy the AiiJIrians. March
of Prince Henry. Laudohn retreats.

THIS vi£kory was purfued with as much rapidity as it
was obtained with courage and addreFs. Baron Lau-
dohn immediately turned back from Landfliut, and fell

U m like

^74 T'Z't' History o/ z/;^ War. lyg^

like a ftorm upon Glatz. Glatz confifts uf two fortrcflc';
the old and ♦^he new. The old was taken by ftorm ; the
rew furrendered at difcretion. Two thoufand brave men
and fome good works could not defend it againfl: the impe-
tuofity of the Auftrians. One hundred and one pieces of
brafs cannon were taken. Immenrc magazines of provifi.
on and military (lores piled up in this frontier place to fa-
vour in better times an irruption into Bohemia, fell into the
hands of the conqueror. F.very thing gave way. The
polTeflfion of Glatz laid all Silefia open, and the Auftrians
might turn their arms upon any fide without the leaft dan-
ger to the freedom of their retreat. Neither was there anV
fort of army to give the lead obftruflion. The King of
Pruffia held down by M. Daun, was in Saxony. Prince
Henry was alfo at a great diftance towards Cuftrin. If that
Prince attempted to move to the relief of Silefia, he laid
open Brandenburgh, and even Berlin itfelf to the irruptions
of th^'Rufllans. If he remained in his port, Silefia was in-
evitably loft. Even his fpeedieft march feemed by no means
a certain way to relieve it. The King v/as yet further dif-
tant ; and any motion of his threatened to (hake and un-
hinge the whole fch^me of his defence ; expofing at once
Saxony and Berlin. The lofs of his third army, fmall as
th^t army was, laid him under difficulties that fccmcd in-
fupcrable.

Favoured by thcfe circumftances, Laudohn had only to
^hufe what direclion he fhould give his arms. Silcfa. as
has been obferved, lay open before him. He had threat-
ened Schwcidnitz; but he fiw that Breflau wa" a place of
greater confcquence, much riiore eafily reduced, and that
the ponefTion of it facilitated a junction with the Ruflians;
a point on which the ultimate improvement of his vidory
wholly depended. The place befides is of fo great extent,
and the works of fo little comparative ftrength, that he
had no ffnall hopes of maftering it before Prince Henry
could come, if he faould at all attempt to come to its re-
lief.

He therefore delayed no longer than the march of his
heavy artillery and the neceflju'y preparatives required, to
lay fiege to the capital of Silefia, of whofe fafety the inoft
f^nguine friends of his pruflian majefty began to defpair.

But. in the interval between the b.7ttl(? of Landfliut and
the commencement of thq fiege of Brcllau, the King of

Prullia

1 76c,

wtreflb.,
^rm ; the
'■ave men
he impe-
pieces oF
Provifi.
cc to fa.
into the
y- The
Aiiftrians
eaft dan-
here an}-
King of
Prince
If that
> he laid
Tuptions
I was in-
10 means
therdif.
and un-
at once
fmall as
tncd in-
only (0
Icfia. 33
threat-
place of
md that
uflians;
vidory
extent,
that he
Henrv
Its re-

of his
•ed, to
e ;noll
3air.
ut and
ing of
■^rufTia

,760. T/je History of tbe War. 2^5

pruiTia *vas hot idle. His thoughts were continually em-
ployed to repair this difafter ; all ordinary .efources were
imprafticable or iheffeflual. His genius alone could enter
'•e lifts with his '!) fortune. Placing therefore his hopes
in himfclf, he aimed by a daring and unexpefitcd ftroke. to
draw even from fo fovere a misfortune forrie new and more
brilliant advantages.

In purfuance of the plan he had laid, he difpo- July 3.
fed all things for a march towards Silefia, and
had pafled the Elbe and penetrated through a woody coun-
iry without oppofition ; had the enemy been apprifed of
his march as early as he began it, it had been attended with
great and unfurmountable 4iffic 'tics. Marlhal Daun no
fooner had advice of his march, than he alfo immediately
moved with the utmofl: expedition at the head of his main
army towards Silefia, leaving the army of the Empire, and
a tjody undct General Lacy, to awe Saxony in his abfcnce.
The two armies continued their route through I/ufatia ;
that of the King of Prufila a little to the northward, that
of Marflial Daun to the fouthward ; both apparently pufh-
ing towards the fariie obje61:, and with equal eagcrnefs. But
as the ai^my of the marfhal had rather the fliorter cut to
make, and as he moved with f;tr greater and more unaf-
fefted diligence, he got very confiderably the ftart of the
King.

When his majefty was appriffd that M. Daun
had gained full two days march upon him ; that July 8.
he had aftually arrived at Gorlit7.,and was pufliing
by forced marches to Lauban ; his great purpofe was ob-
tained. Immediately he flruck into M. Daun's track, but
wheeled into the oppofite dirc61:icn, rcpalTcd the Spree rrear
Bautzen, and whilft every one imagined him on tlic fron-
tiers of Silefia, he fuddenly fprung up like a mint before
Drefden. Thearmy of tlieEm, "re retired. Lacy's corps was
obliged to fliift its fituation. The Pruflian generals Mulfcn
and Ziethen, who ha i pi'obably been prepared to ::cl in con-
cert with the King, joined hint bctore that place,
and knowing there was no mom for delay, l)egan July 13.
the ficgc with the utmofl: vigour.

Then was this moft unl'ortunatc city a th.ird time expo-
icd to the fury of war. The inhabitants iuffered in their
hahit,)tions for the v/calrncfs of the works; and there were
ainucs bolli without and within of fuch mutual and deter-

iVI m 3 mined

,U{...|>';. Ill;' '

••••fi m

Z'jB The History of the War. i^5q

mined rage, and fo carelefs of all things but their enmity
that they little fcrupled to ftrike at each other through
the bodies of the fuffering Saxons. All Europe had now
its eyes turned t ^e event of this mafterly manoeuvre ; and
certainly througl » whole courfc of this eventful war
nothing appeared more worthy of regard, nor at any time-
had there been exhibited a piece of generalfhip more cnni-
pleat, than the conduft of the King of Pruflla's march.

Since Drefden had fallen into the hands of the Auftrlans,
it had been ftrengthcned with the addition of feveral new
works. The burning of the fuburbs by the Prufllans, in
order to keep them out, became an advant'\ge to them
when they came to poflefs the town. In fhort, the place
was rendered in all refpef^s more defenfible than formerly.
It had alfo a very large garrifon under General Macguire,
an officer of courage and experience, who refolved to main-
tain it to the laft extremity : when he wis fummoned to
furrender, he made anfwer, " That it Wts impoflible the
king could have been apprifed with his being entrufted with
the command of that capital ; otherwife fo great a captain
as his majefty would not make fuch a propofal to an officer of
his ftanding : that he would defend hirnfelf to the laft man;
and wait whatever the king fhould think proper to attempt."

Both parties being therefore infpired with the utmoft
refolution, the one to attack, the other to defend, the fiege
was pufhed on by every method of force and addrefs ; there
was fcarce any intermiflion of aflaults, furprizes, coups de
mains, fallies, and all kind of afilions ufed on fuch occafions;
and all the mod vigorous in their way. In the mean time
three batteries of cannon and mortars played continually,
but with much greater damage to the buildings than effed
on the fortifications.

Marfhal Daun was in Silefia when he heard all at once
of the deceit put upon him by the King of Pruflla of his
return to Saxony, of the fiege, and the extreme danger of
Drefden. His return was as rapid as his march had been.
On the 19th he appeared within a league of Drefden. Kis
approach only caufed the PrufHans to redouble their efforts;
that day they had received reinforcements of heavy cannon
and mortars, and battered the place with nev/ fury. The
cathedral church, the new fquare, feveral principal ftrects,
fome palaces, the noble manufactory of porcelain, were all
entirely reduced to afhcs.

The

The fiege cl

H Daun had f
\^as in vain to
ing a whole ar
there was ano|
withdrew his
though there
in the neighbj

walls.

Thus endec
ing defer ved,
the want of '
themeafure.
Silefia he gain
from the ener
hours and ev
had certainly
the pofleflion
finitely better
part of his te
would have th
tune. If he f
in their formd
tation by havi
As the Kin I
return of Mai
turn ; fo neitl
imputation it
He knew that
even to prefs
king Ihould
him, Laudoh
tages he coul
attacked by
would run t]
that of Land
vv naicvci
he on this o(
fiderable obf
^nt Laud
rate defence
vves. He fi
to intlmidat

1-160. 7*^ History of the War. 277

The fiege continued till the 11A. The night of the 2 1 ft,
M. Daun had thrown fixteen battalions into Drefdcn. It
was in vain to continue any longer the pretence of" befieg-
ing a whole army within the town, whilfl: at the fame time
there was another army to reinforce it without. The king
withdrew his forces without moleftation from the fuburbs,
though there were three confiderable armies of the enemy
in the neighbourhood, befides that which was within the
walls.

Thus ended, without the fuccefs fo mafterly a proceed-
ing deferved, the King of Pruflia's famous ftratagem. But
the want of fuccefs can detraO: nothing from the merit of
the meafure. By drawing Marlhal Daun from Saxony to
Silefia he gained the ufe of eight days, free of obllruclion
from the enemy's grand army ; eight days at a time when
hours and even moments were critical. In this time he
had certainly a chance at leaft of reducing Drefden ; and by
the poflefllon of that place he would have found himfelf in-
finitely better able to carry his arms to the defence of every
part of his territories for the prefent, and for the future
would have that great place of retreat in cafe of any misfor-
tune. If he failed in this attempt his affairs were precifely
in their former condition ; and he could not fufier in repu-
tation by having made it.

As the King of Pruffia could not be blamed for the fpe ^y
return of Marfhal Daun, and the confequences of that re-
turn ; fo neither in effect could the Marflial fufFer any juft
imputation in having been deceived by the king's march.
He knew that there were very plaufible motives to call, and
even to prefs him to move that way. He knew that if the
king fhould get into Silefia witliout any oppcfition from
him, Laudohn might not only be deprived of all the advan-
tages he could hope for from his late vi6tory, but by being
attacked by the united armies of the king and his brother,
would run the rifque of a defeat thu might fully revenge
that of l,andfhut.

Vv hat ever the merit

either of the commanders inigl-.t
he on this occafion, it is certain that Laudohn met no con-
fiderable obflruCtion.

v^'it Laudohn who faw all thing- prepared for an obfi:i-
nate defence, did not who'ly trufl to his military mana-n-
vres. He fent a letter to the governor Count 'T'aven7,ien,
to intiinidate him by the difplay of his flrcngth.. He fet

lor til,

278 I'he History of the War. 1-5^

forth, that his forces confined of 50 battalions and 80 fqua-
drons ; that the Ruffian army of 75,000 men were within
three days march ; that it was in vain for the governor to
expect fuccour from the King of Pruflia, who was then
at the ether fide of the Elbe, that it was flill more vain
to look for reUef from Prince Henry, who could fcarcc
hope to ftand his own ground againfl the grand army of
the Ruffians ; that in cafe of obflinacy he could expeft no
reafonable terms : and that thefe were the laft that fhould
be offered. Moreover he rem.inded hirti that the place
was a mercantile town, not a fortrefs ; and that he could
not defend it without contravening the lav/s of war.

Thefc rules, by which honour is reduced to a£l, not
by its own feelings, but according to intrinfical circum-
ftances ; rules by which they have attempted to determine
exa6lly and mechanically that niceft of all lines which dif-
criminates courage from raflinefs, form one of the ftron^eft
inftanccs of the great difference between the antient and
modern methods and ideas of war. In the antient times,
a brave commander would have anfwered this threatning
meffage in general terms of defiance. But Count Taven-
zien refpefted thefc imaginary laws. He took care to
prove that in defending the town, he did not infringe
them ; and fpoke as Laudohn had done in the character
of a military jurifconfult, as well as a foldicr ; he gave
for reply. That t! :■ town of Breflaw being furrounded
with works and wet ditches, was to be confidered as a
place of ftrength, and not fimply as a mercantile town.
That the Auftrians thcmfelves defended it as fuch in i75"',
after the battle of Lifia. That the king had command-
ed him to defend it to the lafl: extremity, tliat therefore
General Laudohn might fee it was not from humour he
had refufcd to liften to his fummons. That he was
not frighted with the General's threats to deflroy the town;
for he was not entrufted with the care of the houfes, but
the fortifications.

Laudohn had alfo fent in a memorial in the fame menac-
ing ftile, where he thought it might have a greater effed,
to the civil magiftrates, hoping that the ruin with which
the town was threatened, might induce them to join with
the inhabitants, to pcrfuade the governor to a fpetdy
furrender.

AH thefe menacing meafurcs fecmed to argue a fear in

Earon

:6a

I'he History of the War. ' 279

Baron Laudohn, that the RufTians were not fo near as he
pretended, and that the town might pofllhly be rcHeved be-
tore their arrival. However he fhewcd them, at nine of the
very evening of the meffage, that his threats were not vain,
bv a terrible difcharge of mortars and red hot balls that
tell in an uninterrupted fliower upon the city until midnight.
During this fierce bombardment, that made a dreadful
havock. in the town, he attempted the out-works by aflault.
His Croats attacked the covered-way in many places at once,
with the ufual impetuofity of ihofe brave irregulars ; but
they were received and repulfed with a refolution equal to
their own, and with more fteadinefs.

The operation of this dreadful night having made no im-
prelTion on the inflexible determination of the governor,
Baron Laudohn had once more recourfe to negotiation. He
now changed his llile, and held out the moft flattering pro-
portions; offering to grant him what capitulations he Ihould ^
think proper to alk, and even to leave himfelf to draw up
the articles. The governor replied that the firing the town
had made no change in his refolution ; that he would wait
with firmnefs for the enemy upon the ramparts ; but that
he could not help obferving, it was contrary to the laws of
arms to begin the fiege of a fortrefs, by ruining its inha-
bitants. The meffenger made anfwer, that the trenches
would be foon opened. The governor faid, it was what
he had long cxpe6led. . ...

The Auftrians, foiled in their hopes from treaty, conti-
nued to batter the town, and made feveral attacks upon
the out-works for three days fuccefllvely. They found every
port bravely defended ; the Rufllan army did not appear,
but they now began to perceive the approach of another
army lefs agreeable ; that of Prince Henry ; which having
marc hed with the utmoft diligence from Great Glogau, now
came fiift upon him ; and on the 5th of Auguft, reached
within a few miles of the town.

Laudohn did not think it expedient to put the advantage
he had gained, and thofe which he had yet to expect from
the management of time, to the iflue of a battle ; he there-
fore decamped and made his retreat in good order, but with
fiifficient quicknefs ; having procured from this enterprife
onl)' the v/retched (atisfa6i:ion of reducing a great part of
the city to a heap of rubbilh, and of having revenged upon
Brellaw feme part of the fufferings ot Drefden.

CHAP.

■;nC*ii^':'

' '.-

a So

The History cf the War.
CHAP. V.

1760.

Catife of the jhvcnefs of the Allies and French. Advantages
en the fide of the Fremh. Difference between BrogHo and
St. Germain. Marburg and Dillcfiburg taken by the
French. Battle ofCorbaeh. Hereditary Prime wounded,
[■iurprize and defeat of Monfteur Glaubitz at Frmfdorf.
The Allies change their camp. Ailion at Warbourg.

TH K French and allied armies had been reinforced in
the manner we have already mentioned. But the
vigour of their operations did not altogether correfpond with
what might have been cxpe£ted from their flrength and
mutual animofity. The campaign, at lead in any effeftive
manner, opened late. A country vi^hich had been fo long
the theatre of fo ruinous a war, had been too much wafted
to make the fubfirt'^nce, and confequently the free motion
'if the armies eafy. The winter had been fevere and long;
and it was not until the green forage appeared plentifully
above ground, that thofe great bodies of cavalry, which
make fo large a part in our modern armies, were in a
condition to a£t. The fufferings of the Englifh horfe,
from a want of dry forage, during a great part of the
winter and the fpring had been extreme ; this obliged them
to fall much further back from the French cantonments; and
to moleft them lefs than they otherwifc would have done. It
was befides a lofs, that at the opening of the campaign, they
had fo extenfive a tra£t between them and Hanover; which
by an artful choice of polls might have been yielded ftep
by ftep, and the campaign fo managed and fpun out, that
the fcafon of adion mufl: have expired, before the French
couUl have reaped any decifivc advantage from their fu-
periority.

Although the French wore during the winter fupplicd
far better than the allies with all neceflarics by the com-
mand of the Maine, the Mofelle and the Rhine ; and that
the countries at their back had been much Icfs confumed
by the war ; yet the fame difliLultien embarraffed them as
foon as they thought of tsiking the field, and quitting their
advantageouK cantonments, therefore there was a flow-
nc'fs in the principal armies upon both parts, until the mid-
dle of fummer.

Not

ijSo. ^>^^ History of t//e War. 281

Not however, but that fomething was attempted in this
interval, by lefTcr parties. On the lide of the Rhine, fome
.idions happened between the army of St. Germain, and
tjie corps of General Sporkcn, who was ported at Dulmen,
to obftrve the French in that quarter, Dulmen formed
lilt right flank of the chain of cantonments made by the
allittl army, which extended its left to the fouth-eaft fron-
tiers ol the country of Hefle, above an hundred and fifty
miles diftant. The Hereditary Prince who was on that
wine, exerted, as much as circumftances would permit, his
iijiiai activity and enterprize. He threw himfcif into the
(lillrict (tf Fulda ; he laid it under an heavy contribution,
and broke up feveral French corps that were ported there.

Thcfc actions decided nothing. The French army fu-
pcrior in numi)ers, and in fituation, advanced ; and the
ailic!), who feemed to have chofen the defcnfive, gradually
retired. In cfteft, if the French had purfued their original
plan, it would have proved almoft impofTiblc for the allied
.imy to maintain its ground. If St. Germain, port'eflcd of
Cleves, Wefel, and Durteldorp, had advanced on the fide
nt Munfter ; and M. Broglio moving forward through the
country of Hefl'e, had made a rtrong detachment to the
tailward of the Wefer, whilft with his main body he en-
paged the attention of Prince Ferdinand, the allies would
ihortly have found themfelves enclofed upon three fides ;
and nothing could have extricated them but a capital vic-
tory obtained under every difadvantage. t *f.-

The French army was fufficiently numerous for thefe
operations. But it was fufpe6led that the jealoufy which
liihfiiled between M. de St. Germain and the Duke of
Broglio prevented their being carried into execution. This
miliinderrtanding daily increafed. Infomuch, that M.
Broglio thought fit to order the corps of St. Germain to
unite itfelf with the grand army. The count, who could
not brook obedience to a younger officer, and one bcfides
with Avhom he was not on the bert terms, re-
tired from the fervice. He had only ferved be- July 23,
tore upon condition of commanding an army en-
tirely diftin£t, and under his own particular orders. This
(llfFcrence deprived France of one of its mort able generals,
and difconcerted one of its mort promifed fchemes of
operation.

Before this mifundcrftanding had produced thefe efFe£ls,
vi^ . ^ N n the

iJi The HisTotiY of the "WAft. i^^q

the affairs of the French went on with all imaginable
profperity. The principal army not retarding itfelf, bv
confideration of the places of ftrength which the allies
poffeffed in their front, the caftles of Marburg and Dillen-
bourg, pulhed forward into the landgraviate of HefTe
leaving detachments to reduce thofe fortrefles. The firft
of which furrendered on the 30th of June, the latter held
out to the 1 6th of July ; but the garrifons of both furrender-
ed prifoners of war.

In the mean time whilft M. Broglio advanced
July 10. on the fide of Hefle; the corps of St. Germain
had penetrated through the dutchy of Weftphalia,
and the two armies joined near a place called Corbach.
The allied army had fallen back from the poil they occu-
pied at Fritzlar, and were retreating towards the river
Dymel. As yet they had received no advice of the dreaded
junftion of the French armies ; but as it was imagined that
the corps of St. Germain only moved that way, and the
Vanguard only of that corps could be arrived at Corbach,
which could not be eftimated at more than 10,000 foot,
and 17 fquadrons at the utmoft, the Hereditary Prince
formed a fcheme of attacking and driving them from that
poft.

When he had begun the attack, contrary to his expec-
tation he found the enemy already formed ; but it was now
impoflible to recede. The action grew every moment
more furiou'^ and bloody. The French ftood their ground
with firmnefs, and the main army being extremely near,
inftead of being wafted in the a6tion, they grew more nu-
merous by the reinforcements that were continually fent.

In this fituation it was neceffary that the Prince ihould
make as fpeedy a retreat as pofllble ; but the difficulty of
drawing out of the field in the middle of the day, before an
encrr.y quite frelh, and every inftant reinforced, may be
cafily imagined. To compleat this difficulty, fome bodies
of the German troops both horfe and foot fell into great
confufion. The enemy faw it at the firft glance, and to
increafe it to the utmoft diforder, pufhed forward upon
them with a numerous artillery and a large body of cavalry.
The allied army feemed to be in the way of inevitable ruin.

In this exigence the Hereditary Prince, as his laft re-
fource, pat himfelf at the head of a fquadron of Bland'i
and Howard's regiments of dragoons. By thefe the un-
common

1760. The History of the War. 285

common heroifm of their young leader was per feSly fe^
coiided. They charged the enemy with the utmoft fury,
flppped the career of their victorious horfe ; and enabled
the allied battalions to make an undifturbed retreat.

The Hereditary Prince was wounded in this action ;
about 900 men were killed, wounded, or prifoners, fifteen
pieces of cannon, the whole of the artillery, was left to the
enemy, but ftill in their circumftanccs to have avoided a
total defeat, was in fome fort viftory. The well- timed
impetuofity of the Hereditary Prince, and the fpirit of the
EngliL^- horfe, could not be too highly praifed. The Prince
retired to the main army of the allies, who had now poflef-
fcd themfelves of the ftrong poft of Saxenhaufen : whilft
the French continued oppofite to them in the no lefs ftrong
pofl of Corbach, which they had acquired by their viQiory 5
and here for fome time they watched each other.

The Hereditary Prince fuffered more by this check than
from the wounds he had received. His mind, forgetful of
his pain and weaknefs, only brooding over his defeat, feek-
ing out with anxiety an opportunity of revenging his lofs
by fome bold, fignal, and unexpefted ftroke againft the
enemy. It was not long before an opportunity prefented
itfelf. _

Advice had been received, that among the detachments
which the French employed to reduce thofe fortrefles
which the allies had garrifoned on their retreat, there was
one very confiderable, formed of French and Saxon, under
Monf. Glaubitz, moving towards Ziegenhagen, a place of
importance in the landgraviate of Heffe. The Hereditary
Prince undertook to relieve it, and for that pur-
pofe feleded fix battalions of the German troops, 14 July,
two brigades of hunters, a regiment of huffars,
and Elliot's light dragoons. Although this laft corps was
but juft arrived, had been newly raifed, and had never fcea
any kind pf fervicc, the Prince was fo well pleafcd with
their countenance, that he chofe them preferably to all
others for this difficult enterprize, and the event proved that
he was not miftakcn.

Monf. Glaubitz, remained in the moft pcrfe£l fecurity ;
he was under no fort of apprehenfion of being molefted
by a detiichmcnt of an army at fixty miles diftance, undet
the lyc, and as it were, guard of a fuperior body which
, N n 2 dcmande4

%'P^^:

• t\\

'h 1 ^'1

1^84 'J'he History of the War. i-jgQ

demanded all its attention ; when on a fudden he
July 1 6. found himfelf attacked with the utmoft violence.
The Hereditary Prince hnving reconnoitred his
pofition, made a detour of two leagues through woods and
. mountains, fell upon his left, whilft the reft of his troops
climbed the mountains on the oppofite fide, and rufhed
with the fame fpirit upon the right,

Glaubitz had fcarce time to form his troops ; and they
were only formed to be immediately broken. They retired
with precipitation, leaving their camp and all it contained
to the enemy. The Prince had fo difpofed his cavalry as
to cut oflF the retreat of fome ; but the moft confiderable
part gained ground upon him. On this occafion he relied
entirely on Elliot's horfe, as it was altogether impoflible
for the infantry, already harafled by the aOiion, and a moft
fatiguing forced march of two days, to follow them. At
the head of this horfe he overtook the fugitives as they
came out of a wood, charged and broke therri five different
times, feparated a body of 500 from the reft, furrounded
them, and obliged them to throw down their arms. Hav-
ing routed this, with the like rapidity, he flew to another
body who had taken poft near a wood, furrounded them in
the fame manner ; fummoned and received them all prifo-
ners of war. A regiment of the enemy's huflfars was en-
tirely cut to pieces. Nothing was wanting to compleathis
vi£lory. Elliot's light horfe, proud to be led on by the
Prince himfelf, and worthy of that honour, had the greateft
fhare of the glory and fufferings of that day. So young ;i
corps had never fo eminently diftinguiftied itfelf. No more
than 79 of the allies were killed in this aCtion, but of thefc
71 were of this fmgle regiment.

The numbers of the enemy killed is not known, but for a
time the flaughter was terrible. General Glaubitz himfelf
was made prifoner, together with the Prince of Anhalt.
There were befides 177 officers, and 2482 private men.
A greater number oi prifoners could fcarceiy be expefted
from a vidory in a general engagement The trophies
were nine pair of colours and fix pieces of cannon In all
the Petite Guerre of this campaign, (and the campaii^n be-
tween the French and the allies was almoft wholly made up
of fuch,) this was by far the moft brilliant aOion ; and alone
might* have crtabliflicd the reputation of the Hereditary
Prince, if any thing had been wanting to cftabliih him tlw

fir A

1760. "^f^^ History of the War. 285

firftman of his age, in that fpecies of war. He returned
(0 the camp of Saxenhaufen, without mdlcftation, having
revenged the affair of Corbach .
prince Ferdinand did not remain long after this aClion
in his camp at Saxenhaufen. By fo advanced a pofition, the
landgraviate, and even Hanover, lay too open to the enemies
incurftons. He therefore took his camp at a place called
Kalle, in a fituation nearer to Caffcl. On this M. Broglio
formed a plan, which the greatncfs of his army in fome
fort enabled him to execute. The Chevalier de Muy, who
commanded in the room of the Count St. Germain, was
ordered to crofs the Dymel at Statbergen, with his referve,
confifting of 35,000 men, in order to cut oflF the allies from
their communication with Weftphalia. Whilft the reft of
the French, dividing themfelves into two bodies, moved,
the main army under M. Broglio towards Duke Ferdinand's
camp at Kalle, the referve under Prince Xavier of Saxony
towards Caflel.

Thefe important movements obliged Prince Ferdinand to
fet himfelf alfo in motion ; and as he was not in a condition
to make detachments of fufficient ftrength, he eroded the
Dymel with his grand army, in order to fight the Chevalier
deMuy.

His Serene Highnefs formed his main body on ^ y ,
the heights of Corbach, and moved towards the -^ J "'
enemy, who were advantageoufly ported near Warbourg ;
in the mean time the Hereditary Prince with two columns
wheeled round the enemies left, and began a vigorous at-
tack at once' upon that flank, and upon their rear. Tlic
French commander poured reinforcements on that (lunrter.
An hot engagement was there maintained with ecjual obfti-
nacy for near four hours. Whilft this comhat continued
with uncertain fortune on the left, Prince Ferdinand cauled
fome bodies to file off towards the Frencli bridges on the
Dymel to their right, by which he propofcd to attack alio
on that fide, and intercept them on their retreat ; at the
fame time the main of his armv advanced with the utmoll
expedition to charge the enemy in front.

The French now faw themfelves in the mofl imminent
danr;cr of being furroundcd. Already their leit, attacked
in flank and rear by the Flereditary Prince, began to give
»vay: his fire became every moment liiperior ; and the tar-
liell retreat was the fafcll.

A«

:f '1'

'4'

286 ' I'be History of the War. ^g^

As foon as Prince Ferdinand perceived the enemy to re-
tire, he faw it al^folutcly in vain to think of bringing his in-
fantry upon their front. The EngHfh cavalry alfo, upon
which he chiefly confided, was too diftant to give almoft
any hope that they could be made to aft. But the Engjtlh
cavalry out-did his expeftations, and indeed all former ex-
amples. They confidered themfelves as defrauded of their
ihare of the glory of Minden : and they panted for an oc-
cafion of fignali'Aing their courage ; and their commanders
Lord Granby and Moftyn, forwarded their ardour, know-
ing that great adions are commonly tranfgrefTions of ordi-
nary rules.

They came up five miles on a full trot, (the Gennan*
called it a gallop) without being blown, without the leaft
confufion or diforder, and attacked the enemies cavalry and
infantry f«veral times. The greateft part of the enemies
horfe fell back and did not (land the charge. The Engliih
artillery were brought up with the fame furprizing quick-
nefs, and employed with the fame powerful effect. Captain
Phillips had done more with artillery than had been thought
pofllble at Minden ; and he exceeded it at Warbourg.
The Englifh foot vied with the cavalry and artillery, and
made fuch earned efforts to come to action, that in drain-
ing their paffage through moraffy ground and in burning
weather, fever^l foldiers dropped down on their march.
But they were too late to engage, and probably in their
wafted condition it was well that it fo happened.

The French made a precipitate retreat towards Statberg;
feveral were drowned in pafTmg the Dymcl ; 1 500 were left
on the field of battle ; as many were made prifoners. Ten
pieces of cannon were taken ; but they confoled themfelves
in having loft no colours. The lofs of the allied army in
general has not been, that I can find, publifhed. That of
the Engliih in killed, wounded, and mirtlng, was 590, but
then the battle lay chiefly on them, and the killed included
in that number were but about \y:)(a).

(a) Prince Ferdinand of Brunfvjick's Letter to His Majefy,
particulariftng the Battle of IVarbourg.

SIR, H^arhourg, Aug. I.

Have the honour of acquainting your Maiefty with the defeat
of the referve under the Chevalier dsMuy j who having palled

the

I'jSo. The History of the War. 287

So brilliant a fuccefs following clofc on the heels of the
former, raifed the reputation of the allied arms. As con-
fiderable an advantage might have well been expecled from

it;

the Dymel at StaSergen, exteilded his corps down the bdnks of

that river, in order to cut me off from Wejiphalia^ whilfl: M. de

Broglio was advancing with his main army towards my camp at

Kalle, and Prince Xa<vier with his refervc, on our left towards^

Caffel. Hereupon I determined to leave General Kielmanfegge

yvith a body of troops at Cajjel for the protetlion of that city, and

to march myfelf with the army the night of the 30th, in order to

pafs the Dymel between Liebenmi and Dringelburg ; which was

happily executed. The Hereditary Prince whO( had pafled the

Dymel on the 29th, to go and reinforce General Sporcke (who was

pofted fmce the 28th between Liebenau and Corhcke) reconnoitred

the pofttion of the Chevalier de Muy, who from the 30th in the

morning was in polTeflion of a very advantageous camp between

Warbourg and Ochfendorff. It was agreed, that the Prince and

U-Sporcke ftiould turn the enemy's left, whiift I advanced with the

armyupo^i their front ; which was done with all poifible fuccefs;

the enemy being attacked almoft in the fame inftant by M. Sporcke

and the Hereditary Prince in flank and in rear. As the infantry

of the army could not march faft enough, to charge at the fame

time, I ordered my Lord Granby to advance with the cavalry of

the right. The Englijh artillery got up on a gnllop, and feconded

the attack in a furprizing manner. All the troops have done wcll»

and particularly the Englijh. The French cavalry, though very

numerous, retreated, a" foon as ours advanced to charge them,

excepting only three fquadrons*, that kept their ground, but

were foon broke. A part of the Englijh cavalry then fell upon

the enemy's infantry, which fufFered extremely ; and particularly

the regiment of Lockmann Sivifs. I ordered an attack to be made

on the town of IVarbourg by the Legion Britanniijue ; and the

enemy finding themfelves thus attacked upon their two flanks, in

front and rear, retired with the utmoft precipitation, and with

the lofs of many men, as well from the fue of our artillery, as

from

* [ A fquadron of French horfe when complete, is i6o men,

of dragoons i8o. 7'hls ferves to contirni what Colonel Slopar

faid on Lord G. 5's trial, That had the front of the cavalry moved
faft enough to have obliged the rej^iment he commanded to have
galloped, it was his opinion it would have come up fit for hufmefs,
and would have heat any three French fcjuadrons it could havt
met with]

hmm

w'fettf

* ,

288 The History of the War. 1^5^^

it; but according to the ufual play of fortune in this war
the firfl: account that followed the defeat of fo large a par'
of the French army, was, that with a rapid and unrefifted

tide

from the attacks of the cavalry. Many were drowned in the
Dymel in attempting to ford it. The enemy's Jofs in men is very
confiderable : J cannot exadly afcertain it, but it is fuppofed, that
, they have left fifteen hundred men upon the field of battle ; and
the amount of the prifoners we have made, jrrobabiy exceeds that
number. We have taken ten pieces of cannon, with feme colours
The lofs on our fide is very moderate, and falls chiefly upon the
brave battalion of Max'well\ Englijb Grenadiers y which did won-
ders. Colonel Becktvith, who commanded the brigade, formed
oi Englijb Grenadiers and Scotch Highlanders, diftinguifhed him-
felf greatly, and has been wounded in the head.

My Lord Granby, with the Englijh cavalry, has contributed
extremely to the fuccefs of the day. I charge Capt. Faitcitt, his
Lordfliip's Aid-de-Camp, with this letter, to be delivered to ycf
Majefl;y, and to give your Majefly a more particular account of
the aftion from his own mouth, till I can have the honour of lay-
ing at your Majefty's feet a more extenfive and circumftantial re-
lation.

I am, ivith the mojl profound re fpe&y '

Siry Tour Majeftfs mojl obedient couftn and fer'vanty
•>■••';.. I = .' Ferdinand Due de Brunfiuic ^ de Luneboure.

The Marquis of Granby s Letter to the Earl of Holdernejfe.

IT is with the greateft fatisfadlon, that I have the honour of
acquainting your Lord (hip of the fuccefs of the Hereditary
Prince yefterday morning.

General Sporcken's corps marched from the camp at Kalle Lie-
be nau, about four in the afternoon of the 29th ; the Hereditary
Prince followed, the fame evening, with a body of troops, among
which were two Englijb battalions of Grenadiers, the two of
Highlanders, and lour fquadrons of Dragoons, Cope's and
Connvay's.

The army was under arms all the day on the 30th ; and,
about eleven at. night, marched off in fix columns to Liebenau.
About five the next morning, the whole army afTembled, and
formed on the heights of Corbeke. The Hereditary Prince was,
at this time, marching in two columns, in order to turn the'
enemy's left flank ; which he did, by marching to Donhelbur^,
leaving Klein-Eder on his left, and forming in two lines, with his

. . : left

^jSo. The History of the War.

tide of fuccefs, they had reduced Caflel, Fimbaeh, and
Ziegenhayn ; by which they became marters of the whole
landgraviate of Hede ; that they had puHied into the king's

territories,

left towards DoJJel^ and his right near Crimbecky oppoiite to the
left flank of the enemy, whole pofition was, with the left to the
liigh hill near OJfendarff, and their right to IVarbourg^ into wiiich
place they had flung lijcher^^ corps. The Herediiury Prince im-
mediately attacked the enemy's flank j and, after a very fliarp dif-
pute, obliged them to give way ; and, by a continual fire, kept
forcing them to fall back upon IVarhourg. The army was, at
this time, marching with the greatefl: diligence to attack the
enemy in front j but the infantry could not get up in time ; Ge-
neral iValdegra<ve, at the head of the Britijh, prefled their march
as much as poflible ; no troops could fliew more eagernefs to get
up, than they (hewed. Many of the men, from the heat of the
weather, and over-fl:raining themfelves to get on, through morafly
and very difficult ground, dropped down on their march.

General Mofiyn^ who was at the head of the Britifl) cavalry
that was formed on the right of our infantry, on the other fide f
1 large wood, upon receiving the Dukiz orders to come up with
the cavalry as fail as poflible, made fo much expedition, bringing
them up at a full trot, though the diftance was near five miles,
tbt the Britijh cavalry hid the happinefs to arrive in time, to
fare the glory of the day, having fuccefsfully charged, feveral
times both the enemy's cavalry and infantry.

I ihould do injuftice to the general officers, to every officer and
private man, of the cavalry, if I did not beg your lordfliip would
alTure his majefly, that nothing could exceed their gallant beha-
viour on that occafion.

Captain Phillips made fo much expedition with his cannon, as
to have an opportunity, by a fevere cannonade, to oblige thofe
who had paffed the Dymel, and were formed on the other fide, to
retire with the utmofl: precipitation.

I received his Serene Highnefs's orders yefterday in the evening,
to pafs the river after them, with 12 5r////2> battalions, and 10
fquadrons ; and am now encamped upon the heights of iniJa,
about four miles from Warbourg, on the heights of which their
grand army is encamped.

M. de May is now retiring from the heights of yolkmiffen, where
lie lay under arms lad night, towards Wnlfjhagen. I cannot give
your Lordfhip an account of the lofs on either fide. Capt. Faucitt,
"horn I fend oft* with this, (hall get all intelligence he can upon
'his head before he fcts off.

lam, Iffc. G R A N B Y.
'^ O o PS

^,tJ*'

I'i, < \ ;'* I

■f'

ir ' .i

jl:

290 Tkc History of the War. j^^q

territories, feized upon Gottingen and Munden, and threa-
tened Hanover itielf. In fhort, alnr.oft tlie worft conft«
quences which could have arilcn from a defeat followed ai

viaory J

P. S. Saturday morning Cix o'clock. I have juft joined the
grand army with my detachment.

[ Capt. Faucitt arrived at Lone/on in the afternoon Auguji 8, and
according to a (hort account of this action publifhed in a gazette-
extraordinary in the afternoon of the 9th, M Muy'% corps was fup-
pofed to be upwards of 35,000 men ; the hereditary Prince's corps
when joined to that of Gen. Sporcke, confided of 24 battalions and
22 fquadrons. ]

Total lofs fuftained in the cavalry in killed, wounded and mif-
fing, 164. Total lofs fullained in the Grenadiers and Highlandtn]
in killed, wounded and miffing, 415. Bombardiers, gunners, and
matrolTes, killed, wounded and milfing, 1 1. Total 590.

His Serene Highnejs Prince Ferdinand's Orders after tht Batth.

Warbourg Camp, Friday, Aiiguji i, 1760.!

HIS Serene Highnejs again renews the compliments of thanks, i
that he gave in general terms yefterday to the generals, officers,
regiments, and corps, who were then engaged, and who, by their
valour and excellent conduft, gained fo complete a viftory over the
enemy ; and orders his thanks to be publickly given to Lord
Granby, under whofe orders the Britijh cavalry periformed pro-
digies of valour, which they could not fail of doing, having his
Lordfliip at their head, and the other general officers of the Britijh
cavalry, who by their examples (hewed the troops they led to the
charge, how much they afted with an aftonifliing cou"age, and a
prefence of mind not to be equalled. His Serene High.iejs is much
obliged to them, and gives infinite thanks as well to them, as to
all the officers in generrl, and in particular io the whole Briix^)
cavalry, and principally : o Lieutenant-Colonel Johnfon ofConnuays
regiment; the family ofLordGranby, in particular Capt. ^^ttf^«H,
arc hereby defired to receive the fame compliment of thanks, as
ther conftantly attended Lord Granhy in the different attacks of
th'j cavalry, and executed his Lordlhip's orders in the mofl: punc-
tual manner.

The corps of brave Grenadiers, who fo much contributed to
the glorious fuccefs of the day, receive by this the juft praife
due to them. His Serene Highnefs cannot enough acknowledge
how much efteciii and regard he has for them : He orders his beil
thanks to i^ieutgnant-Colonel Beckioith^ and Major Maxnuejl, ^i
■ '" '- ■ ' -' '■' " alfo

4o. The History of the War. 291

Hclory ; and whilft in England we gave a loofe to our joy
Lnthe fuccefs of our arms, the French were taking the
Imoft important places of our allies.

The faft was that Prince Ferdinand muft have been fen-
„ble, that in quitting his camp at Kaile, and taking port to
the northward of the Dymel, he in a great i leafure laid
open Caflel and the whole territory of Hefle to the French ;
nay, that by this movement nothing was left to hinder their
entering the Hanoverian dominions on the right of the
Wel'cr. But notwithftanding thefe rifques, the flep he

O o 2 took

ilfo to the three Captains of the 5r/Vr/& artillery, Phillips^ M'Bainet
ijiiStei>ens, who fo well managed their artillery. All the re-
giments under the command of his Serene Highnefs the Hereditary
Prince, and Lieut. Geu. Spon^en, irom the Generals down to the
niivate men, are particularly thanked by his Serene Highnefs,
for the good conduct and courage with which they fought
Tffterday.

Major-General Bredenbeck, at the head of Cope^ regiment, who
fignalized himfelf lo much, is efpecially thanked, as is Colonel
HunJy of the Hejfxan artillery, by whofe care his artillery was fo
well managed.

Major Bulo'Wy with the Britijh Legion manoeuvred the whole
diyin the face of the enemy, and who did them infinite damage,
\i\%S)erene Highnefs returns him many thanks, and afl'ures him that
he fudll, on s.li occafions, retain a proper fenfe thereof. In fine,
his Serene Highnefs gives many thanks to thofe who accompanied
his perfon, as well as thofe of his fuite, particularly to the brave
Capt. Winfenrood, who is very much wounded ; Capt. Carpenter,
greatly contributed to the taking of feveral of the enemy's cannon ;
Count Z)rtM/mw, who was inftrumental in making prifoners a great
numbi.'r of Fifcher'^ corps; Capt. Sloper, Major of brigade Hor-
Jinh.rg ; and Capt. Matlortie ; who at all times executed with
alacrity and exaftnefs the orders they received from him.

His Serene Highnefs defires that on the firft occafion the army
will return thanks to the Almighty for the fuccefs of yefterday,
and flatters himfelf that by his alliftance and the bravery fliewed
yefterday, we fhall in the end overcome every obflacle that offers.

IVfirbourg Camp, Saturday, Augufi 2, i 760,
His Serene Highnefs orders that a particular compliment be
made to Lieutenant-Colonel Sloper, for his behaviour and bravery
in the affair of the 31ft of July : he likewife dcfires his thanks to
be given to Lieutenant-Colonel Clinton, adting as aid-de-can)p to
his Serene Highnefs the Hereditary Prince.

MM^

iff ' -Sv

292 7he History of the War. i-jg^

took was prudent, and even neccdary. Had he fufFerH
the progrcls of the Chevalier de Muy, on the Dymel ; i^ad
he permitted him to ftrengthen his polls upon that river
his communication with Weftphali i had heen inevitably cut
ofF, and of courfe his fphcre of fubfiitcnce greatly ftreipl>
tened. It would have had a wor!";- cfTect. For he niuf^
have entirely loft the command o the Wefer, without
which he could not have ftood his ground a moment; and
he would on that lofs have found himfclf compelled to re.ire
into the heart of Hanover, where he muit neceffarih he
ftreightencd in his winter cantonments, and where a blow
of any confequence mud he decifive againft him.

He therefore fought the battle of Warbourg though he
loft all HelTe by his viftory ; and he would not quit his pofts
on the Dymel, though he faw Gottingen and Munden in
the hands of the French. He was not to be frighted from
his fteady and well chofen plan, by vain rumours or threat-
ening appearances. He was by no means in a condition to
make large detachments ; it was therefore neceflary to fa-
crifice fomething ; and he made the fmalleft facrifice that
circumftances would admit. For he forefaw that the French
army v/hilft he kept his pofition on the Dymcl, could not
poflibly take up their quarters in Hanover, or even aft there
in any conftderable body, and for any corfiderable time,
without fubjefting themfelves to the fame or greater incon-
veniencies than thofe to which he would have been himfelf
liable, had he in defending Hefte fuffered them to occupy
thofe critical pofts on f:he Uyi'icl. He knew farther, that
it Avould prove extremely dangerous for them to hazard
themfelves beyond Gottingen ; and that it would be more
difficult for the Fren .h army to fnpport themfelves in that
advanced poft, than for him to annoy them there.

It is poilible that reafons fomewhat like the foregoing,
together with odiers probably far more cogent, might have
determined that great commander to this conduct. But
whilll: he fecured that middle communication and aded upon
the dcfenfive plan, the troops were not idle ; his detach-
ments a6led in many parts with fpirit and effefl:. But we
muft deier for a while the narrative of thefe actions, being
called from this part of the theatre to the eaftern parts of
Germany, where about this time fcenes of greater eclat
were opened. ^ • :, , .

. ,.. . , ^ -^^ ^ - y, CHAP-

4o.

The History of the War.
. C H A P. VI.

^93

Ivuhbn blocks up Schiveidnitz. Rujfians enter Silr/ra,
March of the King of Pruffia from Saxony to Lignitz.
Junction of the Aujirian armies in Silefta. The Ru[/ians
pr.fs the Oder. Plan of M. Daun. Laudohn defeated
iiccr Lignitz. Daun forms the blockade of Sch'^vridniiz.
Compelled to raife it. Adion between General Hul fen ar.d
the army of the Empire. Intercepted letter jrom the King
rf Fruffia to the Marquis of Ar gens.

FROM the time that the King of Pruffia found hinif<:lf
compelled to raife the fiege of Drefden, it was evident
that he could have no hopes of a6ling in Saxony to any
pod purpofe. The bufy part of the campaign came on faft.
Though Prince Henry had obliged Laudohn to retire from
Brefiaw; that general, able, and lately viftorious, was ftill
formidable ; he kept Neifle and Schweidnitz blocked up ;
and wanted to effcft a jun£llon with the Ruffians, by which
he propofed to give the final blow to the king's power in
LSilefia. The Ruffians had now actually arrived in the fron-
tier parts of that province, and wanted but a very few days
cafy march to compleat that fatal and long dreaded jun6tion.
At the fame time another body of RulTians had penetrated
into Pomerania ; laid all the defencelefs parts under con-
tribution ; and threatened the fiegc of -Colberg. The Swedifh
army, faid to confifl of 22,000 men, commenced alfo, the'
with lefs vigour, their operations. In all that country the
Kitig of Pruffia had not 5000 men to oppofe them.

In thefe circuniflances a plan of mere defence would have
proved altogether without efie6t. The King of Pruffia had
but two armies ; and it was neceffiiry that one of them, at
leatl, fhould make the mofl rapid and fudden movements to
oppufc fo many combinations. On the fide of Silefia the
danger fccmed more preifmg, and accordingly he
marched to its relief; advanced near two hundred July 30.
miles, and left Marfhal Daun, who had confider-
ably the flart, far behind him. This march would have
liten thought an artonifhing exploit in a partizan at the
head of a (mail and difencumbercd corps : but that a nume-
rous army clogged with its artillery, with above two thou-
land waggons, Ihould in that time traverfc fuch a fpace,

fhould

I Hi

ifiS'li

294 '^^^^ History of the War. \>^^^

fhould pafs the Elbe, the Spree, the Neiflfe, the Queifs, anj
the Bobcr, five confidcrable rivers; that they ihoiild effect 1
all this, with one army of the enemy on one fide of its
flanks, another behind, and with a third in its front (the
adual pofition of the Auftrians in Lufatia) was an a^^jon
rcfcrved for, and only to be expected from the Kina of I
Prufl'ia. The attempt itfelf could have been jiiftified onlv
by nccefllty ; and the neceility was urgent. The Ruffians
approached. M. Daun followed towards Silefia ; and the
king could hardly prom.ife himfclf fuccefs, but from a
match of fuch rapidity, as might enable him to try his for-
tune with General Laudohn, before the triple junftion he
apprehended had made his enemies irrefiftable. But not-
withftanding the hopes conceived from this march, before
the king could come to an action three bodies of Auflrians
had joined, Laudohn's, Daun's, andLacy's; and extending
themfelves along the Katiliach, a river which falls into the
Oder, occupied all the ground from Parchwitz to Coflcn-
tlau, a fpace of little lefs than thirty Ivnglifh miles. Rutin
this extent their ports were every where ftrong, and their
communications eafy. The king's camp was at Lignitz.
It was in vain that for fevcraldays he attempted, by various
devices, to detach one body of the enemy from the ret), or
to turn their Hanks and attack them at difadvantagc. The
nature of the ground or the (kill of the oppofite gcncrajj
always dilappointcd him.

At length M. Daun took himfclf the offenfive party. The
advantage of his fituation, and the fupcriority of his num-
bers, prevailed over his cautious nature to rifquc an attack.
It was therefore refolved, after the lituation of Li'gnit/ h;id
been well reconnoitred, all circumftances maturely weiphcii,
and the deiign communicated to the other generals, to at-
tempt the King of Pruflui in his camp, with the united
llriMigth of the three r.rmies. To enfure fuccefs beyond a
doubt, it was determined that this attempt fhould be made
by furpri/.e, and tb.crefore in the night. M. Daun remem-
bered the bad guard which had been kept by the PrulTians;
and the advantaue, which in the year 1758 he derived from
a night attack at the battle of f^ochkirchen.

In conltcjuencc of this plan the whole army, as foon as it
flTould begin to grow dark, was to march from their fevcral
polls to fuch fituations as were marked out for each corps;
they were to llrike their tents, but yet to keep up the fires

ii^oo. Tbe History of the War. * 295

,, their camps, and to have the drums beat the tattoo
|i;iilual.

Some time after Marfhal Daun had begun to move, to

[iiisalloniihmcnt the patroles he had fent out returned with

I [he account, that they had met no out-poih. As foon as

I jiv broke and the army had advanced, their apprehcnfious

ftcre confirmed. They were difappointed in their dcfign,

[here was no enemy in the camp ; but when they cart their

fvcj trom thence, they could perceive at a didance the

riling ot a thick fmokc, which left them no room to doubt

iJKit their fortune was t!ien on the point of decifion, by ;i

part of their forces only, and that the King and Baron

l.uidohn were at tliat moment hotly engaged ; Daun could

onlv look on and wait the event.

On the 13th of July the king was in his camp at Lignlt/,
ttlun he received advice that the Ruflian army of 24,000
men, under Count Cz,ernichcw, had thrown bridges over
the Oder, at a place called Auras, and that they were to
pals the river on that very day. He fufpeOed alfo, that
the enemy had formed the dcfign of a general attack.
Troops which have been a long time oppcfed to each other
can reciprocally gucfs at each other's defigns ; the method
ui'cil by the enemies generals grow familiar, and the Icafl
motion they make difclofes their defigns.

This is the account the Prullians gave of the means by
whicli they came to a knowledge of M. Daun's projects.
I he Auftrians attributed this difcovery, not to the Prulli.m
figarity, but to intelligence given by deferters.

Whatever the means were by which the King of PrufTM
hicamc fufpicious of this defign, it is certain, that he took
the moil early, the moll vigorous, and the moftefFe6live mea-
lurcs to defeat it. He was thoroughly fenfible of the danger
he run of being furroundf;d, if he continued in his port at
Ligniiz, ; out of that very defign, which was calculated for
his ruin, his genius drew a new means of fafety. He faw
at a i';l.uice, that the plan which the enemy had formed to
liirround him, at the fame time, necelfardy divided their
own ormics. And this divifion was the great objedrl he had
purfiicd fo long, and thro' fuch difcourag'ng difappoint-
mcnts. His only bufinefs was to prevent their reuniting in
a general attack upon his quarters. Therefore in the very
v-'venins', calculated for the attempt on his camp, he quitted
It witii as much privacy as the enemy had propofcd to attack

it.

1^1

^sit^'^.s

''lit'

2C)6 The History of the War. lyg^^

it, niarcheil and took an advantageous poft on the way
throi!L>;!i wliich I.audohn was to pafs.

And now the decifive hour approached, in which he was i
to put to the rifque as great a llake as had been plaved tcr'
iinee the Ix-ginnino; ot the war. No vulgar advantai'c
would fuffice in his fnnation, and that very fituation in fopu'
fort difablcd him from attaining a great one. After tonr
bloody canipaigns, and the viciifiLudes of a fuccefs In all it,
changes exhauiring, his old corps was nearly annihilat(:>:
Thoie who fuccecded to their places, had fcarcely fecn the
brilliant times of the king's fortune ; and they inheiin,)
neither the fevere difcipline, nor the undaunted fpirit of t!;,;
firfl: companions of his hopes ; they were new to fervid
yet difpirited with defeats. The king himfelf gave life to
the whole, he alone was to reflify a thoufand faults, and to
fupply a thoufand deficiencies.

The port which he chofe, was fuch, as whilft it llopped
the progrefs of Laudohn in front, if Daun fliould attempt
his rear, would from the nature of the ground lay him un-
der great difficulties. This rear he further flrengthencd
with feveral batteries. As foon as his army was drawn up,
he divided it, leaving his right on the ground, where it had
been formed to obferve Marflial Daun and to maintain that
pod ; whilfl: with his left he turned in order to fall iinon
the corps under L.audohn. No difpofitions could have been
made with a more perfetl fls.ill.

Mean time 1 «audohn was advancing fafl: to the fnare which
had been laid for him. Already he had palFed the Katf-
bach, and was moving towards Lignitz, full of the hope^
of no fmall fliare in the jjiory of giving the final blow to
the King of PrulTia, and had advanced as far as the village
of PfafFendorf, when by three in the morning, the dav-
light began to dawn ; a thick fog that had covered all the
adjacent grounds fuddenly cleared up, and like the opening
of a great fcene difclofed at once the whole PrufTian army,
regularly embattled, advantageoufly ported, furniflicd with
a dreadful and well-placed artillery.

He was now come full upon his enemy. It
Aug. 15. was impofTible to recede; the furprlze he intend-
ed was turned upon himfelf. But this able gene-
ral, though furprifed, was not difordered. The befl diipo-
fitions were made that the time would admit ; a fliarp ami
cbflinate combat began; which continued without giving

way

iy6o. The History of the War. 297

Lay on either fide, until fix. The King of Prufiia exerted
himfelf with incredible diligence to preferve an uniform
llrength in every part of his line, and hazarded his own fife
Liih a daring, which nothing but his fituation could excufe
from temerity. His cloaths were Ihot through in feveral
places, his horfe was killed under him. But all thefe trou-
bles and dangers were fully compenfated by the efforts of
liis troops, who maintained fo fteady a fire, and pufhed the
Auftrians with fo much ardour, that they at laft gave
sroiind, and retreated with precipitation, though not with-
out fomc order, towards the Katfbach.

The king purfued them to this river, and no further.
His advantage as it was gained by the moft vigorous fteps,
I'o bounds were fet to the ardour of improving it with
the moft guarded caution. He feared if he purfued his
fuccefs too far, it might disjoin the part of the army en-
pged from that which he had left to obferve M. Daun ;
and perhaps give that general an opportunity of taking a
levere revenge on the right, for the fucceflcs of the left.
Notwithftanding this referve of the king, (a referve, the
want of which was formerly the only failing in his mi-
litary character, but which his misfortunes had now per-
fectly taught him,) notwithftanding, I fay he did not pufti
his good fortune againft Baron Laudohn to the utmoft,
the victory was compleat, glorious, and adorned with all
the trophies. By their own confefllon, the Auftrians loft
upwards of 6000 men, killed, wounded and prifoners.
The Pruflians made it afmount, and not without proba-
bility to 10,000. Among the prifoners, were two gene-
rals, and 84 officers ; 82 pieces of cannon and 7^3 pair of
colours were taken. On the fide of the conquerors, five
hundred were killed, and 1200 wounded.

With regard to Silefia, the victory near Lignitz produced
iome moft immediate, and moft ufeful effefts. Although
M. Daun, not difpirited with his late mifadventure, and
only foUicitous to repair his lofs, had detached a ftrong corps
under Prince Lowenftein, and Gen. Beck to ftrengthen the
RulTians and encourage them to advance. Count Czerni-
chew was fo intimidated with the late defeat of the Auftri-
ans, that he rcpalTed the Oder by the fame bridges on which
he had lately crofled it.

Thus one great end of the King of PrulTia's march was
obtained. lie prevented the dreaded jun6) ion of thofe two

P p powers.

•V'i

n' «n

298 ^he History of the War. ^-^^^q

powers. In the other part of his defign, he did not fo
perfectly fucceed. M. Daun fince the afition of Pfaffendorf
could indeed make no progrefs in Silcfia ; but on the other
hand, the king was not able entirely to drive him out of
that province. The Auftrians even after their defeat, far
fupcrior to the king, had been befides largely reinforced.
The emprefs exerted all her power, to remove the ill effect
this late check might have had on the reputation of herarms-
at the fame time that fhe augmented her troops, fhe com-
forted and encouraged Baron Laudohn, and by a very gene-
rous and gracious letter let him fee, that (lie was not a fover-
eign, in whofe mind a late misfortune cancels the memory of
part fervices. In the praifcs which this letter beftowed on
Laudohn, feveral were of opinion, was couched an indireft
ccnfure on the condiift of Count Daun, the (lownefs ot
whofe temper fo ill agreed with the ardour of her ambition,
and with thefe great hopes, u*hich the number of hef
forces, and the llrength of her alliance had encouraged
her to entertain.

The king after this vi6tory joined his brother Prince
Henry at Newmarcke. One part of that Prince's army
under General Goltze had parted the Oder to obferve the
Ruffians, who fince the repafling that river, feemed to direft
their motions northward. The king being ftrengthened by
this jun6lion, and having his communication with Bredaw
clear, marched againft Daun, who had begun to form the
blockade of Schweidnitz, fell upon a corps under General
Beck ; made two battalions of Croats prifoners, difperfed
feveral fquadrons, and by this lively affair obliged the enemy's
grand army to raife the blockade, and by a precipitate re-
treat, to take refuge in the mountains of Landfhut.

Whilil his majefly was thus exerting the moit heroic ef-
forts in defence of Silefia ; Gen. Hulfen, who commanded
for him in Saxony, feconded his endeavours in that quarter
with uncommon bravery and fucccfs. The army of die
empire had formed a delign of cutting him off from Tor-
gau. To fruftrate their intentions, that general quitted his
camp at Meiffcn, and marched to Strehla. The enemy
divided into two bodies ; one attacked an advanced poll:
ilbout a cannon lliot from his camp upon every fide, with

-' the greateft fury from day break to fix in the

Aug. 20. morning, whilfl another corps was fo placed as
.. i .^ to keep his camp in awe, and to prevent his

attempting

,-760. The History of the War. 299

attempting any thing for the relief of the advanced port.
Gen. Hulfen faw that unlefs he could fpeedily do fomething
for its fuccour, that body muft inevitably perifh. He there-
fore in this exigency, gave orders to his cavalry to make a
circuit round an height ; and to charge if poffible the ene-
Piies Fink. This order was executed with the utmoft
promptitude and fpirit. The Iniperialifts were charged on
their flanks ; their battalions and horfe were thrown upon
one another in confufion, and 41 officers and 1200 men
were made prifoners. The lofs of the Pruflians was incon-
fiderable. Gen. Hulfen by this advantage, was enabled to
encamp under Torgau, while he retreated through an ap-
prehenfion, as the grand army of the Imperialifts was com-
ing up, that he might be cut off from his commu.ncation
with the Elbe. This retreat made the Auilrians magnify
the affair into a vi6tory on their fide ; but the circumftances
render the Pruffian account much more probable.

Fortune feemed once more to '?ave fmiled, after a long
interval of gloom on the King of Fruflia's affairs ; and the
reputation of his arms began to revive. But the viSories
he obtained, though glorious, were decifive of little more
than the field upon which they were fought. They were
far from having lowered the power of the enemy to an
equality with his. And the movements he made to gain
thofe advantages, and to protefl one part of his dominions
neceffarily expofed the reft. The enemy was able to de-
tach without end ; and whilft bodies of RuiTians traverfed
the-IjiOWer ISilefia, feveral corps of Auftrians fcoured Lufa-
tia; and thus together they broke off all regular commu-
nication between the king's army and his hereditary domi-
nions, and of courfe between him and his general Hulfen,
who with very unequal forces was flruggling to fecure
Saxony ; a country in which there are towns indeed forti-
fied ; but fortified for the greater part in fuch a manner,
as to be little more than fnares for increafing the number
of prifoners, by betraying defcncelefs garrifons into the
hands of an enemy fuperior in the field.

In this fituation, the king is faid to have wrote a letter
to the celebrated (i) Marq. d'Argens, very pathetick, and
very defcriptivc of his condition, and of his frame of mind
under thofe prcffures. This letter is faid to have been in-

P p 2 tcrcepted

(i) Author of the Jew'fli Spy, &c. and now refident at Berlin.

It."'*' f,

'I .

ooo

The History of the War. lyg^

tercepted by a Ruffian detachment, a induftrioufly fpread
about :n order to dif-fpirit his friends. On that account fome
have fufpc6led its authenticity. But the letter is furely
highly confonant to hiscircumllances, and fufficiently agree-
able to his general manner of writing: fo that we do not
think ourfelves difpenfed with inferting it in this place.
** Formerly, my dear marquis, the affair of the 15th of
Auguft would have decided a campaign. At prefcnt that
aftion is no more than a fcratch ; a great battle muil
determine our fate. We fhall have one, according to all
appearances, very foon, and then, it the event is favour-
" able to us, we may rejoice. It required many flratagems
and much addrefs to bring things to this pafs. Don't
talk to me of danger ; the laft adion coll me only a fuit
of cloaths and a horfe. This is buying vidory very
cheap.

** I have not had the letter which you mention. We
are in a manner blocked up, in regard to correfpondence,
by the Ruffians on one fide the Oder, and by the Au-
" ftrians on the other. A fmall Ikirmifh was neceflary to
** clear the way for Cocceii (2) ; I hope that he will deli-
" ver you my letter ; I never was, in the courfe of my
** life, in a more embarraffing fituation than in this cam-
** paign. Believe me, nothing lefs than a miracle is ftill
*' necefiarv to extricate me from the difficulties that I fore-
" fee. I ihall certainly do my duty when occafion offers,
** but, my dear marquis, always remember that I pretend
" not to command fortune, and that I am obliged, in my
** projects, to leave too much to chance, for want of be-
** ing able to form any more folid. I have the labours of
a Hercules to undergo, at a time of life when my ftrength
fails me, my infirmities increafe, and, to fpeak the truth,
when hope, the only confolation of the unhappy, begins
to defert me. You are not fufficiently acquainted with
** the circumllances of aflPairs to have a clear idea of all the
*' dangers which threaten the ftate ; I know, but conceal
them ; I keep all my fears to myfelf, and only commu-
nicate to the public my hopes, or the little good news

" that

€C
((
((

It
it

€t
ft
tt

«(
it

(2) The aid-dc-camp, who was charged with this letter, and
who came to England with the news of the above mentioned
aftion : In our papers, it is tranflated Stoge Coach, from the fmi!-
litude, probably, of the word Cochcr,

s letter, and
re nientioiH'd
rom the liaii-

Borii ^4 Jan 11 a I'Y 1*711 i%

^'-■

'l'4

< t/nTjFTurJ

^ ^ ,'.)

,^6o. 'I'^f Hi

« that I can acquaint
If ditate fucceeds, th
•' enough to exprefs
« ter ourfelves, for f
(' dejeft us too mucF

«« I lead here the 1
« to think of about
« devote to Uteratur
« of the conful, the 1
« I know not if I f
« mined, in cafe it ;
« days in retiremer
« friend (hip.

« When our corr
« oblige me by writi
« we (hall have our
" law were deftroye
« envy us every thii
« breathe. They r
« if it is fafe, it will

" Well, my dear
« with France ? Y<
" you imagined. 1
" ry, to pleafe the (
« that Prince Ferdi
" 7£al. The office
« diers, will be mat
« ders will fufFer nc

" Thefe are the
" I was in a writinj
" left I (hould tire y
" my dearejl marqu

* To authenticate
this letter was fliown
And 2. That the coj
a friend at Magdebur

1760. ^he History of the War. 301

« that I can acquaint them with. If the blow that I me-
<( ditate fucceeds, then, my dear marquis, it will be time
" enough to exprefs our joy : but till then, let us not flat-
« ter ourfelves, for fear fome unexpected bad news (hould
« dejeft us too much.

«« I lead here the life of a military monk. I have much
« to think of about my affairs, and the reft of my time I
(' devote to literature, which is my confolation, as it was
« of the conful, the father of his country and of eloquence.
<* I know not if I Ihall furvive this war, but I am deter-
« mined, in cafe it Ihould happen, to pafs the reft of my
« days in retirement, in the bofom of philofophy and
« friendfhip.

«' When our correfpondence fliall be more open, you'll
« oblige me by writing more frequently. I know not where
« we ft^iall have our winter-quarters. My houfes at Bref-
« law were deftroyed by the bombardment. Our enemies
« envy us every thing, even day-Ught and the air that we
« breathe. They muft however leave us fome place, and
« if it is fafe, it will be a treat to receive you there.

" Well, my dear marquis, what is become of the peace
" with France ? Your nation, you fee, is more blind, than
" you imagined. Thofe fools lofe Canada, and Pondicher-
" ry, to pleafe the Queen and the Czarina. Heaven grant
« that Prince Ferdinand may well reward them for their
" zeal. The officers, innocent of thefe evils, and the fol-
« diers, will be made the victims, and the illuftrious ofFen-
" ders will fufFer nothing.

" Thefe are the fubjeds which offer themfelves to me.
« I was in a writing vein, but I fee that I muft conclude,
" left I ftiould tire you and negleft my own bufinefs. Adieu,
" my dearejl marquis. 1 embrace you^ ^f." *

* To authenticate the above it may be proper to add i . That
this letter was Ihown at Bath and London by M. Cocceii himlelf.
And 2. That the copy here printed was fent to the tranflator by
a friend at Magdeburg belonging to the court.

CHAP.

i IfV t 1

hi "^^ . V

S02

The History of the War.
CHAP. VII.

1760

*^1

Situation of the French and Englifj armies. Hereditar'A
Frircc jurprifes a body of French in Ziercnherg. GeneraA
Bulo-v takes Marpurg. Defeated by Mou(ieur StainvilleA
General IVangenheim p'jj/es and is obliged to repafs thA
IVcJer. French retire Jrom Mulhaufen to Cajfel. Here-]
ditary Prince marches to the Rhiney pajfes that rivcr\
Cleves taken. V/efcl beftcged. Englijh expedition. M.
Caflries forms an army on the Rhine. Battle of Campen.
Jellies defeated. Hereditary Prince repojfes the Rhine,
Siege of IVcfel raifed. Death and eulogiinn of Geor^r the
II. AccefJlon of George III. and his rcjolution of fvpp'j^t-
iiig his allies.

WE leave the King of PrufTia to thefe thoughts, in or-
der to return to the armies on the Wefer. Prince
Fcrilinand was not miftaken, in imagining that Gottingen
would prove the utmoft bound of the French progrefs into
Hanover. After they had fecured that place with a ftrpng
garrifon, the grand army of ?vl. Broglio moved towards.the
rcferve which had been defeated, and pitched his camp at
Dicrenbcrg, a place within a fmall diftance of the allies,
who ever fnice the battle continued to occupy Warbourg,
the Dymcl running between the two armies. In this fitu-
ation they continued for about a month.

The Hereditary Prince, who was ever in motion, and
continually hovering now on one fide, nov/ on the other of
t!ie French camp, in one of his excurfions had perceived
that the French, according to their ufual negligence, were
'not very exa6l in their out-pofts and patrols. He had alfo
received intelligence, that they had thrown a corps of.horfe
and .foot, confifting of fomething more than two thoufand
iiieh, into the town of Zicrenberg, a place furrounded
,wiih fome damaged walls.

■ From thefe lights, he refolved upon the furprize of this
body, and accordingly made his difpofitions for this bold
attempt, in the manner following ; firfl, he ordered a body
of his light troops to turn the town of Zierenberg, and to
take poll between it and Darienberg, in order to intercept
any that I'hould attempt paiUng to the camp of the enemy.
Next he poft'.d at proper dillances eight fquadrons of dra-
goons,

I'he WiSTOKW of the ^ \VL. 30?

Ijoons, two battalions of grenadiers, and one regiment of
loot, on the road between his own camp and the place
nhich was to be attacked, with a view to cover his retreat,
in cafe he fhould be rcpulffd and purfued. With the reft
[olhis foot, confifting for the greater part of Englifli, he
marched with the utmoft caution and diligence towards the
town. ' I

When they had arrived within two miles, they Sept 5.
divided into three bodies, which took three difFer-
ent routs, by wTiich the place was compleatly furrounded.
At eight in the evening, they fet out from Warbourg, and
came before this place at two the following morning. Not-
ttithftanding the precautions taken, the trampling of the
troops over the gardens gave the alarm to a guard of the
enemies dragoons, who imr lediately began to fire. Strid:
orders had been given to proceed with as little alarm as
poilible, and to referve their fire ; and fuch was the delibe-
rate courage, fuch the perfecl d'fcipline of the Englilh gre-
nadiers, that they fuftained this fire, pufhed on with bayo-
nets, drove back the enemiv'.s piquets, killed the guard at
the gate, and entered the town along with the fugitives,
without the leafl: noife, hurry, or confufion. Never was
furprize more compleat. ' . .

The column of the Englifh grenadiers having forced the
gate, advanced regularly with their bayonets fixed, and
without firing a mufquet, by the two ftreets that led to the
church-yard, (which being the only open part of the town,
ferved the French as a place of arms,) killing or taking a
great number of thofe who ran from the houfes towards
this rendezvous ; and thus they advanced with the greateft
order and the moft profound filence, until they reached the
church-yard. The night was fo dark that they formed by
the fide of the French, who for a \ hile took them to be
their own picquets that had affembled ; but they were foon
undeceived ; a fierce encounter with bayonets enfued, iii'
which the French were quickly obliged to give way.

Two regiments of the enemif 5 dragoons endeavoured to*
fly to the gate that led to their camp ; but they found it oc-
cupied by 400 grenadiers, who drove them back with their
bayonets ; forced from hence, they fled to another gate ;
there they were repulfed with a {harp fire of fmall arms.
Then they were compelled lo feparate ; and flying at ran-
dom as fortune and the night dire^ed, made their efcape
. '.I- at

^„,

7 -

304 I'he History of the War. ^%q\

at the fcvcral breaches of the wall. The prince was mafJ
tcr of the place in about an hour ; but the nearnefs of thcl
French camp and the approach of day prevented as lonp al
continuance in the place as he wifhcd for reaping the full
fruits of his vi<5lory ; therefore about three o'clock he be-
gan his retreat, carrying off" two pieces of cannon, 36 off.
cers, and between tour and 500 private men. The ilaiigh!
tcr of the enemy was conliderable. The prince reacht^d hi J
tamp without the lead moleffation in his retreat.

If we confider the difficulty oi this attempt, very few 1
have been bolder; if we examine the difpofitions, noncj
could be conduded with greater wifdom ; if we attend to
the behaviour of the troops, we ihall no where find an ex-
ample of more exaft obedience, difcipline and couraire.
To attack fo large a body of the enemy, fo ftrongly ported
within afmall league of their grand camp, to march fo far in
that critical lituation, and in a very dark night, to divide intu
fo many parts, yet to a£t witii fo much order and fo entire
a concert, was certainly an exploit of the very firff rank •
and though not of any great impo-tance in its confequences,
is fo admirable in its condud anu execution, that it well
deferves to be told at the length we have given it. This
added greatly to the reputation of the Britifli foldiers as
troops, and no lefs to their honour as men, by the huma-
nity they fliewed to their prifoncrs, and the generous fcn-
timents of the common fort with regard to moncv; ;,'■
there were feveral noble inftances that night of their refu
fing to take any thing from their prifcners, who had offer
ed them their purfes. They loft but ten men.

From this time the operations of the two armies, whiih
for a time feemed to languifh, were renewed with freih vi-
gour. Prince Ferdinand perceived, that whiUl the Frenth
communication with the Rhine and with Frankfort on the
Maine continued open, it muft prove to little purpofe to
attempt any thing either for the relief of Gottingen or Gt-
fel. Their progrefs indeed into Hanover had been check-
ed ; but whilft ever they continued in fo advanced a pofiti-
on, it was evidently impoflible to prevent their making ve-
ry ruinous inroads into that country. To force them to a
battle againft their inclination, would be difficult, and the
attempt itfelf dangerous. There remained but one method.
which was to make frequent and ftrong detachments into
the fouthern parts of Hefl'e and Wetteravia, and thus ren-
der

l,^6o. Th( History of the War. 307

Lr precarious the French communication with the Rhine
U Maine, from whence they drew the greateft part of
Itteir fupplies of all kinds.

With this intention, he detached general BjIow at the
l^d of a flrong corps, who puihed forward towards Mar-
Inire, fiirpri'/.ed the town, deftroyed the French ovens,
Ifith feveral hundred waggons ot flour, and carried off a
Itonfidcrable quantity of cloathing and military ftores. In
lie mean time, his light troops fcoured the country in fuch
jjmanner as for a while anfwered the great end or the ex-
iKdition in breaking the French communication with
JFrankfort. Proceeding on this plan he made a further
(iBOvement towards Frankenau, which, at length, necefli-
hted the French general Stainville, who commanded in
ife parts, to quit his pofition, and endeavour to flop the
Iffogrefs of this detachment. He came up with
jtlieir rear as they were pafling the river Orche, Sept. 13,
hod falling upon them at this difadvantage with
Ifuperior numbers and great fury, he entirely routed the
jrear; and took fome men and a very great number of
liiorfes.

It was to be apprehenc' d that he might have purfued this
ladvantage, to the entire ruin of M. Bulow's detachment \
lit the Hereditary Prince by a forced march of five German
niles had not arrived time enough to fupport him. On the
Iprince's arrival M. Stainville fell back, and took pofleiTion
Iota ftrong port in which it was in vain to attack him.

VVhilft thefe meafures were taking with mixed fuccefs
Ifordifquieting the French, and interrupting their commu-
Inication to the fouthward of their quarters, like movements
jwere made to the northward, to oblige tliC • , if polrble,
jto relinquifh their hold on Gottingen. But General "Wan-
penheim, who with that defign had crofled the Wefer,
land in the beginning had proceeded with no fmall expefta-
Itions; but at length he received a fevere check,
Iwhich forced him to repafs the river with fome Sept. 19,
Iprecipitation. However thefe frequent detach-
jments anfwered fo well the end of haraiTmg the French,
jthat on the 20th they retired from Immenhaufen, and fell
jbacic upon Caflel where they began to entrench themfelves.
jPrince Ferdinand followed them clofe ; and the better to
lobferve their motions, fixed his quarters as near as he could
|lo thofe of enemy.

i , 3 ' i i

i J ' 'f " fJP

3o8 7*/;? History 0/ z/;^ War. i-jg^i

But whilft the grand armies thus watched each other!
the eyes of Europe were drawn to a different quarter bv
a movement equally aftonifhing for its rapidity and myfteJ
rious for its defign. The Hereditary Prince of Brunfwickj
whom we have fccn but a few days before in the furtheil
part of Hefle, fuddenly appeared on the frontiers of the
United Provinces, with an army of twenty battalions and.
ten fquadrons. One detachment of his troops which had!
proceeded on the fide of Dufllldorp, pafTes the Rhincl
^bove Roeroot ; another which had marched throuehl
Munfter, pafles it nearly about the fame time, but a greatl
diftance below, at Rhees ; thefe two detachments move tol
meet each other, and as they proceed, feize all the French!
ports along the Rhine ; the enemy's guards are every where!
taken or abandon their redoubts. This puts into their!
poflefTion a number of boats, by which they are enabledl
to tranfport all the reft of the troops which are intended to!
aft upon the left of the Rhine. Then they proceed with-!
out delay or oppofition dire8:ly to Cleves ; the
0£l. 3. garrifon takes refuge in the caftle, which is vigo-
roufly attacked, and in three days furrenders 5001
men prifoners of war. Whilft this was performed by one!
body, another had laid fieg° to Wefel, and battered tiic
place with fo much fury, that the reduction of it appeared
certain; and with it the entire poflefliQn of the Lower'
Rhine almoft from DufTeldorp to Cleves.

The fecrecy, and itie rapidity of the march, together]
with the vigour of the fubfcquent operations, were fuch as
might be expected from the charafter of the Hereditary I
Prince; but on what deftgn this rapid march was made,
and thefe vigorous fteps taken a that particular time, gave
room for a great de"il of reafoning. During a good part ot
the fummer, very great preparations had been made in
England for a conjunct expedition ; a powerful fleet was in
readinefs ; and they had embarked a large train of field
and battering artillery, a confidcrable body of foot, and a
regiment of light horfe.

As this armament was fuppofed in readinefs to fail about
the time of the Hereditary Prince's march to the Rhine,
conje6lure united thefe two defigns together, and fuppofed
the fleet at Portfmouth and the army in Weftphalia, were
to a6lon the fame plan. On this fuppofition it was judged
that the ftorm would probably fall on the Auftrian Nether-

^jSo. The History of the War. 305

lands ; and that Oftend, which the Emprefs fo unpolitical-
Ivforherfelf, and fo ungraiefully to herformer friends, had
ffiven into the hands of France, would be the firft obje^
ofthofe forces which were to unite from fuch a diftance.

This defign of the expedition from Portfmouth has, we
underftand, been formally difavowed. Whether in ftrift-
nefs, not being a principal in the war, with her imperial
majefty, England ought to have made fuch an attempt,
though Oftend was defended by a French garrifon, we
jliall not take upon us to determine ; but without the
aid of fuch confiderations, it is evident there were fuffi-
cient obje£llons to it from the fide of. mere prudence.
Almoft infuperable difficulties occurred in fuch a fcheme ;
and it would fcarcely appear to fnofl: men advifeable to add
aFlemifti to our German war.

But we think it poflible to give fome reafondblc account
of the expedition of the Hereditary Prince, independent of
anyconneflion with the Britilh armament. For a confide-
rable time the French had feenoed refolved to refume their
former plan of an army on the ^ '^Wer RJuirc \ fi.'ch morions
were made as ftrongly indicate<if tnat this defign would fliort-
Iv be put in execution ; """'H the allied army had eVcry
thing to fear from it. For h^ the French were chlecked
from proceeding to the compltat conqueft of the eleftorate
by the allied army on the Dyn'el, if this army fhould itfelf
be fo checked, by one of the enehiy advancing from the
Lower Rhine, there would be then nothing to hinder M.
Broglio from fending forward fo ftrong a referve as might
finally reduce Hanover. In theffe circumftances nothing
but a very decifive viftory could pofllbly fave the allied ar-
my, thus fuirounded and deprived of its fubfiftence, from
pcrifliing in the moft miferable, or furrendering in the moft
(hameful manner.

There was one ftep only which might with certainty pre-
vent this defign, and even in fome meafure turn it upon
the enemy ; the taking Cleves and Wefel into the hands of
the allies. T'his would not only defeat the fcheme of the
French for afling on the Lower Rhine, but greatly em-
harrafs their operations in every other quarter. Even the
attempt, though it fhouUl not be attempted with fuccefs,
would necclliirily draw the attention of the French that
way, and thus fave Hanover at tfctirt for one campaign.
This alone had been a fufficicnt reafoh for the rhnrch. But

Q^q 2 had

'm \ V

3o6 'fhe History of the War. 1-76^1

had the Britifti armament at the fame time been intendedl
for fome part of the coaft of France, or had England poli.j
tically kept up fuch a rumour, when (he had in reality al
more remote objeft for her armament ; in either of thefe
cafes it would undoubtedly have co-operated with the He
reditary Prince's defigns, by detaining a greater body of|
the French troops at home to defend their own coafts.

We do not pretend to penetrate into ail the motives.]
But it is evident, that in the German enterprife every thinf
depended on the celerity of the operations. The fiegeof
Wefel was carried on with great vigour, by that part of
the princes's army which was on the right of the Rhine
whilft the prince covered it on the left. But before the
enemy could diflurb him, nature declared againfl his fuc-
cefs by the fall of immenfe rains, which fwelled the Rhine
and Lippe to fuch a degree as greatly interrupted the pro-
grefs of the (lege, having rendered the roads of Weftpha-
lia impaflfpblG, and therefore prevented the arrival of thcfe
reinforcements which w:ere intended to pu(h the fiege with
the greater eflfed Thdfi iBjiins alfo made it very difficuh
for the prince to preferve 'i^ communication with the be-
Wgers, which however he m<ide a (hift to keep open by
jne bridge above and another below the town.

In the mean time, the French with all the expedition
they could ufe, had colleftej an army under M. de Caftries
of thirty battalions and thirty-eight (quadrons, partly from
the great army in HelTe, partly from the Low Countries.
This body advanced as far as Rheinberg, and after a ftrenu-
ous refiftance drove out a detachment of the allies which
had been pofted there. From thence they marched by
their left, and encamped behind the convent of Campen.
The Hereditary Prince now faw at the fame time the fea-
fon and a fuperior army atiing againft him ; to fight this
e;;iemy, fully prepared to receive him, with the troops
which he could fpare from the fiege, might be a defperate
attempt. To break up the fiege would have of itfelf an-
fwered the intention of the enemies march. There was no
medium but a furprize ; which was refolvcd, and all the
difpofitions for it made with the judgment by which the
great prince who commanded is diftingui(hed upon fuch dif-
ficult occafions. This attempt became the more neceflary,
and the lefs time was to be loft in making it, as intelligence
had been refejved th^t thf; French army was ihortly to be

r^ augmented

i)6o. ^he History of the War. ^'II

augmented by powerful reinforcements. The prince be-
gan his march at ten in the evening.

To reach the enemies camp, it was neceflary to diflodge
Fifcher's corps of irregulars, who had occupied the con-
vent of Campen in their front. This produced
Ibme fhot, and this (hot alarmed the whole Oft. i6.
French army, which immediately got under arms
and ported themfelves in a wood. The allied troops pufhed
forward, twice repulfed the French, and with the mod
noble perfeverance reiterated their attacks on the wood,
and kept up a terrible and well fuppUed fire for fixteen
hours without intermiflion, that is from five in the morn-
ing to the fame evening at nine. There have been few ex-
amples of fo obftinate a combat. But at length finding
night approach, the troops haraffed, their ammunition
[pent, and all hopes vain of diflodging a fuperior enemy
troni an advantageous poft, the Hereditary Prince having
had an horfe killed under him, and being himfelf wound-
ed, was with regret compelled to retire. Eleven hundred
and feventy of the allies were killed and wounded in this
bloody aftion ; about 500 were made prifoners. The lofs
of the French was far greater ; but they had the field.

On this occafion, the Englifti nation regretted the lofs
of one of its moft fhining ornaments in the death of Lord
Downe, who whilft his grateful fovereign was deftining him
to higher honours, received a mortal wound in this battle.
He was a perfon of free and pleafureable life ; but of an ex-
cellent underftanding, amiable manners, and the moft in-
trepid courage. In the beginning of this war he had a
confiderable (hare in roufing a martial fpirit amongft the
young people of rank in England, and having long fhewed
them by a gallant example how to fight, he at laft by a
melancholy one, fhewed them how to die for their country.

As the Britifli troops had been the greateft fufFerers in
this as well as in moft other aftions of the campaign, great
muimurs were raifed againft the commander of the allied
army, as if upon all occafions, even the moft trivial, he
had wantonly expofed the lives of the Britifh, in order to
preferve thofe of the German foldiery. Some carried this
complaint to a ridiculous length. But could it with reafon
have been expeQed, that where 25,000 Englifti had ferved
for a whole campaign, were engaged in five ftiarp encoun-
Urs (fome of them a fort of pitched battles) in all which

they

ff"!'

312 The History of the War. i^^q

they acquired the whole glory, that they fhoiild lofe a fmaller
niimher than 265 killed and 870 wounded, which is the
whole of their lofs in all the encounters of this campaign }
It is true, the life of a man is a facred thing, and of value to
his country. But in fome circumftances it is ridiculous for
a nation to think of fparing even a greater effufion of blood
to acquire reputation to their arms, and experience to the
troops and the officers. The Rnglifh defired the poll of
honour with equal fpirit and wifdom, they were entitled to
it, they had it, and they purchafcd it more cheaply, than
on the whole might have been expected. Neither was
their blood lavifhed on every r. vial occafton, as had been
falfly fuggeflcd. The only aflairs in which they fufFered
any thing worth notice, were thofe of Warbourg and
Campcn ; both aftions of the highefl confequence.

Atter the difappointment and lofs the Hereditary Prince
had fuflfered in the late engagement, he was fenfible that a
fitge could no longer be carried on with any profped of
fuccefs, in fight of an army fo much fuperior ; the Rhine
every day fwelled more and more, and his communication
with the troops before Wefel became every hour more dif-
ficult. Befides, as the whole country was by this time
overflowed, his men muft have been expofed to the great-
eft hardfhips and the moft fatal diftempers. Thefe confi-
derations determined him to repafs the Rhine v/ithout delay.
Notwithftanding the extreme nearnefs of the French army,
the late rpulfe the Prince had met, and the great fwell of
the waters, fuch was the imprefTion he had left on the
enemy, and the excellence of his difpofitions, that tliey did
not even attempt to diftrefs his rear ; and he pafled the
Rhine without the leafl: moleflation, not only under the eye,
but as it were within the grafp of a fuperior French army.

From this the operations of the armies became gradually
more languid ; for as nothing decifivc happened on either
fide during the whole campaign, it was impofTible to think at
this advanced feafon of undertaking any very fignal enterprife.
As if by common confent they began to move towards
winter quarters. So that whatever happened after this
was not connefted v^^ith the general plan of the campaign;
and were the fudden afts of dcjtached parties, who attemp-
ted fome advantages of furpr'ife. Of thefe we ftiall take
fume notice before we conclude, but we pafs them by at
prefcnt j the attention of all men being at this time more
\-»' ... engaged

for the fate r " the

ii6o. ^he History of the War. 309

jngaged by an event of the greatefl importance, and which
many were of opinion would make no fmall change in the
nature of the war, and above all in the general fyftem of
pacification. This was the death of George II. king of
Great Britain.

}Iq. died fuddenly in his palace at Kenfington in the 77th
year of his age and 33d of his reign. The immediate caiife
of his death was the rupture of the fubftance of the right
ventricle of his heart, by which the circulation was flop-
ped in an inftant. This was preceded by no fort of appa-
rent ilinefs. His majefty enjoyed an uncommon degree of
health and ftrength for that age ; but it was believed that
he had fuffered, by expofing himfelf too much to the cold,
in reviewing fome troops that were to be embarked for the
expedition. He had been extremely foUicitous about the
fortune of this expedition. He had been no lefs anxious
for the fate r'' the c^nterprife under the Hereditary Prince,
an account of the ill fuccefs of which he had received, tho'
it was not at that time made public. This was believed to
have touched him deeply, and to have been one of the
caufes of a death fo affliO:ing to all his people.

When future hiftorians come to fpeak of his late majefty,
they will find both in his fortune and his virtue, abundant
matter for jull and unfufpefted panegyric. None of his
predeceflTors in the throne of England lived to fo great an
age ; few of them enjoyed fo long a reign. And this long
courfe was diftinguiflied by circumftances of peculiar feli-
city, whether we confider him in the public or the private
character. His fubjefls, allowing for one Ihort and as it
were momentary cloud, enjoyed perpetual peace at home,
aad abroad on many occafions acquired great glory. There
was to the laft a confiderable increafe in their agriculture,
their commerce, and their manufactures, which were daily
improving under the internal tranquillity they enjoyed, and
the wife regulations that were made in every feffion of his
parliaments. By a wonderful happinefs, he left thefe im-
provements no way checked, but rather forwarded, in one
of the moft general and wafleful wars that has raged in
the world for many centuries.

He lived entirely to extinguifh party and the fplrit of
party in his kingdoms ; it was not till the clofe of his reign,
that his family might have been confidercd as firmly and
immoveably feated on the throne ; but, ho, having baffled

all

i;'ll;fi- •:ifes^»,: li 1^^

310 The History of the War. i-^gQ

all the private machinations of his enemies policy, fub,
dued at length the utmoft effort of their force : and thoueh
on that menacing occafion, he experienced in the fulleft
meafurc the afFe^ion of his people, yet the completion of
this great fervice to his family, he owed folely to the capa-
city and bravery of his own fon.

He lived with his queen in that kind of harmony and
confidence, that is fcen between the beft fuited couples in
private life. He had a numerous iffue, in which he had
great caufe of fatisfaftion, and very little of difquict, but
what was the almoft neceflary confequence of a life pro-
trafled to a late period. He furvived feven of his children.
He had the fatisfaftion to fee in his fucceflbr, what is very-
rare, the moft affeftionate obedience, the moft dutiful ac-
quiefcence in his will ; and what is no lefs rare, contrary
to the fortune of moft old kings, he never poflTefled more
pcrfeftly the love of his fubjeds than in the laft years of
his life. And he died at the very point of time when the
terror of his arms, the power of his kingdoms and the wif.
dom of his government, were all raifed to almoft as high
a pitch as they could poflibly arrive at ; they were indeed
At that height of profperity and glory, as never had been
exceeded in the reign of the moft fortunate of his prede-
ceflbrs.

His parts were not lively or brilliant ; but the whole of
his conduft demonftrates that he had a judgment both fo-
lid and comprehenfive. He underftood the interefts of the
other fovereigns of Europe : and was particularly (killed
in all the receffes of that political labyrinth, the fyftem of
Germany ; of the liberties of which he was through his
whole life a moft zealous aifertor. In the year 1741, he
took up arms, and even rifqued his own perfon, when by
the proje£ted difmemberment of the houfe of Auftria, they
were in danger of falhng a faerifice to a French fa6tion.
He afterwards refifted wi»:h equal firmnefs that very houfe
of Auftria, which he had expofed his life to defend, when
the liberties of the empire were threatened from that
quarter.

The acquifitions of his father, were by him confirmed,
improved and enlarged. He was enabled by his oeconomy
always to keep up a confiderable body of troops in Hano-
ver i by which means, when the war broke out, there was
4 difcipUned force ready to oppofe the common enemy ;

and

|iy6o. The HrsToRY of the War. 313

[jnd we do not hazard any thing in afferting, that if it had

t been for the prudent forefight of that meafure, the
lirmy which has fince been formed, and the great things
fhich have fince been done, could never have had exift-
(Hce. So that if we only examine what he has done in
Germany, when we refleft what enemies fecret and de-
clared he had at different times to manage and to Bght in
that country, he muft in every fair judgment be allowed
the greateft prince of his family.

He was in his temper fudden and violent ; but this, tho'
it influenced his behaviour, made no imprefllon on his
conduft, which was always fufficiently deliberate and at-
tentive to his own interefts and thofe of his fubjefts.

He was plain and direft in his intentions ; true to his
word ; fteady in his favour and protedion to his fervants,
and never changed them willingly ; this appeared clearly
in thofe who ferved more immediately on his perfon,
whom he fcarce ever removed ; but they grew old along
with him, or died in their places. But having been in a
fort compelled by a violent fadion, to relinquifh a minifter
for whom he had great aflFeftion, and in whom he repofed
an unlimited confidence, it afterwards became a matter of
more indifference to him by whom he was ferved in the
aiFairs of his government.

He wa*? merciful in his difpofition, but not to fuch a de-
gree as in any fort to encourage" offences againfl his go-
vernment. On the fupprefTion of the rebellion in 1 746,
he behaved without any remarkable difplay either of feve-
rity or clemency. Many were pardoned, many puniflied ;
and this, perhaps, is the mod: proper conduft on fuch oc-
cafions, where offended majefly requires vifkims, juftice
examples, and humanity pardons. But though the law in
many inflances had its free courfe, the exceffes commit-
ted in the rage of war, were by him neither commanded
nor approved. After that rebellion had been fupprcfTed,
he retained no bitter remembrance of it, either to the
country in which it unfortunately began, or even to many
of the perfons who were aftually concerned in it.

As he came into England in a riper age, and of confe-
qiience never had been able to attain a perfect knowledge
of the force and beauties of our language, he never fhewed
a fufficient regard to the Englifh literature, which in his
reign did not flouriih : and this muft be confidered as the

R r greateft.

114. ^^^ History of the War. 1-760.1

greeted, or rather the only blemish that lay upon his go.!
vcrnment. I

He has been ccnrurcd, as a little too attentive to money;
and perhaps in iome minute things this cenfure was not!
wholly without Toundation. But there are two confidera-l
tions which greatly enervate this objctlion to his chara6\er.]
Firft, that this difpofition never ihcwed itfelf in one ra-
pacious a6i; and 2dly, that it never influenced his con-l
du6l on any important occafion. For it is now well known
that he fliewcd no improper parfMnony, when this war!
broke out. In fa6l:, he expended fo much on that occa-
fion, that on his deceale, his private wealth was found toj
be far inferior to what had commonly been imagined.

Though it is true, that during his whole Ufe, he had I
(hewn a remarkable afte£lion to his Hanoverian fubjcfts,
yet the laft att of it demonftrated that they were far
from engrofllng the whole of his regard; and that in
reality his German polTefllons held no other place in his
confideration than what their relative importance to the
reft of his dominions naturally claimed. For when that
truly feverc trial came, in which the intercfts of England
and Hanover were fcparated, when a war began for an ob-
jeft wholly foreign to that country, a war in which Hano-I
ver muft lufFcr much, and could hope no advantage, even
there his majcfty did not hefitate a moment to expofe his
German dominions to almoil inevitable ruin, rather than
make or even propofe the fmalleft abatement from theim-
menfity of th« Englifh rights in America. A condu6i that
more than wipes off every fufpicion of an improper par-
tiality ; and which furely ought never to be mentioned
without the highell gratitude to the memory of that mag-
uaniraous monarch.

If the authors of thefe fheets were equal to fuch a ilc- 1
fign, it would perhaps be impoflible to exhibit a more
pleafing pi6lure than that which might be formed from a
juil view of his late majefty's condutl, to thefe two fo
diflfcrcntly conftituted parts of his dominions. His virtue!
was proved by two of the greateft trials to which the na-
ture of man is liable; the trull of abfolute and unbounded]
power ; and the mod exalted ftation limited by the ftrid-
eftlaws. For thefe two fo very different fituations, veryi
different and almoft oppofite tempers and talents have becn|
p.iways thought neceffary. But that king had a mind per-

fcdlyl

,760. The H

(fftly adapted to both
liberties of his people i
»as fatisficd to make
ind his will freely fu
Hunover like an indu
lentiments of a paternj
fupplied the want of la
left to his illuflrious
I whicii he not only pn
fpcfts to exceed ; and
,n his virtues, as they
their own ; and they i
has, nor can have any
in birth as well as inclii
As foon as his pre
throne, and had met
mod public and folem
hopes of his allies, an^
CCS of his refolution t
plan, and with the for
liamcnt no ways chang
it with the fame liben
there was no apparent
alliance, in the difpofil
nation, or in the gcner
pafs again to the tranf
it unneceflary to apoloj
diverted from the cour
by an e"ent of fiich me
tain and to all Europe.

Ruffians and AiiJIrians
ffn retreats from Sa,
city capitulates. Be\
dercd. Enemy retir
pillaged it.

TH K King of Pn
the 6th chapter,
narch*8 apprehenfions ;
lowed proved that I he

(760. The History of the War. 315

Iffftly adapted to both ; for whilft in England he kept the
liberties of his people inviolate, and like a wife magiflrate,
kas fatisfied to make his authority co-operate with law,
jnd his will freely fubfervient to the wifdoni of ages, in
H»nover like an indulgent father, afting only from the
lentiments of a paternal heart, his afFcftlon and his equity
iippiied the want of law and conditution. He has indeed
left to his illuftrious fucceffor, an admirable example ;
n'hicii he not only promifes to follow, but in many re-
fpctts to exceed ; and his fubje6l8 take the greater interefl:
m his virtues, as they look upon them as more peculiarly
tlicir own ; and they now boaft of a prince, who neither
has, nor can have any partialitjr but the beil, and who is
in birth as well as inclination Britifh.

As foon as his prcfent majefty came to the
throne, and had met his parliament, he in the 18 Nov.
mod public and folemn manner confirmed the
hopes of his allies, and gave the moft undoubted Lflufan-
ccsof his refolution to continue the war on the former
plan, and with the former vigour ; and he found his par-
liament no ways changed in their refolution of fupporting
it with the fame liberality and fpirit. Infomuch that as
there was no apparent change either in the fyftem of the
alliance, in the difpofition of the king, or in that of the
nation, or in the general plan of the war, we have only to
,pa(s again to the tranfa^tions of the continent, thinking
it unneceflary to apologize to our readers for having been
diverted from the courfe of the narrative for a fliort time,
by an e"ent of fiich melancholy importance to Great Bri-
tain and to all Europe.

CHAP. VIII.

Ruffians and Avjfrians enter Brandenburg. General Hul-
fen retreats from Saxony to Berlin. Evacuates it. The
city capitulates. Berlin defcrihed. King* s palaces plun-
dered. Enemy retires out of Brandenburg after having
pillaged it.

TH ¥. King of PrufllaVs letter, with which we clofed
the 6th chapter, exhibited a true pithirc of that mo-
narch's apprehenfions ; the events which immediately fol-
lowe4 proved that ihcTe apprehenfions were but too well

R r 2 grounded.

316 The History of the War. i^^^

groundcii I'he viOory near Lignit/,, indeerl, gave fomc
relief to Silcfia ^ but whilll the enemy had fo many ami f„
numerous armies in ihe ficM, even (hamc indcpcnilcnt ol
their intcrcll c)tr...ird from them fomc (Iroke of conlc-
qucncc.

The late manor :» cs had ncccfTarily drawn the kinp df
PrulTia into the fouthcrn parls of Silefia, and confcinicnilv
to a great dirtance from Brandenburg, with which country
his communication was much interrupted, or rather wholly
cut off. The Uufllan army, which after it had repaired
the Oder at Auras, began to move out of Silcfi.i, pulhcil
forward a powerful detachment under Count C/,ernicluw
towards the March of Brandenburg. A body of koqo
Aufliians under the GeneralN I .acy and Brentano iVoni
the army of Count Daun, and the whole united corps ot
Aurtrians and Imperndills which aiVcd in Saxony, began
their march in concert with the Ruffians, and propofcd to
unite at the gates of Berhn. Thcfe armies amounted to
forty thoufand men.

. General Hulfen, who was altogether too weak to on-
pofe the Impcrialifts in Mifnia, fell back upon Berlin,
General Werner who had lately been fent into Pomeranii,
returned with incredible fpced and joined the troops umlcr
Hulfen ; but when they viewed their combined ftrength,
they found it cor.flrtcd of no more than 15 or 16000 men,
a force far too weak to oppofc to thofc powerful armies
that were marching againfl ihein. Wholly unable to pro-
tcd a place of fuch immcnfe extent, and fuch impcrfcft
fortification, they faw that to attempt a defence, would
be only to involve the trooi)s in the inevitable fate that
waited tlic city, without being able to add any thing effec-
tual to its fccurity; therefore after having defended i(
againfl the advanced guard of the Rufiians under Tottlc-
ben, who attacked the gates and bombarded the town,
when they f^ und the grand armies advancing; they made
their retreat ; leaving only three weak battalions in the
place, to enable it to make fome fort of capitulation with
the enemy.

Berlin is compofed of five towns, which have ftretchcd
to each other and grown into one vaft city upon the banks
of the river Spree. It has been augmented to this gran-
deur, by having long been the refidence of the elefiors ol
Brandenburg and kings of Pruflla, who as they have en-

,760. 'I'i'e y

largcd their dominio
liiivc all contributed I
niticcntc of this the
on io noble and navi
citing on one fide v
princely work of hci
into the I'^lbe, has a(
jcncc ; but that whii
the reception of the '.
always been a niofl i
alio been to thofc pr
any piu t ol German
Ills plan, and impart
lub prcdeccfTors, lin
whom he has cncoui
magnificent church
he has brought the 1
nioting the grandcii
caufcs Berlin is becc
ill Europe; vafl in it;
and magnificent beyi
buildings, and the r
new town. It had
tary arrangements ir
prcfcnt king the fea
refort of ingenious
Iroin every quarter

Such is Berlin, w
grcateft part of its
a mighty army of A
lifts, anirnated by re
lligatcd by avarice,
conftcrnation of th
were acquainted w
the enemy, and wit
they knew that the
then" fcverities, wi

In thcfe difpofit
preached. The g
late. With refpei
were made prifone
bitants, where thi
more tolerable th;

,-6o. ^-^'^ History of the War. 317

Ijrgcd their tlominions by inluMitaiuc. Force, or policy,
|,;ivc all contributed lonicthing to the grandeur and niajr-
niticcntc ol this their capital. The fitnation of the town
on lo noble ami navii!;able a river as the Spree, coiTununi-
titing on one Hdc with the Oder, by a canal (the niort
princely work of her rovereip;ns) and on the other falling
into the l{,lbe, has added not a little to its extent and opu-
lence ; but that whii h has contributed moll of all, has been
ilic reception of the French refugees, to which this city has
iilways been a nioft aflured and favourable alyhim, as it ha»
;ilfo been to ihofe protcftants who have been perfecuted in
any part of Germany ; and the prefent king by enlarging
liis plan, and imparting an extent of toleration unknown to
hii, predeccfTors, has alfo introduced Roman Catholics,
whom he has encoinaged by fuffering them to build a moll
niagniHcent church in the heart of Berlin. Hy this means
he has brought the moft oppofitc factions to concur in pr(»-
moling the grandeur of his royal refidence. From thefc
uufcs Berlin is become one of the moff connderable cities
in Europe ; vaft in its extent ; confiderable in its commerce ;
and magnificent beyond moft others in its public and private
hiiildings, and the regular diftribution of the ftreets in the
new town. It had long been the feat of the grcatcfl mili-
tary arrangements in the world ; and it was made by the
prefent king the feat of arts and fciences, and the place of
refort of ingenious men, in every fcience, in every art, and
From every quarter.

Such is Berlin, which at this time being deferted by the
grcatcft part of its garrifon, was abandoned to the mercy of
a mighty army of Auilrians, RulTians, Saxons and Imperia-
lifts, animated by revenge; exafperated by injuries ; and in-
ftigated by avarice. Nothing could exceed the terror and
confternation of the inhabitants on this occafion. They
were acquainted with the favage chara£ler of one part of
the enemy, and with the violent animofity of the reft ; and
they knew that they did not want pretences for colouring
their feverities, with the appearance of a juft retaliation.

In thefe difpofitions of the inhabitants, the enemy ap-
proached. The garrifon immediately propofed to capitu-
late. With refpeil I them, the terms were fhort ; they
were made prifoners <ji war. But with regard to the inha-
bitants, where the great danger lay, the conditions were
more tolerable than they expeded j they were promifed

the

mn^' -'^M

^^m

3i8 I'hc History of the War. ^gg

the free cxercife of their religion ; and an immunity from
violence to their goods and perfons. It was alfo agreed that
the Ruffian irregulars (hould not enter the town ; and that
the king's palace Ihould be inviolable. Thefe on the whole
were favourable terms ; and they were were granted prjn,
cipally on the mediation of the foreign minifters refiditig in
Berlin, who interpofed their good offices with great zeal
and humanity. The difficulty was, how to fccure the ob-
fervance of them.

Thefe conditions being made, the army of the
9th 0£t. allied powers entered the town ; totally dcftroyed
the magazines, arfenals, and founderies, feized
an immenfe quantity of military (lores, and a number of
cannon and arms ; called firft: for an immenfe payment of
800,000 guilders, and then laid on a contribution of
1,900,000 German crowns: not fatisfied with this, man-
irregularities were committed by the foldiery ; but on the
whole, though fome (hocking anions were committed, a
far more exa6t difcipline was obferved than from fuch troops
could have been expected upon fuch an occafion, where
there was every incentive which could work upon the licence
of a conquering army. Their officers no doubt with great
difficulty preferved even that degree of order.

But though their behaviour was tolerable, with regard to
the private inhabitants, there was fomething (hocking and
ungenerous in their treatment of the king's palaces. The
apartments of the royal cartle of Charlottenburgh were
entirely plundered, the precious furniture fpoiled, the pic-
tures defaced, without even fparing the antique ftatues
collcQied by Cardinal Polignac, which had been purchafed
by the houfe of Brandenburg. The caftle of Schonhoufen,
belonging to the queen, and thofe of Fredericksfeld, belong-
ing to the margrave Charles, were alfo plundered.

1 he palace of Potfdam, the famous Sans-fouci, had a
better fate ; Prince Efterhafi commanded there ; it was pre-
ferved from the fmalleft violation. The Prince on viewing
the palate only afkcd which pifture of the king refembled
him moft, and being informed, defired that he might have
leave to take it, together with two German flutes which the
king ufcd, to keep them, he faid, in memory of his majefty".
This was a fort of taking very different from pillage.

They ftaid in the city four days, but hearing that the
king, apprehenfive of this ftroke, was moving to the relief

,760. T^he H

of his capital, they qi
|,jving wafted the wl
j,.d driven away all t
retreated by different
people ftill trembling
tain of their fafety.

We do by no mea

jes which the PruffiJ

^nd their ;.llies, in t

not have been in gt

cafes abfolutely feign

peft the exaft veracl

have been publiflied

quently a fort of flat

content to deftroy es

verfaries reputation,

other as monfters eq

Indeed if we were t(

kind that have appe:

parties have by thei]

upon human nature

country of Branden

cafion than the city

always moft furious

no conditions.

hiperialijii make th
ville enters Halbe
dobn befieges Cofe
into Saxony. B
The towns in Mi^
Swedes driven ba

THE King of I
moft cruel ei
country was wafted
laces : but this wa;
When Gen. Hulfei
remained no Pruffi
rial army on their
and with little opp(

aii

,,5o. ^}->e History of the War. 319

othis capital, they quitted it on the 13th of Odoher ; and
laving wafted the whole country round for a vafl: extent,
aiid driven away all the cattle and horfes they could find,
fetreated by different routs out of Brandenburg, leaving the
people ftill trembling under the alarm, and hardly )et cer-
tain of their fafety.

We do by no means undertake to authenticate the rava-
ges which the PrufTian accounts charged upon the Auftrians
and their ;. Hies, in this incurfion ; nor whether they may
not have been in general much exaggerated, or in feme
cafes abfolutely feigned. We have abundant reafon to fuf-
peft the exaft veracity of many pieces of that nature which
have been publiflied on all fides; and which are hut too fre-
quently a fort of ftate libels, where the powers at war, not
content to deftroy each other in the field, purfue their ad-
verfaries reputation, and endeavour mutually to paint each
other as monfters equally devoid of juftice and compaiTion.
Indeed if we were to give credit to all the writings of this
kind that have appeared, it were hard to fay which of the
parties have by their conduct brought the grcateft difgrace
upon human nature. It is, however, certain, that the
country of Brandenburg fuffered more feverely on this oc-
cafion than the city of Berlin. An ill difciplined army is
always moft furious in its retreat, and the country had made
no conditions.

:ij

C H A p. IX.

hperialijls make themjelves majlers of Piilfnia. M. Slain^
vilie enters Halberjiadt. Ruffians beftege Colberg. Latt-
dobn befteges Cofel. King of Pruffta and M. Daun march
into Saxony. Battle of Torgau. M. Daun wounded.
The towns in Mifnia retaken. Siege of Colberg raifed.
Swedes driven back.

THE King of Pruflia at laft faw his capital taken by his
moft cruel enemies, and put to ranfom ; his native
country was wafted ; they took up their quarters in his pa-
laces : but this was far from the whole of his misfortunes.
When Gen. Hulfen marched to cover Brandenburg, there
remained no Pruflian army in Saxony. So that the Impe-
rial army on their return from Berlin, within a fhort time,
and with L'ttle oppofition, made themfclves marters of Leip-

fick,

320 The History of the War. 1^5^ |

fick, Torgau, MeifTen, and at laft of Wittemberg; in which

city they took the grand magazine of the Prul-

15 OSt. lians immenfely ftored. The king was now

totally driven out of Saxony, in which he had no

longer a finglc place.

M. Stainville with a detachment of Broglio's army, as
foon as \Vanj;cnheim had been obliged to repafs the Wefcr
(as we have l^clated in the feventh chapter) pufhed into the
King of PrufTia's dominions on that fide, and laid the city
and dutchy of Halberftadt under contribution. In the eaft-
ern Pomerania, the Ruffians had invefled Colberg both by
land and fea, and preffed that city with a clofe and unremit-
ted fiege. The king could fcarcely hope to relieve it. In
the weftern Pomerania, the Swedes urged forward with un-
common vigour, hoping to partake in the plunder of Ber-
lin ; and they advanced with fuccefs. In Silefia, the kine
had no fooner began his march to the northward, than
Baron Laudohn profited of his abfence to rufii again into
that country, and to invert the ftrongand important fortrefs
of Cofel. Whilft the king's dominions were thus attacked
in fo many parts, he was himfelf attended every ftep of his
march by the fuperior army of Count Daun, who moved
along with him and watched him with the moft attentive
vigilance. His condition feemed extremely to refemble that
to which he had been reduced in the autumn immediately
preceding the battle of Rofbach. In Silefia, his condition
was at that time worfe; but he was then in the polTeiFion
of Saxony, of which in this campaign he was wholly de-
prived.

Saxonv was, however, ftill his great objefl, and knowing
that the enemy had evacuated Brandenburg on his approach,
he left that country on his right, and continued his march
to the Elbe, which he pafs'd on the 25th of Odober. M.
Daun pafled it the fame day. The two champions were to
engage once more for the fo often contended pri/.e ; but
now every difadvantagc was on the fide of the King of
PruflTia, who had no longer any place of ftrength in that
country, and all the magazines he had amafled were in the
hands of the enemy. But being joined by his generals
Huifcn and P. Eugene of Wirtemberg, with the; corps un-
der their command, he advanced up the Elbe, whilft M.
Daun fell back to cover Leipfic and Torgau ; but finding;
the Pruffians diredcd their march towards the Elbe, he

encamped

,760. Ihe History of the War. 321

encamped within reach of Torgau, one part of his army
extending to the Elbe, by which he was covered on that
(ide, and whilft he was protefted on every other quarter by
ponds, hills, and woods, it was impoffible to chufe a more
advantageous fituation, in which above 80,000 men were
pofted with every precaution that could be taken by a weak
army in the moft unlucky pofition.

The King of Pruflia was extremely fenfible of the
ilrength, the advantageous pofture, and the precautions of
M. Daun ; he could have no hope of drawing that wary
commander from his pott ; and yet he faw a necefllty of
fighting him even there. The winter was now far advanc-
ed. His troops were extremely harrafTed by fuch long and
rapid marches : and he had no place for their winter-quar-
ters but his own country, already wafted by the enemies
incurflons ; and here ftreightened for fubfiftence, cut off
from all power of recruiting, he was to expeft to be attack-
ed, as it were, in a narrow corner by the combined force
of fo many powerful and exafperated enemies.

In thefe circumftances he was refolved to come to a bat-
tle. He caufed his army to be informed that he was to lead
them to a moft defperate attempt, that his affairs required
it, and that he was determined ' . conquer or die in the ex-
peded engagement. They unanimoufly anfwered, that
they would die along with him.

Animated by this declaration he began his
march ; but having taken a refolution as daring 3d Nov.
as could be dilated by defpair, he made all the
difpofitions with as much (kill and care as could be fuggeft-
ed by the moft guarded prudence. He divided his army
into three columns ; General Hulfen with one was to take
port in a wood that lay on the left of the Auftrian army,
and had orders not Kp move until he found the reft of the
Pruflians engaged. General Ziethen was to charge on the
right ; the great attack in front was to be made by the king
in perfon. The king had difpofed his force in fuch a man-
ner, that either his right or left muft take the enemy in
rear and clofe them in, fo as to difable them from under-
taking any thing againft the part where he intended to effe&
his principal attack. This was the king's difpofition.

M. Daun as foon as he perceived that the King of Pruftia
was ferious in his refolution of fighting, to prevent confu-
lion, fent all his baggage over the Elbe, acrofs which he

S f threw

fc^i.if'U.

322 'The History of the War. i^^q

threw three bridges to be ready in cafe a retreat ftiould be
found neceffary. At the fame time he caufed Torgau to be
evacuated. And then extending his firft line to a village
called Zinne on the left, he ftretched it to another called
Grofwitz on the right ; fupporting the right of his fecond
line, upon the Elbe.

In this difpofition he was found when about two o'clock
in the afternoon, the King began his attg-.k, and was receiv-
ed with the fire of two hundred pieces of cannon, which
were difpofed along tiie Auftrian front. Three times the
Pruflians were led on ; they perfevered in their attacks
with uncommon refolution, but were every time repulfed
and broken with a mod terrible flaughter. The king at
length ordered a frefh body of his cavalry to advance, which
at firft compelled the Auftnans to give way ; but as frefh
reinforcements were continually poured on that part, this
cavalry was in its turn obliged to fall back, and the battle
ftill remained at leaft dubious, or rather inclined againft the
King of Pruflia, whofe troops, as they had made aftcnifhing
efforts, fo they fuffered beyond all defcription. But whilft
the Pruflians fuftained themfelves in that quarter with fuch
extreme difficulty, General Ziethen, with the right wing
took the enemy in the rear, repulfed them and poflefled
himfelf of fome eminences which commanded the whole
Auftrian army. Encouraged by this fuccefs the Pruflian
infantry once more advanced, maftered feveral of the
enemy's intrenchments, and made way for a new attack of
their cavalry, which broke in with irrefiftibU impetuofity
upon the Auftrians, and threw feveral bodies of them into
irreparable diforder. It was now about nine o'clock, the
two armies were involved in a pitchy darknefs ; yet the fire
continued without intermiflion, and the battalions with a
blind rage difcharged at each other without diftinguilhing
friend or foe.

M. Daun did every thing in the difpofition and the aftion,
that became his high character. But he was obliged to
yield to the miraculous fortune of the King of Pruflia. He
received a dangerous wound on the thigh, and was carried
from the field, which probably difheartened the troops, and
baftened the defeat. The command then fell on the Count
O'Donnel, who finding a great part of his troops in difor-
der, the night advanced, and the enemy poflefled of emi-
nences which commanded his camp, and of which it was

1760. ^i^^ History o//;&^ War. 323

vain to think of difpofleiTing them, ordered a retreat, which
was conduced in this darknefs and acrofs the Elbe with
wonderful order ; none were loft in pafling the bridges, and
far the greater part of their artillery was preferved. The
pruflians remained mafters of this well-fought and bloody
field. The darknefs hindered them from molefting the
enemies retreat or improving their viftcry, which they
bought at the expence of ten thoufand killed and wounded,
and about three thoufand prifoners. But even with this lofs,
the advantage was well purchafed : it wjis a neceflary and a
glorious viftory. It re-eftablilhed the reputation of their
arms ; it fecured their winter-quarters ; and gave them
again the poffeffion of a great part of Saxony.

Probably of all the King of Pruflia's battles, this was the
moft important ; and it was that in the conduQ: of which
he ihewed the greateft (kill, intrepidity, and perfeverance.
His troops behaved with a firmnefs which would have done
honour to thofe which he formerly led into Bohemia. In
this aflion where they were to furmount every obftacle and
encounter every difficulty and danger in order to attack fo
great and excellent an army as the Auftrian, under fuch an
accompliflied commander as M. Daun, their number did
not exceed fifty thoufand men.

The Icfs of the Auftrians was very great ; the number
killed and wounded is not indeed accurately known. Pro-
bably it did not much, if at all exceed the lofs on the fide
of the viftorious army ; but the prifoners were far more
numerous, two hundred and fixteen officers of the Auftri-
ans were taken, among whom were four generals, together
with eight thoufand of the common fort. The king in this
battle, in which he every moment expofed his life to the
greateft dangers, received a flight contufion in his breaft by
a mufket ftiot.

The Auftrians difputed the vidory in the Gazettes. But
the King of Pruflla reaped all the fruits of it ; he recovered
all Sakony except Drefden ; it had been the extremity of
rafhnefs to have commenced the fiege of that place in the
depth of winter, and in the fight of an army ftrongly pofted,
and which though it had been beaten continued after its de-
feat, more numerous than his own. His troops had alrea-
dy fuftaincd fatigues almoft beyond human ftrength \ and
the moft prudent part now left was to permi them to en-
joy a little repofe; and in the interval of adion to prepare,

S f 3 'by

ill'^P

324 ^^^ History of the War. i^^

by employing the means his vidory had put into his hands
for the arduous work of the enfuing campaign.

Indeed the face of the Prufllan affairs had been prodi-
gioufly changed fince the day in which their enemies had
entered Berlin. It was obferved that the taking of that city
had been before this ominous to the Auftrian caufe : and
that General Haddick's expedition againft it in 1757, had
been followed by the viiStories of Rofbach and Liffa, as this
irruption was by that of Torgau. There was fome differ-
ence between the former vi£lories and the latter. But the
PrufTians drew motives of confolation and hope from riiofe
coincidences. There was alfo fomething folid in the advan-
tages they had acquired. After the King of PruiTia's march
had delivered Berlin, General Werner marched into Pome-
rania ; and on his approach, together with that of Winter,
the Rufllans raifed the flege of Colberg, (which they had
kept fo long blocked up by fea and land) and then retired
into Poland, not having been able to efFeft in Pomerania by
the operations of the whole year, more than the deveflation
of the open country. Then Werner having freed the
Eaftern, flew to the relief of the Weftern Pomerania, where
the fuccefs was as rapid, and more brilliant. He defeated
a body of Swedes which was ported near PaflTewalk, com-
pelled them to retire with the lofs of a thoufand men, in
killed and prifoners ; and purfuinghis advantage with fpint,
the Swedes were at length compelled to evacuate the Pruf-
fian Pomerania, and to fall back upon Stralfund.

AH the armies of the Rufllans at length quitted the king's
territories. General Laudohn abruptly uifed the blockade of
Cofel ; and afterwards abandoning Landfhut, he retired into
the Auflrian Silefia, and left all the PrufTian part in quiet.
M. Daun after the battle of Torgau, feeing the King of
Pruffia attempt nothing againft DrefdePi, placed one part of
his army in that city, and cantoned the reft in thofe ftrong
ports which lie to the fouth and weft of it, by which he
commanded the Elbe and kept open his communication with
Bohemia. The army of the empire retired into Franconia,
and placed its head quarters at Bamberg.

The King of Prurtla omitted nothing to re-ertablifti his
affairs ; and the recovery of Saxony gave him great oppor-
tunities for that purpofe. We may judge of the importance
of that pofTefTion by the refources he was able to draw from
it. He demanded of the circle of Leipfick for the contribu-
tions

1,760. ^he History of the War. ^z^

(ions of the enfuing year, two millions of crowns, exdufive
Lfthe ordinary revenue, together with a vaft quantity of
fjrage and provifion. From all the other parts of Mifnia
I yhich he held he exafted in the fame proportion. He
(ompelled them alfo to fupply a vaft number of recruits :
jiis demand was twenty thoufand ; and though it be certain
that they could not fupply fo many, yet he was enabled by
the recruits furniftied by Saxony alone, entirely to fill up
the breaches which the battle of Torgau had made in his
battalions. He drew alfo vaft refourctjs from the dutchy of
Mecklenburgh, which he taxed at fome millions of crowns,
an immenfe auantity of provifion, and a great number of
recruits. Thefe he infiftcd either on receiving immediately,
or that the duke (hould enter his troops into the Prufiian
fervice. It is faid that his majefty then made fome fort of
treaty or compofition with the duke, whofe condition has
been from the beginning of the war, the worft that can be
imagined. For his fituation is fur^ , juft behind the Pruflian
dominions, and out of all poflibility of communication with
the grand armies of his allies, that he cannot be benefited by
any advantages which they acquire ; on the contrary, he
fuffers almoft equally, whether the King of Pruffia be vic-
torious or defeated ; and his dominions muft furnifh the
means of improving the king's viftories, and repairing his
lolfes. If the King of PrufTia has made a treaty with this
Prince, there is nc doubt that it is almoft wholly in his
majefty's favour, and that he has taken care that he (hall
not draw much lefs profit from the Duke of Mecklenburgh
as an ally, than he had derived from him as an enemy.

In (hort, with regard to extent of pofleflion, the King
of Pruffia is ntiuch in the fame fituation in which he was
left at the clofing the foregoing campaign ; but in all other
refpecls his condition is infinitely preferable. He had then
indeed the fame pofTefflons in Saxony ; but he clofed that
campaign with the lofs of two battles, deftruCtive in them-
reives, and difgraceful in their circumftances .* he clofed
this by a moft beneficial and moft glorious victory, by which
the reputation of his arms, greatly tarniftied, was reftored
to its former brightnefs, and which in its confequences has
given him as fair a profpe£t of fuccefs as he can have, whilft
the alliance againft him is not in the leaft degree^weakened
by the falling off of the moft inconfiderable member, or
the abatement of the fmalleft degree of their animofity,

CHAP.

m. im.

\ \

!•!■.':

■w:'■^<>

■ rt

326

'The History of the War. lyg^

CHAP. X.

The Allies ralfe the ftege of Gottingen. Winter quarterl
and fujferings of the Britijh troops. Popular debates k
England concerning the German war.

THE allied army in Weftphalia after their failure on
the lower Rhine, turned their attention to the eaft,
ward of the Wefer, and made a vigorous attempt uponl
Gottingen, which from the 22d of November, until thel
12th of the following month, they kept blockaded. Butl
the French made a brave defence, and having taken a ftrongl
poll: of the allies in a fally,Jhey compelled them to raife thel
blockade. They were before heartily weary of it, havind
fuffered incredible hardfliips, both in this and all the other
fervices of the campaign, in which they had fo often tra- 1
verfed that great traft of country which lies between the!
Maine, the Wefer, and the Rhine : and though the winter I
continued very temperate and open, fuch unufual rains
had fiiUen, that the waters were every where out, and the
roads fo damaged, that their provifions could fcarcely arrive,
or their communication be preferved.

At length therefore, they fubmitted to go into winter
quarters, leaving the French in pofieflTion of Heffe, and the
whole country eaftward of the Wefer to the frontiers of
the eledorate : by which they communicated with the
Auftrians and Impcrialifts, and prevented the fuccours with
which the King of Pruffia, after the battle of Torgaii, had
intended to reinforce the allied army. The Englifh troops
were cantoned for the winter, in the biftiopric of Fader-
born ; and Lord Granby eftablifhed his head quarters in
the city of that name. But thefe quarters proved a very
indifferent place of repofe for the Britilh troops, worn out
with the fatigues of fo laborious a campaign, partly from
the natural penury of the country ; and partly from the
vafl numbers to be fupported, at a time when the fphereof
their fubfiftence was extremely ftreightened ; and evcH that
narrow fphere exhaufted by having been four years the feat
of war. This fcarcity was increafed by the difficulty of the
roads, and probably in fome degree by the avarice of con-
traftors, pver whom, feveral were of opinion, as ftrict a
watch had not been kep!;, as is at all times neceffary for that
fort of people.

But

Uo. ^be History of the War. 327

But whatever were the caufes of this fcarcity ; it was bit-
Lrly felt by the troops, and was accompanied by difeafes
Ifhich thinned them extremely. This raifed a general dif-
Iptent in the army, which was fpeedily communicated to
Jmland, where the people during the preceding year, not
Lving been ftruck with thofe brilliant advantages which
ginguifh an ofFenfive campaign, did not confine their com-
Iplaints to the conduct of the war, but began to fall into an
(ilinoft general diflike of the very fyftem upon which it
JKis purfued.

Much of the old difpute between the naval and continen-
Italfchemes was renewed ; and enforced with many addi-«
tional topics. The alliances of the war in Germany were
leverely criticifed. " We are purfuing, faid they, a fyftem,
[by which we muft certainly lofe all the advantages which
we acquired for the fhort time we followed one that was
more national, and fuitable to our circumftances ; a fyftem
i of all others the moft abfurd ; a fyftem in which defeats are
attended with their ufual fatal effects, and in which even
viftory itfelf cannot fave us from ruin. We will not enter,
faid they, into that long and vainly agitated queftion. Whe-
ther we ought to take any part in the differences which
may arife between the powers on the rontinent ? This
difquifition is foreign to the prefent purpofe ; and it is be-
fides of too vague and general a nature to admit any precife
determination ; but this undoubtedly may be afferted, that
we can never, confiftently with common prudence, engage
in a continental war againft France, without a concurrence
in our favour of the other powers on the continent. This
was the continental fcheme of the great King William ; and
this prl:.ciple the foundation of the grand alliance which he
projected, and at the head of which, in defence of the li-
berties of Europe, he made the moft auguft appearance to
which human nature can be raifed. It was on this princi-
ple, that in conjunction with half Europe, we carried on
the war with fo much honour and fuccefs againft France,
under the Duke of Marlborough- But to engage in a con-
tinental war with that power, not only unafllfted but oppof-
ed by the grcateft part of thofe ftates with whom we were
then combined, is an attempt never to be juftified by any
comparative calculation of the populoufnefs, the revenues,
or the general ftrength of the two nations. -It is a def-
perate ftiugglc, which muft finally end in our ruin.

. But

1-'

• 1

3z8 The History of the War. lyg^

But what is the fcene which we have chofon for thi
flruggle ? We have chofen Germany; the very pot of a]
others which the French, if they had thv-lr choice, v.oull
have pointed out to us. By making Germany the theatrl
of war, they fee that country warted and dcrtroyed, thl
ftrength of which has always proved the greateft bulwarl
againft their overbearing ambition. They fee the fwxrdl
of the Germans, from one end to the other of that va(t -xtl
populous country, turned againfl each other ; and they fej
with joy the EngUih, whofe intereft it is to fave them a]
much as poflible, co-operating with her blood and trea]
• furesj to compleat the difunion, and confcquently thedeJ
folation of Germany. In a war in that country France laJ
many advantages : flie fupports her armies in a great dcere^
'>y pillaging tho "e whom in every refpefl it is her intereft to
\:-: ken. She i> not very remote from her own trontierJ
from whence fhe is eafdy provided, eafily recruited ; and by
means of which a great part of the public money is expend-
ed in the country where it is raifed. Is (he unfuccefsful ?|
fhe is brought thereby but the nearer to her frontiers, fup-
ports her troops with ftill the greater facility, and exhauftsl
rtill lefs the natural wealth of her people. Even fuppofel
the French army driven into France ; even then thefe ad-
vantages on her fide are increafed; and very obvious cir-
cumilances render it impofTiblc for the allied army to puflil
their fuccels on the German frontiers of France to any de-
cifive confequence.

But to the Englifh, every thing is unfavourable in fuchl
a war; their greateft fucceffes will only carry them to
greater diftance from their refources, and every ftep of
their progrefs muft make the tranfport of provifion, artiller)-,
ammunition, and the infinite impediments of a large armv
more difficult, and in the end altogether impraflicable. This [
is not fpeculation ; the events which followed the b.itile of
Crevelt have proved it. Prince Ferdinand, viftoriou'! ;n
that aftion, was obliged, rather from the difficult/ of fub-
fifting, than the fuperiofity of the enemy, to repafs the
Rhine, and to bring back to Germany that war with which
he threatened France. It is thus, that upon this plan, vic-
tory itfelf cannot fave us, and that all our fuccflles furvconly
to accumulate new diftreffes, new difficulties, new charges.
Whilft France, who has only contracted her expences by
the lofs of her navy, encourages us to enter deeper and

deeper

Ij^So. 72»tf History <?///&<? War. 329

deeper into the inextricable toils of a German war, in which
le wade our ftrcngth only to entangle ourfehes further.
She holds the firings, and can never be tired out at this
pme. From all this arifes an expence unknown even in
thought to our forefathers, and which the fingle revenue of
England is by no means able to bear. The allies, if they
deferve the name, fupply not the fmalleil part of it. The
Hanoverians and HefTians contribute to our fervice only by
Uabling us to protract dill longer our eflforts in a fyflem, in
vhich nothing can fo efFe£tually ferve us as being defeated
I IS early as pofllbie.

As to the King of Pruflia, what we pay to that monarchy
I may rather be confidered as tribute than fubfidy ; fmce we
receive nothing in return : and that far from being able to
afford any relief to our armies, he is fcarcely in a condition
I to fupport himfelf. So that this alliance is worfe than the
tormer, as it is an heavy charge compenfated not onlv with
DO real, but even with no apparent or (hewy ad- nt^'Gje.
Indeed, he is an ally the lafl: in the world we ought 10 1 ve
chofen> on account of his long connefkion with i, ir woi-ft
enemies, the mean and the hoftle fentiments he has always
entertained towards us, the injuries he has done us, nd the
general lightnefs of his faith with regard to his farmer allies.
We regard him, it is true, as the protcftor of th Proteftant
religion ; but how lightly he thinks of all religion his writ>
ings tedify ; and what mifchiefs he has done the Protedant
caufe in particular, this war will be a lading memorial.
When he entered Saxony, a Protedant country, he found
that religion no ways moleded in thofe places, where it had
been eftabliflied or tolerated by the treaty of Wedphalia.
Even in the Popifli dominions the perfecution began to lofe
Ibmething of its edge, when he under the name of its pro-
tcdor, brought upon it as great a calamity as its mod deter-
mined enemies could have widied ; by dividing the reform-
ed dates of the empire, and fetting Protedants to cut the
throats of Protedants, whild all the Popidi powers have
been forced into a drift confederacy.

Had we kept ourfelves clear of this ruinous fydem ( and
inilead of engaging France on her drong fide, attacked and
vanquidied her colonies, one after another, we might with-
out exhauding our own drength have gradually waded away
the principal refources of her trade, and whild we continued
this method, have as little reafon to grow tired of a war

T I (the

riaii^!,

iL^m's^'-

' '■■' 'Ma J*^. V 'ftv

P''i

tmv\

ifii

330 ^he History of the War. 1^5^

(the whole funds of which would be fpent at home) aj
France has to grow weary in the prefent manner of carryJ
ing it on. If the powers on the continent were left with-|
out our interpofition to do their own bufinefs, they would
probably better underftand and better defend their own
rights. At worft let France enter, let them conquer, let
them pofiefs Hanover ; there is no mifchief they can do that
country greater than it fuffers by the prefent war ; and we
not exhaufting ourfelves by a fruitlefs defence, fhould in the
end by the entire pofleflion of the French colonies, be able
befides the fccurity of our own juft claims, to reftore the
Hanoverian dominions to their lawful fovereign, and even
to procure fome indemnification for what they might have
fuffered in our quarrel."

This is pretty nearly the fubilance of what was urged
againfl: the German fyftem ; and the argument was con-
duced with great management and addrefs, and interfperfcd
with a number of topics well calculated to fpread difcontent,
and to place in an odious light every ftep taken in thofe al-
liances and in that war. Many, however, ftrongly adhered
to that method, and they anfwered' " That the beft rea-
fons on the other fide were more fpecious than folid ; and
that the chief writings againft our German connexions were
declamations rather than arguments. That the complaint
of the expence of this war was in fome meafure juft ; but
if the advantage was in any degree equivalent, the expence
was incurred to good purpofe. That France by engaging
fo heartily as fhe has done in the German war, has drawn
away fo much of her attention and her revenue from her
navy,' that it enabled us to give fuch a blow to her maritime
llrength, as poflibly fhe may never be able to recover. Her
engagement in the German war, has likewife drawn her
from the defence of her colonies, by which means we have
conquered fome of the moft confidcrable ihe poffefled. It
has withdrawn her from the protedion of her trade, by
which it is entirely deftroyed, whilft that of England has
never in the profoundeft peace been in fo flourifliing a con-
dition. So that by embarking in this German war, France
has fuffered herfelf to be undone, fo far as regards her par-
ticular and immediate quarrel with England. But has ihe
had in Germany fuch fuccefles as will counterballance this
lofs ? Far from it. At this moment fhe is infinitely lefs ad-
vanced than fhe was the year llje entered Germany, after

" •'. ' having

liSo. TJbe History of ibeWAK. 531

Lying fpent fuch immenfe fums of money, and loft by the
Iford, by difeafe, and by defertion, at leaft 100,000 of her

On the other hand, the accoimt ftands thus with regard
(oEngland ; deeply embarked as (he has been in this Ger-
pan war, in her particular quarrel with France, fhe has
leen carried along with an almoft uninterrupted tide of fuc-
tefs. She has taken many of the French colonies ; fhe has
jtftroyed their navy and their trade, and having infulted
llu enemies coafts, has ruined an harbour which might one
(by prove very obnoxious to us. Then how ftands the ac-
count in Germany ? The French have been there frequent-
ly defeated: Hanover has been recovered and protefted :
The King of PrufTia has been preferved fo long at leaft
from the rage of his enemies, and in general the liberty of
Germany has been hitherto fecured. So that if we have
incurred a great expence, we have done by it infinitely
more than France has done at an expence much greater
than ours. For the advocates who declaim againft the
King of Pruflia, feem to have forgot that the charge of
the French army muft exceed ours, as the number of their
troops to be paid, exceeds the difference between French
and Englifli pay. Thofe on the Englifli eftablifliment in
Germany, have at no time exceeded 25,000, and the reft
of the confederates ferve very nearly on the fame terms with
the French. Not to mention thefubfidies fo greatly fupe-
rior to ours, which that power pays to ftates from whom
Ihehas not a fingle regiment to augment her armies. Thus,
although by our victories, France is relieved from the
charge of her navy, and that of the defence of fome of
her moft confiderable colonics, the German war alone has
hrought her finances to a diftrefs of which the whole world
has been witnefs. And nothing Icfs could have happened;
the expence however contracted was ftill enormous ; and
the refource of every war, trade, was almoft wholly de-
ftroycd. In EngUmd, the expence was alfo undoubtedly
great : but then, the old trade ftill remained to fupply it,
and new cliannels were opened. Had we lain by and tame-
ly beheld Germany in part poffeffed, and the reft compel-
led to receive laws from France, the war there would loon
have been brought to an end ; and France, ftrcngthened by
vittory, by conqueft and alliance, would have the whole
tWce and whole revenue of her mighty monarchy free to
'^ againtl us alone. T t 2 They

1: •;

332 ^he History of the War. i^gg

They argued further, that common raiLh obliged us to
an adherence to our engagements both with Hanover and
Prulua : and that the pleaded incapacity to aflift thein arl-
fing froir. the greatnefs of the charge could not excufe us •
becaufe ♦^he -ncapacity was not real ; and if the expence
v/as inco I ;cnient, we ought to have looked to that v/hen
wc .or" acted our cna igements. That it was not true
that we received no advantage: from our alliance with the
King of Pruflia ; for if it be once udmitted, that we en-
tered with any reafon into the German war (which they
fuppofed proved) then the King of Pruflia has been very
materially ferviceable to us ; becaufe it was his vtcir.ry at
Rofbach, and the reinforcement from his troops, which
has enabled us to do all that has fince been atchieveo. In
the like manner, if the fupport of the proteHant religion
be any part of our care, that religion muft fuffer eminent-
ly by the ruin of the King of Pruflfia ; for though the wri-
tings attributed to his Pruflian majefty be fuch, as if really
his, refleft on account of their impiety great difgrace on
his character as a man, yet as a king, in his public and po-
litical capacity, he is the natural proteftor of the proteftant
religion in Germany ; and it will always be his intereft to
defend it.

We Ihall not prefume to determine, which party has the
right fide of this queftion ; it was once undoubtedly a quef-
tion very fit to be difcufled with great care ; but having
chofen our party, it is at prefent little more than a matter
of political (peculation.

CHAP. XII.

7'burot fails from Dunkirk. Putt into Gottenburg and
Bergen. Puts into the IjJe of Hay. He takes Carrick-
fergus. Sails from tbence. He is killedy and bis whole
fquadron taken. War in America. General Amberji
goes down the river St. Laurence. General Murray
marches from i^uebec. Montreal furrenders. Cherokee
war. Affairs of the Eajl-Indies. Lally defeated by
Coote.

BEfore we rcfume the account of the war in America,
it will be ncceflary to take fome notice of the attempt
of the celebrated Thurot. It happened much earlier in the

year,

,760. 7V;<f V

ttar, than the even

Jvoid breaking the t

Jermany, we have

The reader will

for invading thefe i

appeared to us in tl-

fmall fquadron was

Thurot, the deftinj

imagined to have b(

peared, that this li(

verfion on the nort

under Monfieur de

fome of the fouthei

in which the latter

has already been 1

year. It remains n

which Thurot was

His fquadron, c

which were 1270

Dunkirk on the <

blocked up until tli

favour of an hazy r

Gottenburg in Swc

made to Bergen ii

were reduced by 1

fo fuffered by ftorr

of the moft conrid<

not until the 5 th c

direftly for their p

tune purfued ther

three months they

wefterniflesof Sec

nient landing near

fered every poflibl

diflieartned. Ano

them, of which th

ing three were ex

d extremely by i

^ t into the ifle of

took in fome catt

libei ally paid for b;

ed, and who beha

and humanity.

i)6o.

The History of the War.

year, than the events which we have juft related. But to
jvoid breaking the thread of the more important events ia
Jermany, we have referved it for this place.

The reader will remember, that in the French fcheme
for invading thefe iflands, (which was defcribed as it then
appeared to us in the 4th chapter of the annals of 1 759,) a
fmall fquadron was prepared at Dunkirk, under Monfieur
Thurot, the deftination of which moft people at that time
imagined to have been for Scotland. But, it has fince ap-
peared, that this little fquadron was intended to make a di-
vcrfion on the north coaft of Ireland, whilft the grand fleet
under Monfieur de Conflans, made the principal defcent in
fome of the fouthern parts of that kingdom. The manner
in which the latter and principal part of this projed failed,
has already been related among the tranfaftions of that
year. It remains now to give fome account of the part in
which Thurot was concerned.

His fquadron, confifting of five frigates, on board of
which were 1270 land foldiers, failed from the port of
Dunkirk on the 5th of Oftober 1759. They had been
blocked up until that time by an Englifh fleet ; but under
favour of an hazy night, they put out to fea, and arrived at
Gottenburg in Sweden ten days after. From thence they
made to Bergen in Norway. In thefe voyages, the men
were reduced by ficknefs, and the veffels themfelves had
fo fuffered by ftorms, that they were obliged to fend one
of the moft confiderable of them back to France. It v/as
not until the 5th of December, that they were able to fail
direftly for their place of deftination. But their old ill for-
tune purfued them with frefli difappointments. For near
three months they beat backward and forward amongft the
wefterniflesof Scotland, having in vain attempted a conve-
nient landing near Derry In this tedious interval they fuf-
fered every poflible hardinip. Their men were thinned and
diftieartned. Another of their fhips was feparated from
them, of which they never heard more. The now remain-
ing three were extremely fhattered, and their crews fufFer-
d extremely by famine. This obliged them to
i t into the ifle of Hay ; where they refitted and Feb. 16.
took in fome cattle and provifions, which were
libeially paid for by the generous adventurer who command-
ed, and who behaved in all refpcds with his ul'ual courtefy
and humanity.

Here

334 ^^^^ History fif the War. lyg^i

Here they heard for the firft time of the defeat of ConJ
flans's fquadron. This was a circumftance of great dif-
couragcmcnt. But as Thurot could not be fure that this!
intelligence was not given to deceive him ; he perfifted in
his refolution to fail for Ireland. Indeed ^.e had fcarcely
any other choice ; for he was fo poorly vi£tualled, that he '
could not hope without fome rcfrelhment, to get bacl^ to
France. And he was further urged on by his love of glory !
no fmall fharc of which he was certain to add to his cha-
rafter, if he could ftrike a blow of never fo little impor-
tance on the coaft of Ireland : For by this he might make
fome appearance of having revenged the many infults
which had been offered to the coalt of France.

Full of thefe ideas, he arrived before the town of Car-
rlckfergus on the 28th of February ; and landed his troops,
now reduced to about 600 men, the day following. They
were augmented by draughts from his fcamen to near 1000.
Thefe he formed on the beach, and moved to the attack of
the town. Carrickfcrgus is furrounded by an old wall ruin-
ous in many places. Colonel Jennings commanded about
four companies in the town, moftly of new raifedmen, ex-
tremely ill provided vvith ammunition, and no way prepa-
red for this attack, which they had not the leaft reafon
to expert. However, they fliut the gates, fent off the
French prifoncrs to Bclfaft, and took all the meafures their
circumftances would admit. The enemy advanced and
attacked the gates. There was no cannon ; but the gales
were defended with effecEl by mufquet fliot, until the am-
munition was fpent. Then the garrifon retired into the
caille, which having a breach in the wall near 50 feet in
extent, was no ways tenable. They therefore furrendered
prifoners of war with terms of fafcty for the town.

Thurot as foon as he was mailer of Carrickfcrgus, ilTu-
cd orders to Belfaft to fend him a quantity of wine and pro-
vifions ; he made the fame tlemand to the magiftrates of
Carrickfcrgus, which they having imprudently refufed fo
comply with, the town was plundered. Thurot havini;
viftualled, and gained as much reputation by this a£tion as
could be exposed from a fleet which was no more than a
fort of wreck of the grand cntcrprife, lot fail for France.
But he had not left the bay of Carrickfcrgus many hours,
when near the coall of the Ifle of Man, he perceived three
fail that bore down upon him. Thefe were three F.ngliih

frigates

,n5o. 'I'he History of the W a r. 535

Lgates which happened to be in the harbour of Kinfale,
Ivhen Thurot made his defcent; the duke of Bedford, lord
itcnant, difpatched orders to the commander of the fri-
es to go in queft of the French armament. The Englifli
I filiates were one of 36 guns commanded by Capt. ElUott ;
[jn'dtwo of 32.
Such was their diligence and fuccefs, that they overtook
Thurot*s fquadron before they could get out of the Irifhfea.
They were exa6\ly three frigates to three. The French
diips were much the larger, and their men much more nu-
merous ; but both Ihips and men were in a bad condition.
Alharp and clofe engagement began. None of the French
could poflibly efcape, and they muft take or be taken.
Thurot did all that could be expefted from the intrepidity
of his charafter ; he fought his fliip until flie had her hold
almoft filled with water, and her decks covered with dead
bodiec. At length he was killed. The crew of his fhip,
and by her example thofe of the other two, difpiritcd by
this blow, and prefled with uncommon alacrity by the fig-
ral bravery of Capt. Elliott, and thofe who commanded un-
der him, flruck, and were carried into Ra.Jay Bay in the
lile of Man. Even this inconfiderable aftion added to the
glory of the Englifh arms. None had been better conduc-
ed, or, fought with greater refolution. This fole infult on
our coafts was feverely punilhed ; and not a velTel concern-
ed in it efcaped. The public indeed lamented tiie death ol
tiit brave Thurot, who even whilft he commanded a priva-
teer, fought lefs for plunder than honour ; whofe behavi-
our was on all occafions full of humanity and generofity ;
and whofe undaunted courage raided him to rank, and me-
rited diflinOiion. Mis death fecured the glory he always
fought : be did not live to be brought a prifoner into V.n-
gland ; or to hear in France thofe malignant criticifms,
which fo often attend unfortunate bravery. Thin was the
fate of the laft remaining branch of that grand armament,
which had fo long been the hope of France, the alarm of
England, and the object of general attention to all Eu-
rope (aj.

f'lj Capt. FJIioti's Account of hi> Enj^at^ement ivith Motif. 'Thurot.
in It Letter to ^is Qnne the Puke of Hffifoni.

/La! Ill,

Til

if .

^^6 The History of the War. i^go.

In America, the French had no great reafon to boaft of
their fuccefs. The a6lion of Sillery only gained them, by
an immenfe efFufion of their blood, a victory which was

attended

MoluSy in Ratnfay Bay^ Feh. 29, 1 760.
My Lordf

I Had the honour to write to you on the 26th inft. oif Dublin^
but very incorrectly and in great hade, as I that minute had in-
formation from the hfhermen, that the enemy were then at Car-
richfergusy I made all the difpatch poflible to attack them there
and got otF the entrance of the harbour that evening, but the wind
being contrary and blowing very hard I could not get in.

On the 28th, at four in the morning, we got fight of them un-
der fail, and gave chace ; about nine I got up along fide their
Commodore, and, in a few minutes after, the engagement be-
came general, and continued very brifkly for an hour and a half
when they all three (Iruck their colours.

They proved to be the Marjbal Belleijle^ of 44 guns and 545
men, M. Thurot^ commander, who is killed ; the La Blonde, of
32 guns and 400 men, and the Terpftchore^ of 26 guns and 300
men (including the troops in this number). I put in here to relit
the fhips who are all greatly difabled in their mails and rigging;
the Marjbal Bellei£e in particular, who loft her bowfprit, mizen-
maft, and main-yard in the action, and it is with much difficulty
we keep her from finking.

I have acquainted my Lords Commiflloners of the Admiralty
with the particulars by exprefs, and I purpofe returning to fome
port in Englatiii as foon as the (hips can poffibly be repaired. Sub-
joined is a lift of the killed and wounded.

i '

Am,

My LorJt

111'. 1 •

•^1^ 1 . . <' .

Tour Graced

i .^

MoJI bumhle

, and mojl obedient SerK^ant,

JOHN ELLIOTT

his Majefty'
yEolus,
Pallas,
kiihiant,

s Ships,

Killed.
4

Wounded.

»5

5
11

.IK.—

— —

,y6a The History of the War.' 537

littended with no advantageous confequences. Vaudreuil,
the governor of Canada, after Levy had been compelled
10 raife the (lege of Quebec, fixed his head-quarters at
Montreal, to make if pofTible a lad fland in that place ;
for which purpofe he carried in all his pofts ; and here he
colieded the w4iole regular force that remained in Canada.
[ At the fame time he fought to keep up the fpirits of the peo-
ple by various rumours and devices, which he praftifed on
their credulity. But Monfieur VaudreuiPs greateft hope,
] was not in his artifices, nor his force, but in the fituation
of Canada, which is much harder to be entered, than
I when the enemy has entered it, to be conquered. On the
iide where the mod conAderable part of the Britiih force
was to a£k. it is covered with vaft impenetrable woods,
morafles, and mountains ; the only tolerable entrance for an
irmy, is by the river St. Laurence ; and the navigation of
this river is rendered extremely difficult and hazardous by
the number of (hallows, rifts and falls, that lie between
the difcharge of Ontario and the ifle of Montreal. Vau-
dreuil was in expectation, that the preparations necefTary
for conducing an army through fuch a long and difficult
way, would neceflarily confume fo much of the fummer,
as not to leave fufficient time for the operations abfoUitely
necefTary to reduce the remainder of Canada. He did not
[apprehend much danger from the garrifon of Quebec,
which had been weakened by its defeat in the fprin^. Thefe
coflfiderations gave him fome confidence that he might pro-
tract the war (omewhat longer, and another year might
poiTibl]^ give fortune an opportunity to take fome turn in his
favour.'

But Mr Amherft, whofe calm and fteady refolution no
Jifficulties could overcome, was taking the mod effedual
meafures to !efeat his expectations. His plan was difpofcd
in this manner. Brig. Gen. Murray had orders to advance
towards Montreal, on his fide, with all the troops which
could be fpared from the garrifon of Quebec. Colonel
Haviland failed from Crown Point, and took poflefllon of
the Ifle au Noix, which had been abandoned by the enemy
on the 28th of Augult, and from thence had orders to pro-
ceed dircftly to the city of Montreal. His own army,
confiding of about 10,000 men, he propofed to tranfport
by the way of Lake Ontario into the river St. Laurence.
Thus he propofed entirely to furround the lad place of im-

U u portance

. -y^'

■ i ■■■#

238 ^he HisrotiY of *h \VKk» t;tyjj

portance which the enemy poffeff^J, and by the motir,
the three armies, in three fach ^.ti^A-^m r- u*s, to render itl
impolfible for them to form an efR aual o^spofition to any of
his corps.

Having laid tins general pliii, he left Shenefta-I
June 21. dy on the frontiers of New York, and pafTed up
the Mohawks river and down that of the Oneidas
to Ofwego, where he arrived on the 9th of July. 'v\^J
army he had collefted there, confided of about 10,000
men, regulars and provincials. SirWmTohnfon brought
1000 favages of the Iroquois or five na ions ; the greateft
number of that race of men which was ever feen in arms in I
the caufe of England.

It was a matter of, the greateft difficulty to tranfportfol
numerous an army, the whole of its artillery, its ammuni-
tion, and all its provifion, over the expanfe of that vaft I
lake in open boats and gallies ; it required the greateft cau-
tion and the exa6teft order, left they fhould fall foul upon
cne another, left they ftiould be driven out too far to gain
the land on the firft threatning of a ftorm, or left they fhould •,
come too near the (hore. But -^l! the difpofitions were
made in the moft admirable method, and with that regula-
rity of military arrangement, which makes fo confiderable
a part of the charafter of that able commander. So that
the whole army embarked on the lothof Auguft. Ade-i
tachment had been fent fome day;- before to clear the paf-
fage of the river St. Laurence of wiiy ubftruftion, and to find i
the beft pafTage for the velTels. j

On the 27th he had entered that river, taken pqlTefTion
of Swega^c' '" and made all difpofitions for the attack of
L'Ifle Ro}\i!v, a fort lower down in the river which com-
manded it, and by this command is the moft important poll,
and as it were the key of Canada. The troops and boats
were fo difpofed, that the ifle was compleatly mvefted, and
the garrifon was left ho means of efcape. The batteries
A <9.c: ^^''^ *^^" raifed and opened, and after two days

"* ^* ftiarp firing, the fort furrendered.

This being a poft of importance both to command LAc
Ontario and to cover our frontier, the general fpent fomc
days here in order to repair the fort, and at the fame tiix
to fit out his veflTels, and to prepare all things for pafTinghis
troops down the river, the moft dangerous part of which
he was now to encounter, as all the rapids lie between this

place

niotir,. ,
<i T^iiiltT it]

1 to any oil

Shenefta-

• pafled up
e OneidasJ
"ly- The
^t 10,000
•n brought
\e greateft
in arms in

ranfport fo
5 ammuni-
f thatvafti
eateft cau-
foul upon
far to gain '
hey (hould
tions were 1
lat reguia-
snfiderable |

• So that
ift. Ade-
ir the paf-
andtofind

I pqfleflion
E attack of
hich com-
Ttant port,
and boats
^eflied, and
e batteries
" two dayj

land L?kc
)ent feme
fame tiirie
paflinghis
of which
:ween this
place

--'"H:-^"^-

.LmK.'y

,:'>^d''*&^

,^+.-.4v1

•If, I

fc^--'j^^

■-/^/hK/ZiCi^tr /ffn(ftk.%wn an^(A>rfy^

y^-^-KWiJik..^

v>^^f»-i^S«^

«;s — > *■** ^

^Ofcr-;^^

^-^;^.?<>i

''^ ^- ■ --'>.

. J'i>1>'tl*'t''ff ■Jlli

\o?ij {jf\_ /^Titre^i/ m (janod/a

1760. Ti

place and Montn
near 90 men were
and a great numb
from fo large an c
be regarded as ver
ous, fatiguing a
inonths and fevent
tady, the Englifh
of Montreal, the
riod of their labou

They were imn
difpofitions were r
kntly was this pi
that Gen. Murray
Col. Haviland witl
lowing.

Montreal (b) v
building, traffick, a
the lakes and Qyel
trade; but the fori
inconfiderable ; fo
thing made the ta
cept that here was
part of the provii
However, by the <

(h) An Explanation

\. The river St. I

a. St. Peter's river
3. A bridge over
river.

4- M. de la Gallic

5 The general h

6. A dry ditch en

the town, except tl

wards the river j i

eight feet deep.

7 The glacis.

8. The imall gat(

9. Market -gate.
»f> St Mary's ga

1760. The History «/ the War. 339

place and Montreal ; but notwithftanding all precautions,
near 90 men were drowned in pailing thefe dangerous falls,
and a great number of veflels broke to pieces. This lofs
from fo large an embarkation, in fuch circumflances, is to
be regarded as very inconfiderable. At length, after a tedi<!>
ous, fatiguing and dangerous voyage of two
i^onths and feventeen days Hnce they left Senec- Sept. 5.
taidy, the Englifh faw to their great joy, the ide
of Moutreal, the objed of their ardent wiihes> and the pe-
riod of their labours.

They were immediately landed in the beft order ; and all
difpofitions were made for attacking the place. So excel-
|<!ntly was this plan concerted, and fo faithfully executed,
that Gen. Murray landed from Quebec that very day ; and
Col.Haviland with his army from Ide auNoix the day fol-*
lowing.

Montreal (b) is the fecond place in Canada for extent,
building, traffick, and flrength. Its middle fituation between
the takes and QyebeC) hath made it the flaple of the Indian
trade; but the fortifications before this war were mean and
inconfiderable ; fomething has been fince added } but nor
thing made the taking of it an enterprife of difficulty, ex-
cept that here was coUe£ted the whole regular, and no fmall
part of the provincial force which remained in Canada.
However, by the difpofitions which at once brought againfi:

them

\rl

wm\

(h) An Explanation of the Referrences ti the Perfpe&ive Vieio of

Montreal.

f . The river St. Laurence,
a. St. Peter's river.

3. A bridge over St. Peter's
river.

4. M. de la Calliere's houfe.

5. The general hofpitai.

0. A dry ditch encompafling
the town, except that part to-
wards the river ; it is about
tight feet deep.

7 The glacis.

8. The unall gate.

9. Market -gate.

10. Sl Mary's gate.

1 1 . Water-gate.

12. The fally-port,

13. The Recollets convent.

14. The parifli-church.

I J. The nunnery-hofpital.

16. The Jefuits church and
fcminary.

17. The palace of M. Vau-
dreuil, Governor-general of Ca-
nada.

18. M. de Longueyil's houfc.

19. The citadel,
ao. The wharf.

■m^

340 ^be History of the War. 1-760 i

them three armies, the greateft part of the flower of the
Britifh troops in America, Monf. Vaudreuil faw himfeifl
entirely enclofed ; he defpaired of defending the place ; andf
therefore furrendered the garrifon of Montreal as • prifoJ
iiers of war, and the inhabitants of his government as fub-
jeds to the King of Great Britain on the 8th of September |
1760

And thus, in the fixth year of the war, and after the moft I
fevere ftruggles, was the vaft couiitry of Canada reduced
to the King's obedience. In this fimc fix battles had been
fought, the fortune of which was equally divided ; in three
the French had been vidorious ; in three the Engliih.
The firft of thofe in which the French had the better, waj
fought in the meadows near Fort du Quefne, where Gen.
Braddock was killed; the other at Ticonderoga, where
Gen. Abercrombie commanded ; the third at Sillery, where
Gen. Murray was repulfed. The viftories of the EnglilhJ
Were, ift. that near Crown Point, where Gen. Johnfon
commanded, and Dieikau was made prifoner ; the 2d near
Niagara, where Gen. Johnfon alfo commanded ; and the 3d
and principal near Quebec, where Wolfe gained the vifto- 1
ry and loft his life. From the Englifli two forts had been
taken, Ofwego and Fort W illiam-Henry. The Englifli on I
their fide took three cities ; Louifbourg, Quebec, and
Montreal ; and five principal forts, which commanded as
many important communications, Beaufcjour, Niagara,
Frontenac, Ticonderoga, Crown Point, and Ille-Royale j
bcfides fome others of inferior confideration.

Taking the whole war in America into one view, Canada I
had been defended with bravery and condufl fufficient to
crown the Generals Wolfe and Amherft, and the Admirals
Bofcawen and Saunders, who finally reduced it, with the I
greateft glory. And vvrithout queftion, the condud of|
Gen. Amherft in his laft expedition, by which he obliged
Montreal to furrender without a blow^ and finally conquer-
ed Canada without cfFufion of blood, defcrves every ho-
nour and evciy recom pence a grateful people can beftow.
The humanity with which he bejiaved to the conquered
both French and Indians, though tlie one had perpetrated,

♦ They were not in ftridlnefs prifoners j but fent to France j
upon condition not to fervc during the war.

17^0. ^be History of the War. 341

ind the other at lead connived at the moft horrid cruelties
on the Englilh prifoners, adds a high luftre to his conqued.
{fis troops fet not one houfe on fire, not one habitation
was plundered, not one man was killed (except in the at-
tack of Ifle-Royal). None was more diftingulfhed in this
refped than Sir William Johnfon ; he led into Canada an
anny of 1000 of the fierceft and moft cruel favages which
are bred in America, without doing the lead damage to
the country* or offering the flighted injury to the perfons
of the inhabitants. To eflfeft this he was obliged to exert
the mod unwearied endeavours, and the whole of thofe un-
common talents which give him fuch power over the minds
of all forts of men. The great vidories by which he has
advanced the intered of the nation, have done him lefs ho*
oour than this condud, by which he has fo greatly advanc-
ed its charader for humanity and moderation. It were to
be wiflied that the fame might be faid of the army, which
marched from Quebec } who finding that the inhabitants in
fome parts were out in arms, were under a neceHlty of fet-
ting fire to the villages ; the tendsrnefs of Gen. Murray's
nature revolted when the giving fuch orders became a ne«
ceflary part of his dnty. In the courfe of this
fummer. Lord Byron with three of his majedy's July 9.
fliips dedroyed a fettlement of French, where
none had ever been fufpe^ed, in the Bay de Chaleurs.
There he alfo took three frigates ; and about 20 fail of vcf-
fels which contained a reinforcement of troops and military
(lores for the relief of Montreal ; but when they had re-
ceived intelligence that Lord Colville's fleet had got into
the river before them, and of courfe entirely commanded
it, they difembarked in this place to attempt, if poflible, a
way to their principal army by land. But they were difco-
vered ; the whole armament was taken ; and the whole de-
fign difconcerted.

Before we take our leave of the American affairs of this
year, we ought to make fome mention of a war with the
lavage Indians, wh* 'h broke out on the back fettlemenls of
our fouthern colonies. The Cherokees, one of the mod
numerous and powerful nations of thefc barbarians, had in
the beginning, and during the greateft part of the progrefs
of the War, appeared to be heartily cngag-ed in our intcreds ;
at their defire a fort had been built in their country called
Fort Loudon> from the then commander in chief of the

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343 '^^^ History of the War. \"]^^,

Britiih force? in America. Some parties of them had ap-
peared in our favour on the laft expedition againft Fort du
Quefne. But it is thought that on that occafion they re-
ceived fome infults, and had been treated in general with a
negle6l which made the deepefl impreflion on the minds ot
fo vindiftive a people. Thefe difcontents were fomented
by the French, who hoped to caufe a diverfion of a part of
our forces in this quarter. At length they commenced hol-
tilitiesin their ufual manner, by cruel ravages and murders
on the frontier of their neighbouring provinces. And there
was very great reafon to apprehend that the fame artifices
of the enemy, and the fame opinion of ill ufage, would
draw the neighbouring and powerful nation of the Creeks
into the like meafures.

Mr. Lyttleton, who was then governor of Carolina,
having in vain endeavoured to pacify them, took

Oft. the refolution of marching with all the force, re-

1759. gular and provincial, which he could raife, into
the Cherokee country. This army in all did not
exceed 11 00 men, but it was conduced with fuch fpirit
and difpatch by Governor Lyttleton, that in a very fhort
time, he marched 300 miles through a vaft defert which
lies between the Indian caflle of Keeowee and Charles-
town. He was advanced into their country before theyhad
made preparations to receive him. They faw their towns
in cafe of obftinacy on the point of being delivered to fire
and fword. They therefore defired a conference, in which
they acknowledged themfelves to blame ; and confented to
fuch a treaty of peace as the governor was pleafed
Dec. 26. to diftate. They gave up the perfons guilty of
the moft flagrant murders, and put into his hands
twe it '-two hoftages, as a lecurity for their adherence to
the treaty.

The governor had all imaginable reafon to be fatisfied
with the effect his expedition had produced \ and having
as every body believed effeftually chaftifed the former info-
lencc of the enemy, and fecured the future tranquillity of
the fouthcrn nrovinces, he returned to Charles-town. But
thcfe perfidious barbarians, equally regardlefs of their faith,
and of the fiifety of their countrymen, whofc lives were
pledged for ihcir fidelity, broke out as foon as the army
was removed, into their former ravages; blocked up Fori
Loudon, which fiands in the middle of their country, and

made

1^60. ^'he History of the War. ^4j

made fome attempts on Fort Edward, which lies nearer to
the fettlements. Their total want of (kill in carrying on
fieges prevented them from any hope of maftering thefe
places, otherwife than by treachery or famine. They fail-
ed in the firft inftance ; and the laft required time.

The imminent danger of two Englifh gafrifons, and that
whole traft of our colonies, being made known to General
Amherft, he detached Colonel Montgomery to their aflift-
ance, with a regiment of Highlanders, a battalion of the
Royal Americans, a body of grenadiers, and the provincial
troops. He marched into the enemies country. He made
war upon the Indians after their own manner. No other
would have been efFeflual. He burned Eftatoe the capi al
of the Lower Cherokees, confifting of 200 houfes, an Indian
town of the very firft magnitude ; and then proceeded to
the fame execution on all the towns and villages of that di-
(Irift of the Cherokees, which were numerous, populous,
and wealthy. The inhabitants generally fled on the ap-
oroach of our troops ; fome however were burned in their
houfes, and fome women and children were made prifon-
ers.

This univerfal deftru£lion of the lower fettlements being
compleated. Col. Montgomery paffed on to the
middle Cherokees: but as the army marched June 2 7.
through a dangerous ground, favourable to the
Indian method of fighting, they were fuddenly attacked
upon all fides by this favage enemy, with the greatqft tury,
and with the ufual horrible fcreams and outcries. The
troops were fo well difpofed with a view of this kind of war,
that they ftood the charge with firmnefs ; they were not
intimidated with the covered fire, or the fcreams of the fa-
vages. The fight was long and well maintained on both
fides. But at length the Indians fled. A neighbouring
town (one of the moft confiderable) was entered that night.
The enemy made fome attempt to moleft them ; but to lit-
tle purpofe. The Englifti loft in this a£tion 20 killed, and
about 80 wounded. The Cherokees had near 40 killed.
The number of the wounded is not known.

Though Col. Montgomery was victorious on this occafi-
on ; yet it was neceflary to retreat on account of his woundf
ed, for whom he had no place of fafety. For it he Ihould
attempt to proceed, he had to apprehend frequent flcir-»
milhes as he advanced, and the number of wounded tof^e-

ther

h--

344 ^^<^ HrstoRY of the War* i^^q

ther with the difficulty of his march, would be hourly jn-
creafed. This retreat was certainly neceflTary. But when
Col. Montgomery had arrived at Fort St. George, he dif.
covered part of his orders, which threw the whole country
into confternation ; which was, that when he had cbajiifti
the enemy, he was to return to New- York with the troopg
under his command, and rejoin the grand army. Thcfe
orders without delay he obeyed ; not however with fuch
rigour, but that the earnefl entreaties of the province pre-
vailed on him to leave about four hundred men for their
proteflion.

Carolina and the neighbouring colonies were again cxpofed
to the fury of a favage enemy, not fo much weakened as
exafperated by their late fufferings ; the fate of the garrifon
of Fort Loucfon was but too certain. For feveral months
they had ftiffered a clofe blockade ; at length feeing no
hope of relief their provifions being totally con-
Aug. 7. fumed and the enemy (hewing fome pacific dif-
pofitions, they were induced to furrcnder upon
honourable conditions.

But the enemy, equally regardlefs of faith and humani-
ty, fell upon them in their march, butchered all the offi-
cers but one, killed feveral of the private foldiers, and car-
ried the reft into an horrible captivity. Thefe outrages on
the fouthern colonies threw fome damp on the joy which
was felt over the Englifh America, on the entire conqueft
of Canada.

In Europe the fortune of the campaign was nearly bal-

lanced. In America, except this inconfiderable favage war,

it was entirely triumphant. In the Eaft-Indies alfo we

gained glory and new advantages. After the raifing the

fiege of Fort St. George, in February 1759, the

April 16, Engliih army took the field under Major Brere*

1 759. ton, an^ poflefled themfelves of the important

town aiid fort of Conjiveram. About the fan::

time the city of Mafulipatam was ftoiiaed and taken by

Major Ford. By thefe ftrokes the French trade on the coaft

«f Coromandel was confined to Pondicherry and a few in-

confiderable places. And the traffick 01 the whole fhore for

an extent of 800 miles of a populous and manufa£turins

country, was entirely in the hands of the Englifh company.

This coaft joins to the rich province of Bengal } out of

which

ilSo. ^he History of the War. 345

which alfo tlie French were entirely driven by the heroic
anions of Col. Clive.

Encouraged by thefe fuccefles, a body of about 1200
men, Europeans and Seapoys, undei" tlie command of Ma-
jor Brereton, advanced further, and attempted to diflodge
an army of French and their confederate Indians, encamp-
ed under the cannon of a fort of that country cori-
llruftion. Theacquifitionof that place had been
a valuable advantage. But here our army was Sept.
obliged to retire, with a lofs of 'between 3 and
^00 killed and wounded.

Gen. Lally animated with this and fome {lighter advanta-
ges, threatened the fiege of Trichenopoly, and the French
affairs feemed again to revive. But it was only a momenta-
ry gleam. To check his progrefs. Col. Cootc at the head
of the greateft body he could draw together on that coaft,
inverted Wandewalh, took the place in three days,
and made the garrifon prifoners of war. From Nov. 30.
thence he pafled with rapidity to Carongoly ; the
liege of which town he prefled with fuch diligence, that in
four days from the opening his batteries, he obli- y.
ged the garrifon to march out.

This progrefs alarmed Gen. Lally ; he called large de-
tachments in from every fide ; and knowing the importance
of Wandewafh, made all his efforts to recover it. He
pulhed forward the fiege with the utmoft vigour ; hoping to
take the town before Col. Coote could arrive to its relief.
But the Colonel marched with equal diligence and
arrived about the time when the French had July 22,
made a prafticable breach. His army cuiififted

I of 1700 Europeans, and about 3000 black troops. Lally's
amounted to 2200 Europeans, and between 9 and 10,000

[blacks. The engagement was long and obftinate ; but at
length, the French gave way. It was a total rout; they

abandoned their camp, their cannon, and all the imple-
ments of the fiege. They left 1 000 killed and wounded on

the field of battle. Among the prifonei s were Brig. Gen.

Bufly; the Chevalier Godeville, quarter-mafter general;

[Lieut. Col. Murphy, and eleven inferior officers, who

were all wounded. Lally fled with his broken troop? in

Ncfpair to Pondicherry,
Of the Englilh in this action near 200 were killed and

I wounded ; in particular the death of the gallant Major Bre-

X X reton

■w-m

>■ .-^i

fciii-^i!

i. I

346

'The History of the War,

1760.

reton was much regretted. Of the blacks about 70 were
wounded and flain.

Except the battle of Palfly, followed by the revolution
in Bengal, this adion was the moft confiderable in its con-
fequences, of any in which our troops had ever been enga-
ged in India. This was fought in part againft European!
troops headed by an able General. The difpofitions for the
battle, and the conduct of Col. Coote in the engagement
merit every honour.

This vi61:ory was purfucd with a fpirit equal to that by!
which it was won. Chittiput was taken in a few days after-!
and the army allowing itfelf no repofe, marched direQIyj
from thence to Arcot, the capital of this immenfe province.!
TKfefiege was opened on the 5th of February, and thefortl
furrendered on the loth ; near 300 Europeans were maclel
prifoners of war (e).

A-

(e) Colonel Eyre Coolers Letter to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated, Amtl
l^illagey I ^th of February f 1760.
SIR,

I Have the honour to acquaint you of the fituation of our afFalrjj
on thzcovA oiCoromandel fince my arrival, and of our happyj
fuccefles. Soon after I arrived, the governok and council of />/«-
dras being informed, that Gen. Lally had fent a detachment of
his army to the fouthward, and that that party had taken 5jr/«-j
ham, and threatned Trichenopoly with a fiege, it was thought ad-
vifeable, that I (hould take the field with the army, and by tktl
means endeavour to draw the enemy from the fouthward. Ac-F
cordingly, on the 2<^\:\ioi November , 1759, I took the field, and,!
on the 27th, invefted Won^i'vaJJj, and erefted batteries ; and!
having made a breach by the 30th, took the place and made thel
garrlfon (which confifted of five fubaltern officers, 63 private!
men, and 800 feapoys,) piifoners of war : There were in tliel
garrifon 49 pieces of cannon, and a great quantity of ammunition,]
December the 3d, I invefted Carangoly. On the 6th, I opened a|
two gun battery, and on the 7th another, and began to carry on
the approachej. On the loth, being near the creft of the G/rta;j
and having difmounted all their guns but four, Col. O'Kennel^X
who commanded, fent out a flag of truce, and, on the accountj
of his gallant defence, I granted him the following terms : That!
the Europeans (hould have leave to march out with their ariusj
two rounds per man, drums beating, and fix days provifionsij
The Seapoys to be difarmed, and turned about their bufinef:;.'

Til

1750. The Hi

At fea Admiral Poi

lot Col. Coote with \

pidity. Again he en,

N'Ache, a brave cor

degree fupported the

The garrifon confifted
Ljw/?)''f> and nine guns,
was arrived at Arcot i\
I and a large black army,
was to join him, and tl
their march towards A
crofs the Palla, and en
the Palla between us.
time joined the enemy,
want of provifions, as
2-th, Lieut. Gen. Lally
January the 9th, the <
(Jen. Lally marched wit
moved with our army a!
ferve their motions, anc
I received a letter fror
that 500 of the enemy';
enter^'d the town ; and
I Im. .hree miles diftan
motion, and endeavour
wliich was very weak
rived there the 13 th
place, their army move
the Palla with all the
\kr, about fourteen m
M. Lally had invefted,
went with all the cava
from the commaiiding
made ; I therefore de
morning. According
me at Irimboroiisrh, ni
kn poll with the cava
I fix o'clock in the nion
out the day before \'ox
vanced guard of horf^
I each other ; .<pon whi
commanded liie cava
was fupported by five

hjSo. Tie History of tbe War. 34^

At fea Admiral Pocock feconded the extraordinary efforts
I of Col. Coote with his own ufual fkill and intre-
pidity. Again he engaged the fleet of Monfjeur Sept. 4,
liJ'Ache, a brave commander, who has in feme 1759.
cgree fupported the declining reputation of the

French

The garrifon confifted of 100 Europeans , (officers included) 500
^ffl^s^j, and nine guns. Having intelligence that Biig. Gen. Bujjy
was arrived at Arcot from the northward, with 300 Europeans^
I and a large black army, and that the army, which lay at Chittiput^
was to join him, and that the force from the fouthward were on
their march towards Arcot ^ I therefore thought it advifeable to
crots the Palla, and encamp the army oppofite the Arcot y having
uitPalla between us. Three thoufand Moratta horfe about this
time joined the enemy, which put me to the greateft diftrefs for
want of provifions, as they plundered all the country. On the
2;th, Lieut. Gen, Lally arrived at Arcot , and took the comiliand.
January the 9th, the enemy were all in motion On the loth.
Gen. Lally marched with all his army towards lVoncIii>aJhy and I
moved with our army along the bank of the river, in order to ob-
ferve their motions, and cover our own counj /. On the 12th,
1 received a letter from the commanding officer at Conjenjeram^
that 500 of the enemy's Europeans^ and a large body of horfe, had
entei\'d the town; and that the rell of their army iay at "Jango-
Inm. iiiree ijiiles diftance from it : I therefore put the army in
inoiion, and endeavoured, by a forced march, to fave that place,
which was very weak (but of confequence to us) and happily ar-
rived there the 13th before day-light. The enemy quitted the
I place, their army moved towards IVondi'vaJh. The i 5 th I croffed
the Palla with all the army, and on the i yth arrived at Outrema-
Ikr, about fourteen miles {'xoin IVonJi'valhy which place I found
M. Lally had invefted, and began to raife batteries. The 21ft, I
went with all the cavalry to reconnoitre, having received a letter
from the commariding officer of the garrlfon, that a breach was
I made ; I therefore determined to engage the enemy the next
morning. Accordingly, I feit orders back to the army to join
me at Irimboroiisrh, nine miles irom IVomlii^nJlj, where 1 had ta-
ken poll with the cavalry. On the 22d, the army marched, at
fix o'clock in the morning, agreeable to the orders T had given
out the day before lor that purpofe. About 7 o'clock, our ad-
vanced gunrd of horfe, and that of the enemy, began to fire at
each other ; .ipon which I ordered Captain Uaron de Vajferoty who
commanded the cavalry, to form them in order of battle ; he
was fupported by five compunies of Seapoyi ; an*!, at the fame

X X 2 time.

mi'

P». fit: •{.% ;■■,'■

>, >

il Oili

348 ^he History of the War. i-yg^

French marine; but though fuperior in the number of hi- 1
fhips, and more than in that proportion fuperior in guns and
men, he was obliged after upwards of two hours fevereand

bloody!

time, I ordered up two pieces of cannon, and -advancing myfelf
with two companies of Seapoys, obliged the enemy to retire to!
their main bodyof horfe, which con'ii^edoi zoo Europeans, and!
3000 Morattasy on their left. Upon the whole of our cavalry'sj
advancing, that of the enemy retired in pretty good order, till I
our cannon began to play, which was extremely well ferved, and!
obliged them to retire precipitately. I then ordered the major
of brigade to the army, which was about three quarters ofaniilej
in the rear, with orders for them to form the line of battle, but!
not to advance till I had joined them. Soon ufter, having taken
pofTeflion of a tank, which the enemy's cavalry had occupied, I
returned to the line, which by that time was formed according to)
my orders. After reviewing the whole, and finding the men in!
great fpirit, and eager to engage, I ordered the army to mo
forward.

About nine o'clock we arrived at the poft we had driven the I
enemy from, which was about two miles from their camp, and!
halted in their view, near half an hour ; during which time, I -
went very near to them, and reconnoitred their fituation. Upon
finding they were ftrongly polled, and our flanks expofed to the'
enemy's cavalry, which was vaftly fuperior to ours, I ordered
the army to march by the right, in order to gain the advantage of I
a hill three miles from us, and about two miles from Wondivafh-
fort ; and the horfe, wMch was then in the front, to wheel tcthe
right and left, and form behind thefecond line, in order to make
the rear-guard, and cover the baggage. By this motion, I co-
vered my right flank with the hill, and had fome vill?.ges in my
rear, where I then ordered the baggage to. This obliged the
enemy to alter their difpofition. During all this time we cannona
ded each other, and fl<irmifh<^d with their advanced polls, and
Morntta horfe: The latter difappeared about 1 1 o'clock. 1 he
enemy, after making their fetond difpofition, moved towards us
about the dillance of three quarters of a nn"le, under cover of a
bank. The cannonading then began to be fniart on both (idis i
and upon feeing the enemy coming briikly up, I ordered the army
to march forward. At \?. o'clock the enemy's European cavalry
puflied with a great deal of refolution, in order to force our left,
and come round upon our rear, hnmcdip.tely I ordered I'p foiiie
companies of Senpoys, and two pieces of cannon, which were to
fuftain our cavalry, who had been ordered to oppofe them. Up-

[,h6o. ^Ijs History of the War. 349

bloody confliQ: to give way before Admiral Pocock, and to

take Iheltcr under the forts of Pondicherry. During thit

I engagement eight of the Englifh ihips flood the fire of the

whole

jn the cannon and Seapoys flanking them, they broke. The ca-
valry then had orders to charge, who drove them a mile from our
left, upon the rear of their own army. We continued all this
while advancing towards each other, the enemy's flank being ve-
tvwell covered by a tank. It was one o'clock when we arrived
within reach of mufquetry, whew a fhot from us ftriking one of
their tumbrils, it blew up. I then immediately ordered Major
Jrfrf/0,7 to wheel Col. Draperh regiment to the left, and charge
their left flank, which was executed with great c.der, and much
honour to that corps. Seeing that regiment likely to fuffer from a
body of black troops, together with their marines, who were un-
der cover, and fired very brilkly upon them ; and, at the fame
time, finding they had reinforced their left with a piquet from
ifl//y's regiment, 1 ordered the grenadier company of Drape. 's
which was on the right of the fecond line, to fupport their own
regiment ; and having likewife two pieces of cannon playing upon
the enemy's flank, compleated the rout of that wing, who aban-
doned their cannon, and fell upon their own center, which was
by this time, together with their right, clofely engaged with our
left. I then ordered up Major Monfon, with the rell of the fe-
cond line, and placed him fo as to be able to fupport any part of
our line, at the fame time flanking the enemy. About two o'clock
their whole army gave way, and ran towards th^ir own camp ; but
finding we purfued them, quitted it, and left us intire mailers of
the field, together with all their cannon, except three fmall pieces,
which they carried off. The number of cannon taken is as follows :
One 32, one 24, three 20, two 18, one 14, two 3, and two 2-
pounders, iron. Three 6, four 4, one 3, and two 2-pound-
ers, brafs. In f 11 22 pieces. Round fhot 3204. Grape
no, befides tumbrils, and all other implements belonging to the
train. The prifoners we have taken are Brig. Gen. BuJ/y, le che-
valier Gode'ville^ quarter-mafler general. Of La/Iy's regiment,
Lieut. Col. Murphy, two Captains, two Lieutenants. Of the
Lorrain regiment, one Captain, one Lieutenant. Of the //'^jV?«
battalions, two Lieutenants, two Enfigns. Of the Marines, le
chevalier de Pocte, knight of Midta, who is fmce dead of hii
wounds. All the above gentlemen were wounded, but M. BuJJy,
and an enfign of \.\\q Indian battalion. The Frfw^ reckon they
had 800 killed and v oundcd, 200 of which we buried in the field.
We have taken above 2co wounded piifoners, befides 40 not

wounded.

P-\M i"'|

•

35^^ 7'if't? History of the War. 1^5^

whole French fleet, which confifted of 16 fail. The fhjp,
were greatly Ih.ittcred j 560 of our fquadron were killed
and wounded j and on the fide of the French the lofs was

not

wounded. Our lofs is as follows: Of col. /)r«^fr's reoiinent
enfign Collins killed, and 17 private men. Wounded, major
Brereton, and lieut. Broivn (fince dead of their wounds) capt.
Knuttal, enfigns Halfpenny, Thompfon, and Horier, and 66 pri-
vate. Of my regiment, killed, cnfxgn Sluur:, and 13 private.
Wounded, lieuts. Frafer and TyJ, enhgn Heron, and 36 private.
The honourable company's troops, killed, enfign E'vans, and i8
private. Wounded, cornet Kufwy and 29 private. Among our
black troops, about 70 killed and wounded. The enemy's army,
commanded by Lieut. Gen. Lally, confifted of 2200 Europeam,
including artillery and cavalry; 300 cofferics, and between 9 and
1 0,000 black troops. Twenty pieces of cannon in the field, and
five in their batteries againft the fort, where they blew up a large
magazine of powder upon their retreat. Our army amounted to
1700 Europeans, including artillery and cavalry; 3500 black
troops J 14 pieces of cannon, and one howitz. The enemy col-
lefted themielves under the walk of C/jtttiput, about 18 miles
from the field of battle, and the next day marched to Gingey.
Our cavalry being greatly fatigued, put it out of my power to
purfue the enemy as far as 1 could have wiflied. During the
whole engagement, and ever fince I have had the honour of com-
manding the army, the officers and men have Ihewn the greateft
fpirit ; nor can I fay too much for the behaviour of the ar-
ti'iery.

The next day, I fent out a detachment of cavalry, to harafs
the enemy. January 26. Finding that Gen. Lally had retired
with his broken troops to Pondicherry, I fent capt. de Vafferot,
with 1 000 horfe, and 300 Seapoys, towards Pondicherry, to de-
ftroy the French country, and marched the army to befiege Chhti-
put J and on the 28th at night, eredted a two-gun battery, and
got in one 2 \. and one 20 pounder, and played upon them from an
8-inch howitz. The next day, after making a breach, Le Che-
valier de Tilly, with his garrifon furrendered prifoners of war.
Thegarrifon confifted of four officers, 54 private, and ^00 Sea-
poys, with 73 Europeans wounded in the hofpital. I found in the
fort 9 guns, and a good quantity of ammunition. Having intelli-
gence of a party of the enemy going from Arcot to Gingey, I fent
capt. Smith with a detachment to intercept them. On the 30th,
marched the army towards /^rto/, the capital of the province,in or-
. . . . ' . dcr

[^6o. TVa" History of the War. 351

|„ot Icfs than 1000. Admiral Pocock immediately got him-
(■ again in a fighting condition., and braved the French

[fleet before Pondicherry, who lay under their cannon, and
fctufed a new engagement.

Ithas been obfcrved that hiftory can hardly produce an
inflance of twofquadrons fighting three pitched battles, un-

[ilerthe fame commanders, in 18 months, without the lofs
of a fhip on either fide. After this engagement Admiral
Coinill^ arrived on the coaft of Coromandel and joined Po-
cock, by which we attained fo decided a fuperiority in
Urcngth, as we had before in courage and ability, that the
French no longer appeared in thofe feas. Moft of their
lliips went off, as it was thought, to Mauritius. Then the
French affairs went rapidly to ruin. On the 5th of April
the important fortrefs of Caracal furrendered to the fea and
land forces under Admiral Cornifh and Major Monkton.
Bv file taking of this and two other places of lefi'er confi-
derafion, the French were actually reduced to the fingle

port

.•'i-lkii

<<>l. "

dertobefiege it. This day capt. Smithjolned me, having taken the
party I had fent him after, which confided of 10 Europeans, 50
iieapoys^ and two brafs 8 pounders ; and foon after he took a
captain of the Lorrain regiment, and three French commif-
faries.

On the 1^0^ Fehniary, 1 fet out from the army ^ov Arcot^
leaving orders with major Monfon to throw a few fliells into 7im-
mrj, and to fummon the garrifon. February 2. The army
marched and encamped within two miles ofArcot. Major Monfon
reported to me this day, that the garrifon of Timmery had furren-
dered prifoners of war. There were in it, fix guns, one ferjear.t,
20 Europeans, and 60 Seapoys. February 5. I opened the batteries
againft the fort ofArcot, 'viz. One of five i8-pounders, and ano-
ther of two 18 and one 24-pounders. On the 6th, began to car-
ry on approaches to the fouth well and weft towers of the fort ;
and having by the loth, got within 60 yards of the creft
of the glacis, the garrifon furrendered prifoners of war. It
confifted of three captains, eight fubalterns, 236 private, an -^ be-
tween 2 and 300 Heapoys. There were in it, four mortars, 22
pieces of cannon, and a great quantity of all kinds of military
ftores. We had, during the fiege, feven non-cnniminioned and
private, killed ; and cnfign Mac Mahon, who adcd as engineer,
and 16 wounded.

' &%

g^z Tie History of ibff War. i^^q

port of Pondicherry ; which was when thefe accounts car.ie I
away, clofely blocked up by land and fea. The ftrongcft j
hopes are conceived that this capital of the French India
power and commerce will (hortly be brought into our pof.
fefllon ; and with thefe pleafing hopes we conclude the hif-
tory of the war of 1 760.

Ill

THE

.» t

[ 353 ]

THE .. - ,

[annual register:

... OR

HISTORY

O F T H E

W-^t:^A^'"- R. ^^■'

For the YEAR 1761.

C H A P. I.

freliminary remarks. Treaty propofed and entered into by
the belligerent powers. Mr. Stanley fent to Parisy and
Mr. Bttjf'y to London. French machinations in Spain.
Difficulties in the negotiation. Dejign of the campaign in
Hejfe, and of the expedition to Belle i fie.

AFTER a general war of five years, carried on with
the greateft efFufion of blood, and the moll ex-
traordinary expence ever khown to attend a war of
that continuance, it was hoped that, if the animofity of the
belligerent powers was not abated, at leaft a great part of
tiie fuel of difcord had been confumed ; and that the time
was arrived for^giving peace to Europe. Some propofitions
for that purpofe had been made in the clofe of the year
1759. Thofe, who rather wifhed for peace, than very

Y y atten-

•^r|i»'i

— if ,

" I

t i

354 ^/^^ History 0/ //^^ War. 1*761,

attentively confidered the probability cf efFefting it, feem-
ed to think it might then have been expefted. But whilfl
the public was flattered with thefe hopes, the fituation of
affairs would not fufFer us to believe that they had any folid
foundation. We accordingly ventured to point out the dif-
ficulties which then obftru6tcd any fcheme for peace •.
And as thefe difficulties were fuch, is did not attend that
particular conjunfture only, but muft fubfifl: as long as the
fortune of war continued in the fame train, we were from
the beginning apprehenfive that the new negotiation which
we have fince feen opened, and for fome time carried on
with fuch pleafing appearances, might in the ilTue be at-
tended with no better fuccefs. . ^ n , '

There are indeed but two fituations In which peace can
be very rationally expected. The firft fituation is that of
equality ; and this is, either where nothing is gained on any
fide ; fo that when ever mutual wearinefs, ,and unprofita-
ble hoflilities have calmed the ardor of the warring powers,
no intricate points intervene to fruftrate the firft pacific
difpofition ; or it may be where the lofles are fo equal, that
exchanges may eafily be made, or the parties may reft mu-
tually fatisfied with their advantage over each other.

The fecond fituation is that of necejpty ; where one of
the parties is fo entirely broken and reduced, as to fubmit
to receive conditions on the footing of conqueft, and to
purchafe repofe by humiliating and enfeebling conceflions.
A peace upon this latter bafis is always the grand popular
object. In every war we flatter ourfelves with the hope of
it, againft an experience almoft uniform. In faft, it is to
the laft degree difficult to reduce any of the prjat powers of
Europe to this difgraceful neceffity. For to » Juce any one
of them to this ftate of fubmiffion, you muft, in a manner,
redi. '■'J all of them to it. The war, if it continues, draws
(late after ftate into its vortex, until all Europe is involved.
A fort oi ballance is then produced, and the peace of con-
queft becomes imprad:icable.

It would prove of the uimoft moment to the tranquillity
of mankind that this point was fufficicntly regarded, and
that they would willingly adopt that fyftem of equality, to
which foonei or later, with more or fewer ftrupgles, they
are fo often compelled to fubmit. When, feldom, a treaty

* See Hiftory of the War 1 760, Chap. I. p. 249.

i^jBi. The History of the War. ^s^^

is concluded on other terms, as the King of Pruflia has
found by fevere experience, and as we obferved on a form-
er occafion, is only a lliort celfation, and not a perfeft
peace. But it muft be acknowledged that this fituation,
the moft coincident with tbcir true intereft, at the fame
time the moll; contradiftory to the paffions and prejudices
of nations. It appears hard to lofe upon every fide every
objeft of the war. A peace on this foundation will be cen-
fured, but it is the bcft, on the fame principle that the
jhortefl follies are the bell ; and that no injured pride is
left to brood over a future war. Contrary to the opinion
of the warm patriots on all fides, we therefore imagined
that the year feventeen hundred and fifty-eight, in the clofe
of the third campaign, was the happy moment for negocia-
tion. At this time, however, no proportions had been
made. The propofitions of feventeen hundred and fifty-
nine were but flightly regarded, and obvioufly could end in
nothing. But in the beginning of the year, of which we
are now going to treat, the fcene of negotiation was opened
with far greater folemnity and parade ; and as it was car-
ried on with great diligence, it neceflariiy makes a principal
part of the hiftory of this year. It is indeed fomewhat for-
tunate both for the writers and the readers of thefe events
that this treaty has intervened. The narrative otherwife
had proved extremely barren and unentertaining. For
though the animofity of the belligerent powers was not, as
we obferved, abated, their efforts, however, had confidc-
rably flackened, and their operations began gradually to de-
generate into the Peti^eguerre. Thofe vaft events that
aftonifh the mind, or hold it in a plcafing filfpence ; thofc
important battles and fiegcs ; thofe rapid and well-condu(5l-
cd marches, and thofe lively cntcrpri/,es which diflinguifli
the former years, except in a very few inftances, fcarce
make any part of the hiftory before us. But though the
operations of the field had fallen into a (late of languor,
the cabinet became full of bufinefs, and negotiation flou-
rifhed. In this fituation candour obliges us to acquaint our
rea.'ers that we are fiill more liable to miftakes, than when
we attempt to dcfcribe the tranra6^ions of the campaign.
It very frequently happens, that the accounts of the military
operations come authenticated from the hands of thofe great
fencrals who have condufltd thenij and v/hen we have air
lowed for the partiality of the account, there is nothing to

\ Y 2 be

': i?'^

\A^

f\ ^

! • .L

356 fhe History of the War. i-^gj

detraQ:ed from them for want of fufficient information
Even \v the cafe of partiality, we are often able to correct
the mifreprefentation or over-charge of one of the parties I
by that of the other. Thefe things are done in the eye of
the world But the motives either to peace or war, and
the fteps taken in a negotiation, are all behind the curtain.
They do not appear for a long time, and fomefimes they
never appear completely. There is however, an advantage
in the prefent conjunfture. For one of the powers at war
in order to juftify to its fubjeQs and to the world, its part
in the continuance of a war fo fatal to both, has publiflied
an account of the late negotiation ; artful indeed, and pro-
bably in fome refpe8:s unfair ; but containing at the fame
time many valuable and illuftrating pieces, the authenticity
of which is not difputed. The point in fuch cafes to be
dreaded is not the publication of falfe pieces, but the con-
cealment of feveral that are real and important. The
public information is probably rather incompleat, than un-
true. We wait with impatif :e for that fuil and authen-
tic narrative of fo important a ^otiation, which undoubt-
edly our court propofes to publ.m. We have delayed the
fetting out our work the longer, in hopes of its appearance,
by which we might have been able to perfefl and correct
our account of this tranfaflion. The account of the Spa-
nifh negotiation has appeared late, but we have not failed
to make ufe of it. At prefent we engage in our work, un-
der thofe difficulties, which it is juft the reader (hould
know and allgw for. In the fucceeding year we (hall
take care to profit of whatever further lights may be im-
parted.

Very early in this year 1761, the courts of Petcr{burgh,
^'ienna, France, Sweden and Poland, agreed feverally and
jointly to offer propofals towards renewing that negotiation
for peace, which had abruptly been broken off in the dofe
of the year 1759. France was the principal and firll: mo-
ver ; for as it was her ambition which had made the war
fo general, and her revenue which in a great meafure fup-
ported it ; the former being new humbled by a feries of
unfortunate ei^enls, and the latter reduced by mod enor-
mous expcnces, Ihe began at length to relent, and appa-
rentfy to defire peace in earnefl:. The other members of
the grand alliance could not decently, nor fafely oppofe
thefe difpofitions of France. The court of Sweden in par-
ticular

li]^

,5i, ^he History of the War. 357

Lular was given to underftand, that the cxhaufted cond'r
Ln of France was the true motive of her moderation;
jtiiatinfaft, fhe was not able any longer to iurnifli the ftipu-
Ibted fuhfidies, nor to adhere to the letter of her engage-
IneDts with her allies. Thefe circumrtances, which Ihe
lias neither able, nor feemed difpofed to conceal, formed
ihefureft guaranty of her fmcerity.
The five parties to the war on that fide, made as many
Ijedarations, which were figned at Paris on the 25th of
March, and delivered at London on the 31(1 of the fame
honth. The counter declaration of Great Britain and
Ifruflia appeared on the 3d of April. Augfburg, as the fitu-
ation moft commodious for the powers at war, was appoint-
ledfor the congrefs.

Lord Egremont, Lord Stormont ambaffador in Poland,
I and general Yorke our ambaffador in Holland, were nomi-
nated as the Englifh plenipotentiaries. On the part of
France, the count de Chcifeul was appointed. Augllnirg
now became the centre of attention to all Europe, and each
I court prepared every thing towards this important meeting
which it could furnifh cf fplendor for the difplay of its dig-
nity, and of ability for the fupport of its intcreft. The
public converfation was for a while diverted from fcenes of
horror, bloodflied, and pillage ; and every mind was em-
[ ployed more agreeably on the public fcene of magnificence»
and the private game of policy, which was to cnfue.

In the firft place, it was unanimoufly agreed, in order
that a negotiation, in itfelf fufficiently intricate, fliould be
the lefs embarraffed, to admit to the treaty none but the
parties principally concerned, together with thtir allies.

Although this exclufion of the neutral intercds tended
greatly to difembarrefs and fimplify the ncjiotiation, yet
fiich was the variety of feparate and indcpcr^icnt matters,
[which ftill remained to be difcuffcd, that it became advifc-
Lible to make a further feparation, if they hoped to treat
upon them with any tolerable eafe, or with any prt;fpc;Cl of
coming to a fpeedy decifion.

For this purpofe it was neccffary to bring back the mo-
tives to the war to their firft principles ; ard to dlfengage
thofe feveral interefts which originally, and in their own
na:ure had no conne8.!on, from that mafs, in which muta-
■.I injuries and a common animofity had blended and con-
|toiuidcd them. This propofiticn came firll from France,
' and

H>ii ;

', , •.' ,

i;,'t- rv'

353 The History of the War. ,^5^

and It was an early and happy omen of her inclination tc
peace.

The war, which was truly and originally German, evi,
dently had but a fingle, though this a very difficult objed I

to determine the fate of the King of Pruflia. So

nianyj

powers were concerned in this determination, and their
views of aggrandifement, indemnification, and revenge, fo J
various and difficult to be reconciled, that this alone fcem-
ed matter enough for a feparate and very arduous negotia-
tion. In effetl all the powers of the north were concerned 1
in it. For this rcafon, the other great objeft of the gene-
ral war, tlie limits of America, which by that ftrange chain
of hoftile connections, v/hich even unites the various inde-
pendent quarrels and enmities of Europe, had been mixed'
with the German difputes, was again fet upon its proper!
and peculiar bafis; and whilft the truly German interefts
were handled at Augfburg, it was propofed to treat on this
head feparately In l,ondon and in Paris. For this purpofc,
minifters were nuitually fent from thofe courts ; Mr. Stan-
ley on the part of England; and Mr. Bufly on that ofj
France.

This propofition was alfo exceedingly prudent ; for there
is no doubt that if thefe potentates could fettle their claims
to their mutual fatisfadion, and fliould carry toAugfl)ur'T
the fame candour and good faith, and the fame fincere de-
fire of peace, their influence mull neceffarily tend to infpire
principles of moderation into the red, and mufl contribute
largely to acccleraie the great work of pacification. •

Things were tins fet upon the befl: footing poflible, and
the ncgo; ration feemcd to be in the happieft train that could
be wifhed. But unfortunately the plan and difpofition of
the treaty were much more eafily adjufted, than the matter
and the iu bflance. It was very obvious, that France if ihc
was Willing'- even to pretend to a defire of peace, could fcarcc
avoid making conceflions, which to her were fulficiently
mortifying. The moment her proper quarrel came to be
fepr.ratcd from the general canfe, fhe had every difadvan-
tagc in the negotiation, becaufe fhe had fufFered every dil'-
after in rlio v.ar. On the fide of Germany indeed fhe had
a£ted With fuccefs ; but even there the advantages (he had
acquired v/crc flill precarious, as the chance of war wasftill
open : no propofition for a cefTation of arms having been
admitted. As fhe knew therefore, that great facrifices

mi slit

new war ; and whilfl

1,-^1. 7'he History of the War. -^^^^

jmight be expefted from her, fhe did not fo finally reft her -

opes upon the negotiation, as not to look out for another
Ifcfource ; and this rendered on her part the whole proceed-
ing lefs efFedive and lefs fincere.

The refource Ihe fought was in Spain, who fhe hoped
Icould not look with indifference on the humiliation of the
principal branch of the lioufe of Bourbon. Hitherto in-
deed the king of Spain had obferved a tolerable exaft neu-
trality in his conduft, and in his declarations had fpared no
expreflions of good will and friendfliip to our court. He
feemed to be wholly intent on the internal oeconomy of
liis dominions, on the improvement of their long neglected
jiolicc, on the advancement of their commerce, and the re-
gulation of the finances. But notwithftanding thefe do-
meftic attentions, the French miniftry did not defpair of
drawing his regards abroad. They thought that the oifiers
which France in her prefent circumftances would find her-
lelf obliged to make, muft extremely alarm all good Spani-
ards, who could not fee without the moft ferious apprehen-
I (ions,theFrench power wholly annihilated in America. By this '
event, their colonies, though fo much fuperior to all others
m opulence and extent, muft in a manner lie at the mercy
ef England : no power being in any fort able to afford them
alfiftance, or to hold the ballance between them and the •
power of Fngland. At this time indeed, the French court
had not abfolutely fucceeded in her defigns at Madrid : but
Die was in hopes, that every ftep fhe took in the treaty,
and every concefTion fhe fhould make, would prove a frefli
incentive to the jealoufies and apprehenfions of Spain.
Thus in ciTe61: all the motions which France feeminiriy
made towards peace were in reality fo many fteps towards a
new war ; and whilft at London, (he bicathed nothing hut
moderation, and the moft earneft defire of putting a period to
the calamities of Europe, at Madrid fhe was taking the moft
vigorous meafures for fpreading them further, and continu-
ing them longer.

On the fide of Fngland, though there was far move
good faith in the pubhc procedure, there were alio, it muft
be admitted, many circumftances which co-operafcd to re-
tard the p^ce.. The £rrcat and almoft unparallelkd fucceiV
which attended our anns in this war, had raifed a propwti-
onable cxpeQifltion, and infpired very high thoughts into
the minds of the people, They thought it unrealon.iblt.' to

ir.iikc

,^m i if"

560 The History of the War. i-gj

make almofl any conceffions to a nation whofe am!>ition and
violence they had always found to correfpond with its powerl
and whom they now confidered as lying at their mercvj
That this was the time lor reducing France, which if \vj
let pafs, we could never hope again to recover. In thefd
fentimcnts it muft have fared ill with that adminiftrationi
w ho fhould make a facrifice of any of thofe objects on whichl
the ]veople had fet their hearts.

On the other hand it could not have efcaped them, that!
tho fituation of affairs in Germany, however they might be
artificially feparated in the difculTion, muft neceflarily have,
7.\\ influence on the final determination of the treaty. They!
faw, that after a fevere ftruggle of five years, the affairs of
cur neareft allies were only not ruined. To fay nothing of
the condition of the King of Pruflia, the whole country ofj
HclTe was in the aftual poflefnon of France ; they Hkewifej
held the county of Hanau ; and by their occupation of Got-
tingcn , the Hanoverian territory lay opsn to their arms. If!
. this qunrrel fliould be confidered as a caufe not ftridly En-
glifli (though the French in their memorials contended it|
tvas), yet certainly the Heffians, wtA principally the Hano-
Terians, were allies of fo near a connection, and had donel
and fuffered fo much in the common cr.ufe, that itmuftj
have appeared {hocking to all Europe, if foiely attentive to
our own peculiar advantages, we Ihould patch up a peace I
without any provifion in their favour : and it was veryevi-l
dent, that this provifion could not be made in the fituation
in which the laft campaign had left them, unlefsour govern-
ment purchafed it at a price that would be very grudgingly
paid by the Fnglifli fubjefts. ";' -^ '

The miniftry, perplexed between the natural expectati-
ons of their country, and the reafonableexpeftations of their
allies, muft have found it not a little difficult to know what
party they ought to take. In order to reconcile, as much
as poflible, thefe contradictory defires, the only folution
which could be found was to pufh the war with the utmoft
vigour ; and in the mean time not to hurry the negotiation;
in hopes that during its progrefs things might take fuch a
turn, as to enable them to purchafe peace for their allies
out of the acquifitions they fliould have made after the com-
mencement of the treaty, and without being obHged to have
recourfe to their cnnquefts, previous to that sera. On this
footing they p'-'.pofcd to fatisfy the demands of the public

faith,

,h6i. the History of the Waii. 361

Ljth, and at the fame time to preferve the reputation which
Ljs fo neceffary to their affairs at home. Accordingly the
Llie of Brunfwick was to profecute with the utmofl vigour,
operations which he had begun in the depth of winter ;
jindan expedition, the obje£t of which was then fecret, was
Lepared with equal diUgence in England.
I In thefe equivocal difpofitions, and in this odd mixture of
Mile and pacific meafures, began the year 1761, a year
Ijiore remarkzble, perhaps, than any of thofe we have hi-
jinerto defcribed, for events which will be radically decifive
lotthe future profperity or mifery of Europe, but lefs, for
jthofe matters by which the imagination of the reader is
Irommonly affe£ted. Having in this chapter laid down, as
Ifar as we can conje6lure, the political motives for the un-
jcommon effort which was made in Germany, in ournext
Ichapter we (hall give an account of the military plan of this
[elFort, the execution and the fuccefs of it.

CHAP. II. •

umci Ferdinand' s plan. Allies enter into Hejfe and Thu'
ringia. French retire. Hereditary prince repulfed at
Fritzlar. Fritzlar taken. Several magazines taken.
Blockade of Marpurg and Ziegenbayn. Siege of Cajfel.
Battle of Langenfaltze. Broglio reinforced from the
Lower Rhine. Hereditary prince defeated at Stangerode.
Siege of Caffel, i^c. rai/ed. Allies retire behind the
Dymel. ' ' • '

V/ Jt

ti ?>■••

AT the clofe of the laft campaign, the French had the
entire and undifturbed poffeffion of the whole territory
lofHeffe: a country tolerably provided, and which contains
Imany tenable places. Some of llliefe they had ftrengtbened
Iwith additional works ; and they had amaffed immenfe ma-
gazines in the moft convenient fituations. This was their
Icondition in the front of their winter cantonments. On
their left they had driven the allies from the Lower Rhine,
where they kept a confiderable body of troops, which
llreightened our quarters, and checked our efforts on that
fide. On their right they pofleffed the town of Gottingen,
in which they had placed a very ftrbng garrifon ; and thus
ihey (hut us up on this quarter alfo, whilft the king's German
Jomininions lay entirely open to their enterprizes.

Z z If

'■ ■» if'e

I 1

Ml fiitt If I jAi'i if^'

si||iA hf.

^6z 57.V History of the War. i^gj

If we confider the fituation of the French armies, the\
will pr'wfent us wth the idea of an immenfe crefcent, vht
two advanced points of which were at Gottingen and Wefel
and the body extended in Heffe : fo that being perfeftk
well provided with magazines, and mafter of all the propei
communications, neceflary for their current fubfifteiKel
with ftrong places in their rear, and in both their flanks ■
in the next campaign they had only to advance their feveral
pofts in a manner to enclofe the allied army, which, withouJ
fome fignal fuccefs (from their number*' and fituation, hard^
ly to be expefted) would find itfelt entirely incapable oi
making any ftand againft them.

Prince Ferdinand was very fenfible of thefe inconvenien-
ci^s of his fituation, and of the advantages the enemy had
over hini. It was extremely difficult to fettle a plan for ac-
tion. ; but no a£tion could be attended with much worfd
confequences, than inaSivity in a bad condition. Ho knew!
from experience, that the French were ill qualified for win-
ter operations in Germany, and that his own foldiers, befidesl
their fuperior hardinefs, and their being inured to the ri-
gour of the climate, could fufFer but little more from field
fervice, cfpecially if attended with fuccefs, than they muftj
endure from the badnefs of their winter quarters. It is true!
that there was fomething difcouraging in the attack of a veryj
fuperior body of the enemy, poflefred of every advantage!
againft him: but it was clear, that this fuperiority, anij
thefe advantages would not leflen as the fummer approach-j
cd. It was clear, that every ftep the enemy gained on him,|
would render his defence weaker and his refour ts more!
fpanty ; and that if the enemy found themfelves in a conditi-j
on to cqmmence this campaign where they had concluded
the laft, and that nothing fliould hinder their proceeding in
^le eaflieft feafon, he couW never reafonably hope to pro-
trafil the war to another year. For to fpeak the truth, this!
was the utmoft, which in his circumftances he could pro-
mife himfelffrom the moll; judicious fcheme of coijdiid.

Having therefore refolved to a£t, he loft no time to ad j
with vigour. He appointed three places of rendezvous on i
the Dymel, the Rhine, and in Saverland. His armyaflem-l
bled on the pth of February, without fufl'ering the eneny
to have any previous notice of their intentions. The next
4^^ the troops halted^ ^nd the duke communicated to his

'' j» : , ^ generals

I,j6i. y^^ History <//^/? "War. 36^

Ifenerals the aifpofition he had made for the motions of the
fhole.

The centre was led by his ferene highnefs in pcrfon ; it
Lnetratcd dire6lly into ILfle, and marchinf; by Zierenberg
lind Durenberg, made its way towards Caflel. The right
lind left of the army were each at a very confiderable dif-
Itmce from this body ; but they were fo difpofed as fully to
Ico-cperate in the general plan of operation, which was ve-
in extenfive. The hereditary prince commanded on the
Inght: he marched by Stadbergen for Mengeringhaufen ;
lind leaving the country of Htfle to the Eaflward, as the
hlarm was to be as fudden, and as Madely diffufed as pofll-

e, he puihed forward with, the utmo.L expedition into the
lleart of the French quarters. General Sporcken com-
manded a corps at a greater diftance to the left, and pene-
trated into Thuringia, by Dudcrftadt and Heiligenftadt.
JThedefign of this movement was to break the communi-
jcation ot the French with the army of th?^ Empire, to open
one for ourfelves with the PrufTians, and to cut off all inter-
courfe between the gn:nd army of the enemy, and their gar-
|ri!on at Gottingen.

By this fudden, extenfive, and vigorous attack, the
I French were thrown into the utmoft conflernation : they
retreated, or rather fled upon every fide. It could fcarcely
kave been imagined, that this was the fame army which
nadbutjufl clofed the campaign '''th fo much fuccefs.
Such has been the fport of fortune in this war, even beyond
former examples of her caprice, that the inftances are
Inumerous of inferior and beaten armies, without any appa-
rent change in their circumllances, driving the conquerors
before them. So remarkable was the revolution of fortune
at this time, that it is highly credible if the French had had
their quarters in an open country, their army had been to-
tally deftroyed : but happily for them, they had very fuffi-
cient means of fecuring their retreat. For as the allies ad-
vanced, they were obliged to leave Caflel and Gottingen at
their backs ; into the former of which the enemy had
thrown a garrifon equal to a moderate army ; and in the
latter they had 7 or 8000 men. Beyond thefe again were
Fritzlar, Ziegenhayn, and Marpurg, places of a tolerable
Nesree of ftrength and well garrifoncd, befides fome other
I inferior pofts. ...

Z z a ' The

if - ' 'hi

if! ♦•-'r 4-1

•"

3^4

^he History of the War.

>76i.|

The hereditary prince, whofe party was the mod advanc-
cd, ftruck the firft blow, by an attempt to furprize Fritz-
lar. He had received advice that it was not prepared to re-
ceive him. He ac ''ingly took only a few battalions and
no cannon, in hop f being able to carry that place „,
once. But unfortunately he was deceived in his intellicence
The garrifon was prepared and refolute, and thouf^h th
hereditary prince attacked it with his ufual fpirit, he wa
obliged for that time to oefift, and to draw off with no iril
confiderable lofs.

About this time, Marpurg was attempted in the famel
manner, and with no better fuccefs. Gen. Breidenback aal
Hanoverian officer, of great bravery, experience and repu-i
tation, who commanded there, loft his life in the attack
Thefe two fevere checks at the entrance into a£lion,did not
however difcourage either the parties that fuffered them orj
the reft of the army. They advanced as expeditioufly,and
with more caution. Cannon and mortars were brought be-
fore Fritzlar, which, after a defence that was rather made
for the credit of the commander, than from any
Feb. 15. hope of faving the place, furrendered on honour-
able terms. A large magazine was found here.
The marquis cf Granby was employed, with fuccefs, in
reducing the forts and caftles in this neighbourhood. The
allied army refolutely advanced, and as they advanced, the
French continually retired, abandoning poft after port, and
fell back almoft to the Maine. They fired their magazines
as they retreated ; but the allies purfued with fo much ra-
pidity, that they faved five capital ftores ; one of which con-
tained no lefs than 80,000 facks of meal, 50,000 facfc of
oats, and a million of rations of hay, a very fmall partofj
which had been deftroyed. Thefe were acquifitions of the
utmoft advantage, as they wonderfully facilitated the pro-
grefs of the army ; which, as it advanced, ftill found its
fubfiftence ; provifion was alfo thereby made for the caval-
ry, which otherwife, it could never have been fupplied with
in fuch a feafon, and at fuch a vaft diftance from our origi-
nal quarters.

Notwithftanding this fuccefs in front, it was not here the
grand objeft of our operations lay. Caflel was to be redu-
ced. The French had in that town a garrifon of 1 7 batta-
lions, befides fome other corps, under the command of the
count dc Broglio; and there was no doubt, that he would

defend

.-6i. 'The History of the War. 7,6$

defend the place to the utmoft. The fortifications of Cafld
[jremoftly in the old manner; they confift of very high,
but ftrong walls. Some works indeed hiul been newly ad-
d^d ; but the great hope of the enemy was in the llrength
of the garrifon and the rigour of the feafon. The fiegc of
this place was not to be delayed ; however it was nccelVarj
prcvioufly to clear all the adjacent country of the enemy,
and to cut off the communication of the garrifon with their
grand army.

Therefore when marfhal Broglio had been driven quite
out of Heffe, and had retreated towards Frankfort, prince
Ferdinand ceafed to advance ; and having ordered two bo-
dies tc the blockade of Marpurg and Ziegenhayn, which
Hill obftinately held out, he formed that part of the army
which was with him into a chain of cantonments, making a
front towards the enemy which extended from the river
Lahn to the river Ohm, and from the Ohm to the Fulda;
thus he propofed to watch the motions of Marfhal Broglio*s
army, to cover the fiege of Caffel, and the blockades of
the two fortreffes juft mentioned. The fiege of Caffel was
carried on by the count of Lippe Schaumburg, afovereign
prince of the empire, reputed one of the ableft engineers in
Europe. His management of the artillery at Thornhaufcn
was a principal caufc in the acquifition of that great viftory;
and it was not doubted that his abilities would be exert' ^
as effectively at Caffel. Trenches were opened on the fi'it
of March. All eyes were now dire6ted to this point ; for
on the fuccefs of this ftroke depended the whole fortune of
the campaign. It was very apparent that if Caffel and its
garrifon fhould fall into the hands of the allies, Gottingen
and the inferior places muft inevitably fall along with it ;
and this misfortune would be more than equivalent to the
lofs of a great battle.

Whilil the war was thus carried on in Heffe, M. Sporck-
en who commanded the detachment to the left, on the fide
of Saxony, advanced with an intrepidity equal to the reft ;
he was fcon joined by a corps of Pruffians, and the united
army loft no time to clear the Werra and the Unftrut of the
bodies of French and Saxons which occupied the moft im-
portant pofts upon thefe rivers. As thefe bodies were ad-
vantageoufly pofted, and could be fupported on one fide by
the garrifon of Gottingen, and on tiie other, as they pro-
mifed themfelvcs, by the army of the Empire, they main-
tained

^>It? :,:t. ■:■ I

I -

366 fbe l\\ s TOR V of the War. , ^^ ^

tainc.l ilu-ii j^iomui; and this foon hrouclit nJ
Feb. 14, a iharp aOhon. The allies atfaikcH a larirc hndJ
rtjivMHiancniilly poOcd af J .nnf.cnlali/.c upon ihrl
I'nllnU ; ihc cvt nt was cMiiircly ravoiuahlr. 'rhitc whoul
baltalions of Savons uhit niailo prifoncrs hy ihc PnifH,in, •
M. tic vSpoivkcM look hv.) balliHion,?. 'I'lic enemy's joi
was lon.pnteil at five thouhtui men ; feveral pieces ol
can.um xyerc alio taken, an,l a lar.ro ma,i;a,,ine was nbr,,,
tloneil. rins Mow was well lollowe.l ; 'one hody ol 1|„
combmeJ army pnlluHl to l-.ilena. h and fiofha, wl„||I
ant)ilur hy toieed marehes got loiward to I' ulda ; tin
I'lcneh ^ravc way on their rif^ht; and the army of i|„,
empire on the left; the latter lell hack lo Hand'crR, to-
tallx ahandonmr, a very larji^c tra^l of conntry.

lliihcrto the alVairs ol the allies proceeded almoft in .in
iininturnpted ctnirle of prolperitv. If was inilecd a dr)Trrp
ol proipenty alto-ether allonilliimr, and which as at fnlHt
co.ild karccly have hcen expeHed, Co there was no rcafon to
imagine it would have anv loni; continuance. For the allies
on tlulidcot Saxony, m here M. Sporcken a6ted, in pro-
portion as their adivitv and luceels carried them lorwanl
Icit the countries on their rear more and more uncoveid'
and cxpoicd, without anv or with a vcrv inlnmcienl defcnco'
io the attciupis ol the powerlul fyirrifon of Goitingcn. TIk*
count de \'aux. who commanded that carrilnn, 'is a very
ahlr and entcrpri,'inK oHioer. And he no looner perceive/,
that the allies were whollv intent upon driving their enemies
from the Wcrra and I'nilrut, and on pulliiniv the advantages
they had actpiired to the utmoll, than he marched out oF
Goitingcn with a llrong detachineni , attacked and routed an
Hanoverian convov, tell upon the town of Duderrtadt with
the utmoll violence ; and though he failed in his firft at-
tempt, he repeated it with fo much fpirit, that at length ho
carried that town, and afterwards fome of the mort conll-
derablc places near it. By thcfe fuccefles he prevented ^f.
dc SiH)rckei^'s corps from returning hv the way they had ad-
vanced, and indeed abfolutely difqualified them froin aftin^
feperately trom their main army; to which foon after thcl?
events, they were obliged to join themfelvcs. This junc-
tion now^ became necelTary on another account.

Marft.al Broglio towards the clofe of the laft campairn
ha J hcen obliged, by the enterprifes of the hereditary
Prince, lo detach from his army in Hefle a large body to

the

rcfilU-d by a p.iit ot

ihc Lower Rhine. lie now found it equally proper to re«

(jll tills body together with further rciiihirtenients, in order

ID rtiaintain his ground in the tounlry northward of the

hlaine, where he was i lofely preircil hy the allies, and

Lluth he mull he compelled fiiameiiilly to relincpiifh, if

DlTicI was not relieved in time. Scnfihle of this, with

Llwtcver tliflii ully, he called In his moll difhint ports, cm-

lUicd hi'i army, infpirtd them with new fpirits, and made

ilicin capable, hy a more exai' t order in their dilcipline and

hprcil lupcriorily in their numbers, of attempting fome-

I tiling toiiiulcrablc.

On llie other hand, the hopes of the allies depended on

lihc cflcd ot their liiil imprcflion ; they were obliged to

ittonipt too many objcMs at the lame time, and thefc too

irduciis lor the number of which their army confided. For

was nc( elVary that they fliould keep one army, and that
(10 fmall one, employed on the fiege of Calfel ; another
w;isoccu|^icd in the blockade of '//i^^'jenhayn ; a third was
employed to the eaflward of the Fulda ; and flill a fourth
\w ncccfTary to cover anil AiH.iin all thefc varitms opera-
tions, and to oppolc itfcll to the attempts of marflial Hrog-
lio. It was but loo plain, that when the whole of the
French lorcc was ccllccled in one point, it could never be
refilled by a put only of the allieil army ; if they Hiould
attempt to draw away any of the feparalc corps from the
crtical fervice upon which it was employed, the entire pur-
pole of their labours was given up. In a word, Prince
Ferdinand had three ibong ports of the enciny on his rear,
ami their j',rand army now perfettly united on his front, and
Ills (ituation, which was far from advanta|:^cous, obliged him
to call in M. Sporcken's body which had cfl'efted its pur-
pafe and could bcrt be fpared. However tlie Prince kept
iiis pofition as long as pofllblc; and the fiegc was carried
oil with as much vigour as a winter operation, and the fpi-
ntecl defence of a great garrifon ably commanded, would
admit.

But marflial Broglio, as foon as he had collc^^ed his army,
advanced without delay. He caufed the troops under the
hereditary prince to be attacked near the village of Stange-
rode, in the neighbourhood of Grunberg, where he was ad-
vanced in from of the before-mentioned line of the allied
rmy. The attack was made by the enemies dragoons, the
^ciy iidl fliock of which broke the whole foot, confirting of
..•..: . nine

', ,-■;

-■■' i

36S T/jelhsTOliY of l/jeWhR. lygj

nine rct;imcnts, Hanoverians, Heflians, and Brunfwickcrs
The French on this occafion made two thoufand prilbners
and iiofTefTcd themfelvcs of fevcral trophies of vi£tory ; feJ
were killed or wounded on cither fide.

After this blow the alhed army could no longer think of
makinjj; head againfl: the French, or of maintaining their
fjrour.d in Hcfie. They broke up the blockade of Ziegcn-
lia) n ; and loon after raifeil the fiege of Caflel, after twentv-
feven days open trenches. They evacuated the whole coun-
try of HelVe, retired behind the Dymel, and falling back
nearly to the cjiuutcrs they polTclTed before this undertakin[(.

Thus ended an expeilition which was carried on againO
many difficulties, with much fpirit, and which at firft excit-
ed great hopes. It failed indeed in fomc of its obje6ls; but
it produced its effeft in the total of the operations of the
year. The French, by the de{lru6\ion or feizure of fo many
of their principal maga/Zmes, were for a long time difablcd
from taking any adv.intage of their fuccefTes in the preced-
ing campaign, or from their late victory. It was not until
the feafon was a good deal advanced that they were in a
condition to aft. This cefTation was not dearly bought
even by the lofs we fuftained at Stangerodc, and the ex-
treme hardfhips the troops had endured during the whole
fervice ; for circumftanced as both armies were at their
quitting the field, without this feafonable check it is proba-
ble we lliould have at this day no footing in Germany. Both
arnncs as it were by confent lay quiet in their winter quar-
ters. During their inaftion, the negotiation at London and
Paris, whofe commencement we have related in the firft
chapter, was purfued without interruption.

CHAP. III. . ' I X

^ihe tie^otlation continued. Propo/ition o/uti poflldetls. Dc'
hate concerning the periods. Relleijle dcjcribed. En^lijb
rcpuljed at Locbtnaria bay. Tbey make good their land-
ing. Palais hefieged. Town abandoned. Citadel ca-
pitulates.

IT mufl be obfcrved, that after the judicious fcparatlom
which had been made of the interefts of the feveral pow-
ers at war, there Hill remained a fufficient fund of intricacy
and altercation in each particular difcpfTion. In order there-
fore

'f//j ; than which.

|,y6i. T/jf History of ilft War. ^6g

fore to make the way to peace as fmoolli as poffible, it uas
refolved previoufly^lo eftablifh fome certain and fimple points
that might ferve to dire£t and keep fteady the whole nego-
liation. Thefe points were but two ; indeed they were fo
infeperably connected with each other, that they feemed
rather members of the lame propofition than feparate arti-
cles. The firft was, tbat the two crowns Jhould remain in
Ipjfc^fon of what they have 'conquered one from the other.
Xhe fecond imported that, the fttuation in which theyjholl
\hnd at certain periods^ Jhall be the pofition to ferve as a
\hfii fcf ^be treaty which may be negotiated between the
I'jiio powers.

As France was known to have had the worft in the war,
lipropofition of Jiatu quo, coming from her, muft have ap-
peared an inftance of moderation, ahogcther furprizing to
lourniinifters. It is certain, that had peace been concluded
I a: that inftant, and upon the fole foundation of this article,
England would then have poflefled all the conquefts flie had
made, every one of which was in a very high degree advan-
tageous to her commerce and her power, and none of which
could be confidered as a fubjefl of future difcuflion. On
! the other hand, France continuing in pofTeflion of the places
(he had conquered, would have acquired no advantage that
I could at all countervail the expence of keeping them ; at
the fame time that Ihe would be expofed to endlefs alter-
I cations, and would afford matter of the higheA jealoufy, in-
[ilignation, and difcontent, even to her neareft allies. This
bafis being therefore fettled, although it was evident, that
the treaty could not reft upon this bafis folely. England
[had certainly a great fuperiority m the negotiation, and
might rationally expeft (when they ftiould come to talk of
relFitutions) to purchafe the evacuation of the French con-
liiucfts in Germany, at a much fmaller price than their ap-
parent magnitude might feem to demand. However thefe
were ftill a matter of fo much anxiety, and the nature of
the precife ftipulations were ftill fo uncertain, that the ne-
[gotiation, though it proceeded with ftrong appearance of a
defirt for peace, met with very frequent checks and delays.
Both parties were indeed unanimous in the article of uti
pjUdetis ; than which, it muft be admitted, there could not be
abetter ground to treat upon. But as the war ftiU conti-
nued, and whilft it continued might make a daily alteration
[in the fortune of the contracting powers, it was ncceflary

A a a to

P;:-

rrr ;. •

i; f

,3, . .

' i ■

3'r"v;

370 The History of the War. ' i^y^j

to fix upon fome epochas to which this pofleflbry article
fhould refer.

The French on this head propofed, that the fttuation in
which they jh all Ji and on the firft of September in the year
1 761 in the Eaji Indies, on the firft of July in the fame year
in the Wejl-Indies and in Africa, and on the firft of May
following in Europe, jbould be the pofttion, which JJjould
ferve as a bafts to the treaty which may be negotiated be-
tween the two powers. They added further, that as thefe
epochas might feem too near or too diftant for the intereft
of Great Britain, they were extremely willing to enter into
a negotiation upon thatobjed.

The Englifh miniftry received this propofition with kfs
fatisfa£tion than its apparent fairnefs deferved. They en-
tirely rejefted the French epochas; and declared that they
could not admit, without prejudice to themfelves, any other
epochas than thofe which have reference to the day of fuyn-
ing the treaty of peace. Had this refolution been ftridly
adhered to, it was evident that the negociation was that mo-
ment at an end. For though what was aflerted in the
French memorial in reply to th'xs dechrAt'ion, (that the hufts
of the propofttion of uti poflidetis was neceffarily conneBei
with the particular epochas propofed) is by no means to be
admitted ; it is on the other hand not eafy to deny the va-
lidity of th€ir fubfequent affertion, " that If not thefe, at
leaft/ow^ certain periods during the war ought to be fixed;
and that the uti pojfidetis could not reafonably have reference
only to the time of figning the treaty of peace." For if the
contrary principle was once admitted, it would become
difficult to know, or even with probability to guefs, at the
nature or the value of the pofleflions which by fuch an ar-
ticle (hould be mutually given away. And if thefe difficul-
ties occurred in the fimplicity of a pofleflbry article, they
muft be increafed tenfold upon every other, and muft come
to fuch an height as to preclude all poflibility of negotiation
on things of fo intricate a nature as exchanges and equiva-
lents. The French in their memorial infifled fo ftrongly
on the propriety of eftablifliing thefe periods, that they
threatened to recal the whole propofition if they were not
agreed to.

It muft doubtlefs appear at firft view furpri/,ing to fee
France, whofe a<!:^ual fituation was very indifferent, con-
tending for a near period, and England, v/hofe affairs were

,^5i. TheWv,

I at that time apparentl
the uti pojpdetis to oni
in that particular neit
Jition. They a<£l:ed '
Fjiglifti, on th€ 25 th
made, were carrying
llrong places in Hefle
I country to oppofe thei
from the flovs progrel
ty of marfhal Broglio
iWtly obliged to ab
that France muft be
her former conquefts
May, the period whic
were fully apprized <
of France to offer and
efpecially as the fate
was then depending,
conceived no mean he
on of its importance i

The fleet employe
head on the 29th of ]
Belleifle was the obje

Bellenl"., the largef
to the French king, i
cumference.

The ifland original!
but has been fince yic
little city, called Le
lages, and about 500(

The town of Palais
ing to the duke de Be
now converted mto a
fortification, fronting
work, and h provided
counterfcarp, and the
terior fortifications,
part of the town by ;
is a bridge of commt
town ; and which is
its own fortifications,
minal harbours in thi
every one of which la I

1,761. TbeHiSTOKY of tbe War. ' 371

I at that time apparently in a profperous fituation, poftponing
the uti pojpdetis to one more remote. But the truth is, that
in that particular neither party confulted their prefent con-
dition. They aQ:ed wholly on forefight. For though the
Engliih, on the 25th of March, when this propofition was
made, were carrying on the fiege of Caffel, and the other
ftrong places in Hefle, and the enemy had no army in that
country tooppofe them, it was notwithftanding evident that
from the flow progrefs of thofe fieges, and from the alacri-
ty of marfhal Broglio in collecting his troops, they mufl: be
ijiortly obliged to abandon the enterprize ; it was evident
that France muft be reinflated in the abfolute poflefTion of
her former conquefts long before the epocha of the fir ft of
May, the period which they fixed for Europe. Both courts
were fully apprized of this. It was therefore the intereft
of France to offer and of England to rejeO: this near period ;
efpecialty as the fate of the deflgn on the coaft of France
was then depending, and our adminiftration feemcd to have
(onceived no mean hopes of its fuccefs, and no fmall opini-
on of its importance in the negotiation.

The fleet employed in this expedition failed from Spit-
head on the 29th of March, and it was foon difcovered that
Belleifle was the objeft.

Bellenlp, the largeft of all the European iflands belonging
to the French king, is between 12 and 13 leagues in cir-
cumference. ' ' rr. :■')'■ 'I.

The ifland originally belonged to the earl of Cornouaille,
but has been fmce yielded to the king: it contains only one
little city, called Le Palais, three country towns, 103 vil-
lages, and about 5000 inhabitants.

The town of Palais takes its name from a calUe, belong*
ing to the duke de Belleifle, in its neighbourhood, which '\i
now converted into a citadel, which is a regular and rtrong
iortification, fronting the Tea, compofed principally of horn-
work, and is provided with two dry ditches, the one next the
counterfcarp, and the other fo contrived as to fecurc the in-
terior fortifications. This citadel is divided from the Ir.irgt ft
part of the town by an inlet of the fea, over which the <>
is a bridge of communication; from the other part "f ti.t*
town ; and which is moft inhabited, it is only divided -y
its own fortifications, and a glacis. There are thr'^-e r •*
minal harbours in this ifland, Palais, Sauzon and G'^Kilfaui j
every one of which labours under fome capital defet\, either

A a a 2 in

'.Kiai

372 77;^ History of the War. i^^^

in being expofed, fhallow, or dangero"? at the entrance!
The only branch of trade carried on here is the curinH
pile hart's. j

From this ftatc of the ifland, poor in itfelf, capaSle ofl
little improvement, and fo ill circumftanced in point of HaNl
hours, a fort of a difli <e to the expedition began to ariiej
Several did not fee cf what confiderable fervice fiich a con-!
quefl: could be of to England in J-ime of peace, or of what}
prejudice <o the enemy in time of war. They forefaw that
it could not be taken without confiderable lofs, or kept
without confiderable expcnce ; and on the whole they apJ
piehended that when exchanges came to be made, France
would lay no great ftrcfs upon it. On the other hand it was I
urged, that though the harbours were bad, yet fmall priva-
teers might iffue from thence, greatly to the molcftaiionofj
the French coalling trade; and that the fleet of England
might ride between it and the continent in a well proteded
road. They imagined the pofleffion of this ifland, if not'
of great detriment to the intereft of France, would be a'
grievous wonrd to her pride ; and that thofe circumftances i
which had formerly induced her to expend money on the!
fortifications there, and on the apprehenfion of an invafion
to fill them with a powerful garrifon, would like wife per-
fuade her to fet a value on the place when it came to be
cftimated irl the treaty. '•> a ' . m

Whilfl: they reafoned in this manner in England, the
fleet under the command of commodore Keppel, and the
land forces under general Hodgfon, arrived before Belleifle
on the yth of April, and on the 8th agreed to attempt a
landing on the fouth-eaft of the ifland in a fandy hay near
"Lochmaria point. Hore the enemy were in pofteflion of a
little fort ; they had moreover entrenched themfelves on
•n hill exceflively ftecp, and the foot of which was ftiaptd
away. The attempt was made in three places with giciit
refolution : a few grenadiers got on fhore, and foi med them-
felves ; but as they were not fupported, they were for the
greater part made prifoners. The rcll of the army, after
feveral very brave and repeated efforts, being wholly unable
to force the enemies lines, or make good their landing, were
obliged to retire with lofs; what added to the difafl:cT was,
that feveral of the flat bottomed veflels were dcftroyed or
damaged in an hard gale which followed on our retiring
from itie Ihore. This made the profpedt of any future at-
,.. tempt

\q6i. The History of the War. 37^

tempt more unpleafing even than the firft. In this attack
Lcloft in killed, wounded and prifoners, near five hundred
men. '. •; Vs /

Neither commanders nor foldiers were however difpirit-
(dby this mortifying repulfe. They refolved, if poflible,
not to return without effeft, and then determined diligently
tofearch the whole coaft, in order to find a place more fa-
vourable for another attack. The view indeed was not en-
I couraging. The ifland is naturally a fortification ; and
what nature had left undone to make it fuch, had been
amply fupplied by art.

It was a long time after this firfl failure before the wea-
ther would give our commanders an opportunity of a fecond
trial ; however they perfifted with the utmofl fteadinefs,
and found at length a convenient fituation. Not that it
was a part of the coaft lef:j ftrong than the reft ; on the
contrary, they built their principal hopes on the excefllve
(leepnefs and difficulty of the rocks, which had rendered
the enemy rather lefs attentive on this quarter. This ar-
duous attempt was made at a bold rocky fhore, jiear the
above-mentioned point of Lochmaria. Befides the princi-
pal attack, two feints were made at the fame time to diftrafl
the enemy, whilft the men of war diredted their fire with
great judgment and effect on the hills. Thefe manceuvrcs
gave brigadier general Lambert with an handful of men,
an opportunity of climbing up a very fteep rock, without
moieftation. This little body having thus profperoufly
gained the top of the hill, formed themfelves in
good order, and without delay. They were im- Aprir25,
mediately attacked by three hundred of the
French, but they maintained their advantage with refo-
lution until the whole corps of brigadier Lambert, v^hich
now had afcended in the fame manner, arrived to their
afliftance, and repulfed the enemy (^jj.

••;:> ■'" .. „ ' ■ ; ' . :., . . The

(a) Letters from Major Gen. Hodgfon, and the Hon Commodore
Keppel, to the Secretaries of State y relati've to their expedition
againji the Ifland of Belleide.

g J n ( 0« hoard the Valiant ^ off

' X Belhifle, April 12, 1761.

I Have the honour to acquaint you, that his Majefty's fleet under
the command of Com. Keppel, and the tranfports with his

Majefty's

IfS

•S ! '

t *lfl

374 '^^^^ History of the War, i^^jj

The landing of all the forces was made good in a (hortl
time after. The lofs in this daring and fuccefsful at-
tempt, was inconfuicrable. In one or two places the ene-l

Mnjerty's forces on board, came to an anchor in this road on
linfdny^ the yth inll. about twelve o'clock. Soon after their ar-'
rival, 1 went with the Coaiinodore to take a view of the coaft •
and we agreed at our return, that the port of St. yittdto appeared
to us fo be the bell place to make a dcfcent ; and it was fettlid
that Sir Thomas Sianhof>e, with fomc 6f his Majefty's (hips, and
the tranfports, with Stuart's and Grays battalions and niarincson
board, (liould make a feint at Satizoii, nt the fuiie time that we'
made a real attack at St. /hu/ro Then it was too late in the day
to do more than give the necelfary ordern for the troops dellined
to luul lirrt, to be ready to embaik early in the morning in the
flat-bottomed boats, that I whrht attempt a landing as foon as the
iliips had filenced a four gun battery, which commanded the ea-
trancc of the bay. This was foon done by the Achillesy afrer (he
took her jtatioii. No time was then loll to go in with the boats,
witli the grenadiers, and the regiments ordered for this fervice.
But when we entered the bay, ive found the enemy fo Ihongly in-
trenched on each fide of the hill, which was exceffively fteep, and
the foot of it fcrnped away, that it was impolhble to get up to
the l)reafi:w()rk Afier feveral unfuccefsful eiiorts, leeing it was
impradirablc to force the enemy from their lines, I thought itad-
viJablc to dcTill. niaj. Gen. (.rnxvf'jrd v^nd Brig. Cnrleton exerted
themfclvea as mt,ich as poiiible on the occafion : the hitter is
wo\jnded in the thigh, but in a g>^od way of doing well. The
lofs we ftitiered in our retreat was very inconfiderable, as thq fire
of the fliips covered it. The weather has been (o bad ever fince
the 8th, that 1 have not been able to get returns from the fe-
veral corps, fo I cannot afcertain our lofs ; but 1 believe there are
near i^oo killed, wounded, and prifoners. I ihall defirc Mr.
Keppd to go along with me to reconnoitre the ifland once
nwre, and if we can drfcovor any part M'hereon an attempt can
be made with the lead probahflity of fucccfs, we ihall make a Ic-
cond trial. I cannot help obferviiig to you, that the whole i(l-
and is a fortification ; and that the little nature had left undone
to make it fuch, has been amply fupplied by art; the enemy
Jiaving been at work upon it ever (ince Sir EdivarJ Haiuhe ap-
peared before it lail winter.

I have the honour to inform you, the greatcft harmony has
fubfifted between the two fcrvicc.« ; and I fliould not do juftice to
the commander and oflicers of his Majefty's fleet, if I did not at

the

,j6i. The History of the War. 375

imy feemecl difpofcd to make fome Hand ; but the body of
_^it liorfe, v\lii<h wa-^ embarked in this expedition, foon
lilrovc them to ti»w town, r.id laid all puite open to the in-

trenchments

M'sK

lihe fame time inform you, that ihey have aHifted me to the utiuoft
of my wilhes in carrying on the operations, purfuant to his Ma-
jefty's inllrudions.

i . •. I hfinfe the honour to he, i^c. .'

. SHEDHOLM HODGSON.

SI R,

f Faliant^ in the ^reat road of
X Belleijle^ April 13, 1761.

I Had the honour of writing to you the 29i:h of March, when
I left i^pithead. It was from that time to the 6th inft. before
the wind came to the weftward, to enable the fleet to fleer ia
withthe coafl o^France\ and that evening I detached fix frigates,
in hopes they migiit in the ni^ht get fo ftationed, as to cut off
the enemy's communication with the main land. The next morn-
intr the fleet pafled the fouth end oi Belleijle, clofe along the fliore;
and at one of the bays by Point Lomaria, the General and myfelf
thought a defcent might be tried : but as the wind was foutherly,
it covi'd not pofiibly be attcniptcd at that time. At twelve
o'cluck the whole fleet anchored in the great road ; when imme-
(liatclv I went with Gen Hodgfon to the northern part of the ifl-
and, to be as well informed of the ftvcngth of the enemy's works
there as the linie would admit ; and while we were upon this ne-
celiiary fervice, the fliips of war in the road were preparing the
fiat boats for the reception of the troops j but by the time we
got back, it was too late in the day to make any trial.

The 8th, the wind north-ealteriy, the boars being ready for
the reception of the troops, the fignal was made very early in the
mornii'g for them to aflemble at the rendezvous j and three fl^ips,
svlih lo'o bomb-veflcls, were ordered to proceed round the point
Q\ Lomaria, at the S. E. part of the ifland, and attack the fort
and other works in the Sandy Bay round the before-mcn:ioncd
point, the place the General and myfelf had agreed to have
attacked.

Capt. Barrir.^ton, in the Achilles, got placed firfl:, and foon
filencxid the fire from the fort and from the fliore ; and then, as
lie was diretled, made the fignal of his having done'fo ; when
the troops in the boats were puflied to the landing, with great
briiknefs and fpirited behaviour, at three difl^crent places near to
each other^ by Capt. Barton, whom I ordered to command the

boats.

-^Y-

376 ^'be History of the War. j^gj

trenchments before it. The great difficulty now confift^
ed in bringing forward the cannon, which were firft to be
dragged up the rocks, and afterwards, for two leagues

alont

boars. But the difficulty of getting footing, and the enemy be-
ing ftrongly intrenched on the heights, and in the little fort, the!
troops foon met with fuch a repulfe, that it became neceflary, as
well as prudent, to defift from the attempt (or the prel'ent, and
retire with the flat boats j in which they were well covered by
the (hips and bombs.

One of the flat boats landed fixty of Erjkims grenadiers, who|
got up a very difficult place to the top of the hills ; where they
formed with great (kill ; but were fo immediately routed by a
much more numerous body of the enemy, that all attempts to
fuccpur them was inetFeftual, any further than the boats bringintr
from the rocks about twenty of them.

While all this was tranfading, Sir Thomas Stanhope, with four
fljips of war, the battalions ofGr/iys and Stuart's, with 500 ma-
rines in tranfports, were oppofite Sauzon, at the northern part of
the ifland. Thefe troops were imbarked in the boats, if poffible
to divert the enemy from the principal object.

A gale of wind coming on very quick after the retiring from
the (bore, has occalioned fo much damage among the tranfports,
by the lofs of anchors and flat boats, that it takes up a very
confiderable time to put things in a way to attempt what further
may be thought pradlicable. The lofs of flat boats in the gale
is twenty-two, which will render the force of landing much inl'e-
rior to what it was firft attempted with.

While the repairing and adjufting of thefe defedts are in hand,
I hope fome fpot may be agreed upon, where we may be more
fuccefsful in the attempt, than we were on the 8th j but if not fo,
I hope his Majelty will beheve I have had nothing more at heart
than the exerting the force intrufted to me, in a manner moil
conducive to the honour of his arms.

/ ha<ve the honour to he, l^c.
A. KEPPEL.

S I R,

{

BeUeiJJe, four o'clock in the
morning, April 23, 1761.

AS I have jull had a note from Com. Ktpple, to inform me,
that a frigate will fall this day for England, 1 have only
time to acquaint you, that his Majefty's troops under my com-
spand landed yefterday at five. TIjc ejiemy's attention fo

T diiiiacted

liJiv/ iiio *J

y6i. ^he History of the War. 377

Ijlong a very rugged and broken road. This neceflfarily took
Igp lome time. However the fiegc was commenced vriih
Ijigour : and the garrifon, commanded by the chevalier de

K'(_ii»^

St. Croix,

llftrafted with Ouf attempts of landing at different places,
Ifliere there was the leaft appearance of our being able to fucceed,
llbtit gave Brig Lambert ^n opportunity of climbing upa rock with
Itcorps I had left with hiiti for that purpofe, if pradicabie. 1 he
liilficulty of mounting had made the enemy leali attentive to that
lurt. J?MWf/frj4's grenadiers, with their captain, Paterfon^ got up
Ikfore they faw what was intended. They immediately marched
libody of 300 men to attack him. The grenadiers maintained
Ueir ground till the reft of Brig. Lambert\ got up. We took
lilireebrafs field-pieces, and fome wounded prifoners. It is im-
polTible for me fufficiently to commend Mr. Lambert's conduct
bd gallant behaviour on the occafiort ; and take the liberty to beg
youvvill permit me to requeftyou will recommend him to the King,
IS an officer deferving his Majefty's favour. Capt. Paterfon has
his arm. I believe our lofs is not above thirty killed. I am
lifraid you wilt not be able to read this fcrawl, as I write it in the
I ield, the troops being pn their march,

; '' Kit// ]m> ujiij^isc: ru.'liTiir'] 3fii Lam, l^c

S. HODGSON, i I

SI R,

ni! bDtJi'h^T •-.wi-j''

:■' 6.7! '10 j^n

f J '

r Valiant, in the Great Road of
X Belleijle, April 23, 1761.

I Had the honour to fend you a letter by the ASaeon frigate, in
which I gave you but little hopes. Since which time the
General and I having confidered, that by attempting a place
where the mounting the rocks was juft poiTible, and where the
enemy were no otherwife prepared, from the impracticable ap-
pearance it had to them, thian by a corps of troops to annoy
the boats in the attempt, that it carried fome degree of hopes
with it; and by making a difpoGtion for the attack of their
intrenched bays, and at Sauzon at the fame time, which the ar-
tival of the tranfports with the light horfe enabled me to do,
we might polhbly gain a footing ; 1 have now the greateft plea-
fure in acquainting you, that his Majefty's troops have made
good a landing on the rocks near Point Lamaria ; and cannot
luflic'ently commend the fpirit and good behaviour of the troops
in the attempt, and the judgment with which Sir Thomas Stan-<
Upe, and the reft of the captains of the king's (hips, diredted
ihe lire upon the hills

^ B b b Capt,

' ■' •

" ,)

378 'the History of the War. i-^^j i

St. Croix, a brave and experienced officer, threatened on!
their Iwie a long arkl obftinate defence. Nothing in fa^t I
was deficient on either part. The eueniy made fome fallies •
one of them with confiderable efFe6V. Major Gen. Craw-
ford was made prifoner on this occafion. But our troops!
were only animated by thefe checks. A furious attack was
made upon the enemies lines which covered the town, and
they were carried without much lofs ; principally by the
nncomrapn intrepiiiity of a company pf marines which ha^jj
been but newly raifed. Noa£lion of greait^rfpirit and
lantry had been perforn^ed during the whoie war.

The town was now entirely abandoned, and the defence!
confined to the citadel. It was obvious, that as our fleet
prevented all communication with the continent, and there-
by cut off all hopes of relief, the place mufl: neceffarilybe
reduced ; but the chevalier de St. Croix was refolved to pro-
vide for his own honour, when he could not for »he pre-
fcrvation of the place entrufted to him, and, fince he coulijl
not maintain it, to fell it as dear as j^olTible. Accordingly!
thene was bo mention of yielding, until the yth of June,
when there was no longer the ijigjiteft profpeft of fuccour, i
and the place was by no means faf«Jy tenable. Then he I
capitulated, and the garrifon marched out with the honours |
of war.

Thus was the ifland of Belleifle reduced under the F.n-
glifti government, after a defence of two months. In this
expedition we had about eighteen hundred men killed and
wounded. The lofs moft regretted was, that of Sir Wiljianj
Peere Williams, a young gentleman of great tal .ijtsandex.
nqi^atipus, and who.hadmade a diftinguiilied ^gure in par-
liament. He had hut newly entered into <he fervice. He
was fhot in the njghv, by having carek'fsly approached too
near a centinel of tb,, eneiny. He was the third perfon of |
family whom in this war, the love of enterprize had brought
try an honourable death in thefe expeditions to the coaft of ]
France.

tever

Capt. B^yrfVfrton having been employed in many of the ope-
rations of this fcr\ice, I have Tent him home with this letter:
and beg, Sir, to refer you to him for tiie particulars, ,

• - . , .T '. ' / fj^i^c the honour to he, I'fc.

■ , ,. A. KEPPEL

i>j6i. The

Whatever differer
ftrtained concerning
price which was pai<
great and fmccre. "
cers employed in th
joft applaufe, who w
gled with, and had
who had the fpirit, :
renew an attack unde
isthofe by which the
London addrcfled th
generally expe6ted (
mud influence the ni
ever were of opinioi
French, and irritate t
their misfortunes hac
midft of a treaty ma
Old France, and as il
ly court. However
not ftriftly juftifiab
treaty proceeded, to
mour as before.

.>:J)Oi|} t.

England and France j
chat propofed by Er
je^s of the nef^otiat
to Europe, yf/ia, A^
concerning Spain,
F.glijh anfiver to

IT mull be obferve
and Verfailles tre;
means propofed, 'tha
a fepr^rate peace. It
ment for the remo
prevent the peace of
ted with the general
as the treaty advance
of any terms, which
fomething obligator
beft be only void ani

,y6i. ^he History of the War. 579

Whatever diflFereirce of opinion might have been en-
tertained concerning the value of this conqueft, or the
price which was paid for it, the rejoicing in London was
great and fincere. The general and the land and fea offi-
cers employed in the expedition were the fubjeft of very
jaft applaufe, who with fo noble a perfeverance had ftrug-
jled with, and had overcome fnch great difficulties, and
who had the fpirit, after fuch a difafter on their outfet, to
renew an attack under circumftances nearly as unfavourable
jsthofe by which they had been at firft foiled. The city of
London addrelTed the King on the occafion. And it was
generally expected that this new proof of our fuperlority
mud influence the negotiation in our favour. Some how-
ever were of opinion, that it would rather exafperate the
French, and irritate their pride to renew thefe efforts which
their misfortunes had (lackened when they faw us in the
midft of a treaty making attempts, and carrying places in
Old France, and as it were, in the prefence of that haugh-
ty court. However as th^re was nothing done that was
not ftriftly juftifiable, no complaint was made, and the
treaty proceeded, to all appearance with as much good hu-
mour as before.

CHAP. IV.

tta

%ji j.-f ^- 1

England and France Jgree to treat of a feparate peace. EpO'
cbas propofed hy England. Court of Vienna agrees. Ob-
jeHs of the negotiation. Propofalt of France ivitb regard
to Europe, yf/ia, Africa, and America. French memorial
concerning Spain. Indignation of the Englifb minijier.
F :gliJJj anfwer to the French memorial.

IT muft be obferved, that though the courts of London
and Verfailles treated feparately, it was hitherto by no
means propofed, that this feparate difcuilion fliould lead to
a fep?.rate pi^ace. It was no more than a previous arrange-
ment for the removal of thofe difficulties, which might
prevent the peace of France with England from being uni-
ted with the general peace of Europe. But in proportion
as the treaty advanced, it became obvious, that the fettling
of any terms, which had no reference to the fignature of
fornething obligatory between the two crowns, could at
bed be only void and illufory, and might in the end even

B b b 2 prove

. If ! k

•| ' ■ I

fTv

\' \i

\.i^

?»-' .

380 The History of the WaiTJ i^gj

prove the foiv ce of dangerous and captious altercations
The Enghfh minifter therefore, before he would agree to!
that definitively upon any point, and particularly upon the
epochas, infirtcd upon two preliminary conditions.

Firft, that every thing, which {hould be happily adjuftedl
between the two crowns in relation to their pajticular war
fhall be made obligatory, final, and cpnclufive, indepen-
dent of the fate of the negotiation of Augfburg.

Secondly, that the definitive treaty of peace between
Great Britain and France, or preliminary articles to that!
end, fhall be figned and ratified between the date of that
memorial and the fird of the following Auguft.

If thefe conditions were accepted, then Ingland on her
part confented to name determinate epochas, to which the
«//■ ^o^J^/// fliould refer ; the firft of July for F-urope; the
firft of September for Africa and America ; and the firft
of November for the Eaft Indies. The French miniilry
without contefting the epochas themfclves, complained of I
the conditions ; of the firft, becaufe they faid it departed
from the letter and fpirit of the memorial of the 26th of
March, which was the foundation of the whole treaty ; of
the fecond, on account of the extreme fhortnefs of the
time allotted for the difcuiTion of fome difficult and momen-
tous points ; and the adjuftment of matters which regarded
a war extended over the four quarters of the [^lobc ; for the
memorial which contained thofe conditions, was dated on
the 17th, and was not received at Paris until the end of
June, fo that little more than a month was left to obtain
the confent of the court of Vienna to a feparate treaty, to
fettle the terms or this treaty, and finally, to ratify it.

If a very uncommon good underftanding had not fubfift-
cd between her imperial majefty and the king of France,
it muft have been very difficult to have received this con-
fent. But in faft it was immediately received, and upon
one very fhort and apparently reafonable condition, " That
nothing might be ftipulated to the prejudice of the hoiife
of Auftria." But when this condition came to be explain-
ed, as we ftiall fee prefently, it was fo far from facilitating,
that it created new obftacles to the peace. However, this
acquiefcence of the princ:ipal of her allies, enabled France
to accept of the firft condition without referve ; and to the
laft fhe verbally^ though not in the clearcft terms, agreed

alfb. ^.^ ^ ,.:; ;..;^ ,, :-.!. :-.; -.c i:

. ' ' ' '^ ■"" " r Vi'c; M ~ Things

I,n6i. 'The History of the War. 381

Things feemed for the prefeni in the bcfl: fituation,
which in this ftage ot" the treaty could be expe6ted. The
Ijafis of the negotiation was folidly eftabliftied. "f he article
^tipojftdetisy fince the taking Bclieifle, wasa matter of lefs
difficulty, and the epochas were in general fettled in fuch
1 manner, as to coincide with the defigns and defires of both
narties. The treaty was confined to the two powers, and
it was to be perfe6tly definitive as to them. A time for
concluding it, was alfo in a great meafure fettled ; a cir-
cumflance, which if it did rot admit fufficient leifure for
accurate difcufl'ion, cut oft' however the opportunities of
chicane, and feemed to be the mod fuitable to a candid
proceeding, and a fincere defire of peace.

The foundation being thus laid, the fuperftrufture was
tiie next confideration. This fuperftrufture confifted in
the adjuftment of thofe compenfations which were to he
made for the reciprocal conquefts (and here the difficulty
lay) of the two powers ; a punftilio of honour might have
intervened at the very firft fetting out, extremely pernici-
ous to the falutary work in hand; from which party the
firft propofition fhould proceed? But in this refpeft France
gave way, and that conceflion afforded no inconfiderablc
proof of her pacific intentions.

We muft apprize the reader that we do not mean to
enter exaQly into the whole detail of this negotiation, nor
undertake precifely to defcribe all the turns that were taken
in it. This, we imagine, would prove a tedious and un-
acceptable performance. We fhall attach ourfelVes to the
capital obje6ts which were contended for in this game of
policy : We fhall endeavour to point out the matters which
firft obftrucled, and then finally broke off the treaty ; and
we fhall reil on thefe things in fuch a manner, asfeems to
us fitteft for marking out the true fpirit of the negotiating
powers. Our own obfervations (hall be very fparingly
interpofed. We are hifforians, and not advocates.

The uti pofjidetis being fettled as the bafis of the treaty,
nothing could reafonably be claimed by either party, that
was not to be counterpoifed by fome equivalent from the
other; and confcqucntly it was neccffary to adjuftand va-
lue their feveral pod'effions, pretenfions and demands.
There were fix principal objeQ:s in this negotiation. Firft,
the limits of the two crowns in North America. Secondly,
the conL^aefts of Great Britain in the VV^eft-Indies, -(toge-
ther

V^fWi

r. % ^

' .f;

382 The History of the War. 1^5,

thcM- with the Neutral Iflands there.) Thirdly, our con
qucfts in Africa and in India. Fourthly, the adjuftmentof J
the particular aiiair between the F.nglifh and French in
Germany. Fifthly, the conduct which the two crowns
were to hold with rcr.Mrd t(> their refpefitivc allies in Ger-
many. And laftly, the reftltution of the captures made bv
England, previous to the declaration of war.

On the firfl: of thefe articles, France propofed to cede
and guaranty all Canada to I'ngland j llipulating only that
the free and publick excrcifcs of the Roman Catholick rcli-
ipion fhould he permitted under the Fnglifh government
and that thofe of the old French colonilb who chofe tore-
tire might have leave to tranfport thcmfelves from thence
and take away or difpofe of their elTetts. In compenfation
for this, they required a confirmation of the privilege of
what fifhing they enjoyed on the coart of Newfoundland,
under the treaty of Utrecht ; and that this fifhery might
be carried on with advantage, they likewife required the
rertitution of the ifle of Cape Breton, excluding themfelves
in return from ereding on that ifland any kind of fortifica-
tion whatfocvcr.

The affairs in the Weft-Indies, which make the fecond
capital objefl, they propofed to fettle in this manner.
They offered to exchange Minorca for Guadaloupe and
Marigalante ; and as to the four Neutral Iflands, they in-
fifted that two of them, Dominica and St. Vincent, were
held by their natural inhabitants the Carribees, under the
protection of F'rance, and that thev ought ftill to remain in
the fame condition. "With regard to the two others, they
propofed to make a fair divifion ; that St. Lucia fliould re-
main to France, and that England fhould enter into pofTef-
fion of Tobago. On this head it is fuflficient to obferve,
that in the opinion of fomc people, our miniftry did not,
in this treaty, fet the juft value on the acquifition they had
made ; when they looked upon Canada as the great and
leading obje<5t, and only confidered Guadaloupe and Mari-
galante in a fecondary and fubordinate light. This is a
queftion of difficulty, and has been much agitated. Tliole
who dread a frefli American war from the ambition of
France, and were rtruck with the idea of extended empire,
preferred the former conqueft ; thofe who folely confider-
ed our intereft as a commercial people, were generally in
favour of the latter,
r ' On

I'jSr. T/je History of the War, 38^

On the fide of Africa, France fatis6cd herfelf with de-
Landing either tht- fettlement at Senegal, or the ifle of
JGorce: for which (together with the redoration of Belle-
lie) they confented to evacuate Gottingen, HelFe and Ha-
nau, and to draw off their army to the Maine and the
Rhine This was certainly a full equivalent. But with
regard to the Eaft-Indies, they had no tolerable equivalent
ti) offer. They expatiated much in their memorial upon
the difadvantages which mull arife to the companies of the
two nations, from their entertaining views of conquell, fo
contrary to the true fpirit, and the real intereft of thefc
trading eflabli{hments ; and they concluded by propofing
the treaty, formerly fettled between the fieurs Codcheau
and Saunders, as a bafis for the re-eftabliftimcnt of peace
inAfia. It muft be remarked, thai this treaty had been
concluded at a time when the affairs of France in the Faff
Indies made a figure very different from their prcfent fitu-
ation; and therefore it feemed unfair to make this treaty a
ilandard under circnmAances altogether inapplicable.

The war, which has been fo long, with fo much blood-
Ihed and fo fruitlefsly carried on in WeftphaUa, the French
llrenuoufly contended, was from the time of (what they
called) the breach of the capitulation of Clofter-Seven, a
war purely Englifli ; and therefore that their conqueft* in
that part of Germany, formed a proper compenfation for
the Englifli conquefts in the other quarters of the world.
Our miniflers did not attempt formally to refute this affer-
tion ; they rather feemed to admit it ; and they agreed ac-
cordingly to receive the evacuation of thefe places as an
equivalent for ceflions to be made on the footing we have
already menticuied. On this point there was little difB-

Clllty. .'■''' ilit\H ''.J:-fjr<M-;' ". ; » .

1 he intricate and knotty part was on what we have ffa-
ted as the fifth object ; the conduct of the two crowns with
regard to their allies. Here was a real, a capital difficulty.
From the beginning of the negotiation, England had de-
clared that they would inviolably preferve their faith to the
King of Pruffia, and would a£l ftrenuoufly in his fupport.
This picqued the French miniflers ; who, in their turn,
thought themfelves bound to make a declaration equally
ftroiig in favour of the emprefs ; and they had, moreover,
recently conditioned with the court of Vienna, to admit
nothing in the treaty to her difadvantage j words of great
/\[in I ; latitude.

* -I,

^•■i-*-

384 'The History of the War. i^^a

latitude. However, in this difTicnlty, they found out
folution, which it mull be confelVed, had a very fair anc
captivating appearance. They propofed that both armiei
in Germany iliould obfervc an exad neutrahty ; and ihouk
be reciprocally bound to afFord no fort of aflirtance, nor to]
give no fort of offence to the alhes of either of the parties]
And they propofed further, that. as armies in this ftate of
inert neutrahty muft be a dead and ufelefs expencc to thel
power who maintains them, the French king, troni tlicf
time his Britannic majefly recalled the Enghfh forces from]
Germany, would caufe double tiie number of French for-
ces from the armies of the Upper and Lower Rhine to re-
turn into France; and that no French troops fliould remain i
in Germany but in proportion to thofe Avhich the kins: of
England ftiould keep in his pay. It might certainly" be j
urged in confirmation of the propriety of this offer, that in
reality thefe armies, whilff they continued in a6lion, though
they worried each other abundantly, afforded no kind of af-
fiffance to their allies, and therefore, when they came mu-
tually to entertain pacific fentiments concerning their own
particular quarrel, and were to give an example of modera-
tion to the refl: of liirope, there, feemed to be no reafon
why they fhould make efforts in favour of any ally which
they had not made, or been able to nlake in the hotted
time of hoflility.

The lafl: article had its difficulties alfo. The French
infilled, as a point from which they were refolved never
to recede, upon the rtllitulion of the captures made belore
the declaration of war. This demand, they were of opini-
on, was grounded on the cleareff principles of the law of
nations, and the moll expreis iLpulation of treaties. With-
out entering into thefe various arguments with which this
pofition might be maintained and attacked,- it appeared to
many that the honour of both nations was a 1 moll ecjually
concerned, the one to claim, th ; other as refolutdy to re-
t'ufe this reftitution. >

On the whole, thefe propofals, which the French fent
to London in a memorial ol the 15th of July, formed, tho'
in fome rcfpe«iils undoubtedly exceptionable, a very agree-
able plan for a treaty of peace. A better could not have
been cxpedled in the firfl: proje61 of an enemy, and it might
be hoped, that a negotiation thus favourably begun, couKI
not fail of adjufting eafily* whatever appeared wrong, or
•'J^t-f':'.: fupplying

iy5i. Tbtf History of the War* 385

applying whatever was defedive in this firfl draught of
I the propofitions. But fatally for the repofe of mankind, in
the very inftant that this fair propofal was made, at the ve-
ry moment when thefe ftrong demonftrations were given,
jan aft was done which blew up at one explofion, the whole

fjs of the treaty that had been long and carefully laying,
Ifcattered the materials which had been fo induftrioufly col-
' levied, and fo cautioufly arranged, and inftead of extin-
guifhing, fpread the flames of war more widely, and made
them rage with new fury. From this time forward all the
iranfafiion was full of animofity, refentment and miftruft.
The reader has been apprized of the meafures which
France had been invariably purfuing at the court of Ma-
drid, and the arguments fhe employed to infufe a jealoufy
into that court. Hitherto however, there was no appear-
ance that thefe meafures had any eflfefl ; but to the infinite
liirprixe and indignation of the Britifh minifter, together
with the memorial which contained the above recited pro-
jiofitions, Mr. Bulfy, the French agent, delivered a private
memorial, fignifying, that in order to eftablifh the peace
upon folid foundations, not to be fhakcn by the contefled
interefts of a third power, the king of Spain might be in-
vited to accede to guaranty the treaty, and that to prevent
the differences which fubfifted between Great Eritain and
this monarchy from being a means of producing a frefli war
in Europe, with the confent and communication of his Ca-
tholic majefty, he propofes, that in this negotiation, the
three points which had been difputed between the crowns
of England and Spain, might be finally fettled. Firft, the
reflitution of fome captures made upon the Spanifh flag.
Secondly, the privilege of the Spanifli nation to fifli on the
banks ol Newfoundland. Thirdly, the demolition of the
Englifli fettlements made on the Spanifli territories in the
bay of Honduras.

It may be eafily imagined, from the character of the
then fecretary of ftate, in what manner he received thefe
propofals : he rejedcd with the utmoft fcorn, the oflFer of
negotiating, through an enemy humbled, and almofl: at his
teet, the difputes of his nation, with a power aflually in
friendfliip with us. He called upon the Spanifh minifter to
difavow the propofitions, which had been faid to be made
with the knowledge of his court. He returned as wholly
inadmifllble this offenfive memorial, declaring, that it would

C c c be

Www

■■I

ili^-f"'*'

386 ne History of the War. I'jSi.l

be looked upon as an affront to the dignity of his mafter
and incompatible with the fincerity of the negotiation, to
make any further mention of fuch a circumftance.

And now he prepared, without delay, an anfwer to the
principal memorial, in a ftile rather dictated by the circum-
llances which accompanied that paper, and which fuffici-
cntly indicated the defigns of France, than what the pro-
pofitions themfelves ftriftly deferred. Indeed, as he had
by this time conceived an incurable fufpicion of the fince-
rity of France in the whole proceeding, it would not have
been prudent to have made thofe advances, which on a
fuppofition of good faith and pacific intentions, might pofli-
bly have been advifeable ; for though both powers had over
and over declared, that their refpe6tive pr^ofitions, if the
treaty (hould by any accident be broken off, would be con-
fidered as retracted or never made ; yet it is certain, that
things once fettled and agreed to, unavoidably flamp their
own imprefTion upon any future negotiation, relative to the
fame fubjeft. «

Mr. Pitt's anfwer, which is dated on the 29th of July,
agrees to the reflitution of Guadaloupe, Marigalante and
Belleifle, on the compenfations propofed by France. It
agrees alfo to receive Canada, but without any new limits
or any exception whatfoever ; and it adds to the French
offer of all Canada, " its appurtenances." It admits the
propofal of the partition of the Neutral Iflands. It rejetts
the French demand of Cape Breton, or of any other ifland
in the gulph or river of St. Lawrence ; or of any power of
fifhing in that river, in that gulpb> or on thofe coafls ; and
it allows the privilege of fifhing on the banks of Newfound-
land, only on confideration of the demolition of Dunkirk.
But the propofed reflitution either of Senegal or Goree, is
utterly refufed. The German neutrality is rejeded with
difdain ; and it is declared that Great Britain is unalterably
refolved to fupport the king of Pruffia with efficacy and
good faith. In addition to the offer made to evacuate HefTe,
^c. it is infided that the French fhall make a general eva-
cuation of all her conquefts in Weftphalia, and all its coun-
tries, including its conquefh from the king of Pruffia on
the Rhine, though France had before declared, that they
were conquered for the queen of Hungary, that they were
aftually governed in her name, and that fhe could not, con-
fiflently with good faith, agree to deliver them to the king

r6l.

yi^^f History of the War.

387

I of Pruflia. The treaty between Saunders and Godcheau
was not admitted as a proper bafis for a treaty relative to
the Eaft Indies. But it was agreed, that the two compa-
nies (hould negotiate concerning their refpeftive interefts,
ssthe king of Great Britain could not difpofe of the rights
of the Englifli Eaft India company without their content.
As to the reftitution of the captures before the war, this
was moft pofitively refufed.

In this period we leave the negotiation to follow the mo-
tions of the armies in Germany. It is certain, that the dif-
pofitions of the two courts grew daily more unfavourable :
their confidence in each other, and their mutual good-will
wore away ; and it was to be feared, that this negotiation,
if it broke off in an unfatisfaflory manner, muft leave im-
prefTions on the minds of the two nations of fuch a nature,
t% might caufe them to wifti they had never engaged

IQ It.

r.."

• HiM

^ C H A P. V.

Motiottf of the French and allied armies. General Sporcken
attacked. French pafs the Dymel. Skirmijbes, Fojiti-
on of prince Ferdinand, fum^ion of Broglio and Sou-
hife. Battle of Kirch Denkern. French defeated. French
threaten Hanover. Prince Henry of Brunfwich killed.
Taking of Dorjl^n. Various movements of the armies.
DePru^ion of Schartsfelts-cajlle. Prince Xavier of Sax-
ony takes Wolfenhuttley and invejls Brunfwick. Detach^
ments from prince Soubife take and abandon Embden.
Attempt on Bremen. Sufferings of Lower JVeJlphalia.

ALthough the great purpofe of the early and ftrcnuous
effort made by the allies was not fully anfwered, it
neverthelefs produced, as we have before obferved, a very
confiderable and ufeful efTeO:. The deftru6tion of the
French magazines retarded their operations in fuch a man-
ner, that the greateft part of the month of June wa« fpent
before their armies found themfelves in a condition to aft.
But as foon as they had taken proper meafures for their fub-
fiftence, the prince of Soubife caufcd his troops to pafs the
Rhine, and to advance on the fide of Munfter, not far
from which city the hereditary prince of Brunfwick wa»
pofled to oppofe him. Marftial Broglio aflcmbled the for-

C C C 3 CCS

I I*], 'H

■f 'I

(;,:■

• ■■»■ !!,>'"

I76I.

388 T'he History of the Wav(,

ces under his command at Cafiel, and -»vcd tow&rds thei
Dymel, in order to effeft a junfticn with the bodyunderl
the prince of Soubife. They made no doubt that their con-
joining ftrength would foon attain a decided fuperiority overl
the allies, who had ended their late enterprize with a lofd
which was confidcrable, and which in their circumftances I
they could not well bear, nor eaftly fupply.
Thefe hopes were fupported by the fuccefsof their firft en^l
counter. General Sporcken with a ftrong detachment hadl
been pofted in an advantageous fituation on the Dymel, and!
in the front of the allied army. On the approach of Mar-I
Ihal Broglio, he attempted to retire with all that expedition
which his inferiority made neceflary. But the)
June 29. French came upon him with fuch rapidity, that}
they overtook and attacked his rear, which was|
inftantly route*,! ; they took 800 prifoners, 19 pieces of can-
non, 400 horfes, and upwards of 1 70 waggons. The fame!
day they pafled the Dymel ; and whilfl: prince Ferdinand,]
difcouraged by this check, fell back to the Lippe,
July 2. they made themfelves mailers of Warburg, Prin-
glcburg, and Paderborn.
The allies, however, foon recovered their fpirits ; and!
the main body of their army being well fecured, they fentj
out feveral detachments. Their fmall bodies were conduc-
ed by General Luckner, and other able partisans, who un-
dertook fcwral bold and very diftant enterprizcs, attack.dj
the enemy where they were Icaft upon their guard, routed
their convoys, deftroyed feveral of tlieir magazines, carri- !
ages and horfes, and carried off their prey even from the I
gates of Caflel. Thefe lively aflions feemed a prelude to
fome more important and decifive attempt.
■ - The French became fcnfiblc that a ftrokc of fome im- 1
portance was expected from the greatnefs of their force,
and that it was not for the credit of their arms onlv, but
for their fecurity from the minute, but continual and galling]
attempts of parties from the allied army. .,.«

For fome time prince Ferdinand had been pofted to the |
fouth of the Lippc, between Ham and Lipftadt. This po- 1
fition he took, in all probability, becaufe M. Broglio had,
by occupying the places on the Dymel, got between hihi j
and Hanover. Therefore he judged it expedient for him
in his turn to get between the prince dc Soubife and the
jRhinc. In this fituation, if the enemy attempted any

. . , , move-.!

t-' 1 ' *

i6i.

The History of the War.

3^9

lovcment towards the king's dominions, he was ready to
(Jireftly on the places they occupied by that river,
[jiich, in the prefent circumftances, were full as impor-
Lto them as the Hanoverian territory was to us. Thus
Ulft he feemed to retire from that territory, and in a
Lnner to abandon it, he in reality provided with the great-
,effed for its fecurity.

Marflial Broglio, when he had refolved on the attack of
jilie allied army, united his troops to thofc of the prince de
(Soubife, at a place called Soeft, between Lipftadt and Ham.
|Onthe other hand, as foon as the general of the allies was
jjpprized of their intention he polled his army in a very
jfrong and advantageous manner.
The river Aefk runs for a confiderable way, almofl paral-
:1 to the Lippe, from which it is not diftant in fome pla-
ices, much more than half a mile. The high road fr<im
Lipfladt to Ham pafles between thcfe rivers; and it was of
theutmoft moment to prince Ferdinand to fecure that im-
Jjiortant communication, by which alone he could hope an
jdvantageous retreat, or in any degree propofe to command
the adjacent country. With a view therefore to protc6t
communication, he eftabliflied his left wing on the
!lilhmus between the rivers. The left extremity of that
wing under General Wutgenau, leaning to the Lippe, by
which it was perfeftly fecured, as the right was fupported
by the village of Kirch Denkern, fituated immediately on
the Aeft. The marquis of Granby commanded in that
wing, with the afliftance of lieutenant general Howard and
the prince of Anhalt, who were ported towards the above-
mentioned village.

At that village, another river called the Saltzbach, fmall,
but very deep, joins the Aefl: almoft in a right angle. Be-
hind; this river on a confiderable eminence was placed the
centre, commanded by general Conway ; and on the con-
tinuation of tlie fame eminence, the right wing, under the
hereditary prince, ftrctched out towards the village of
Werle, and it was well defended on the flank by rugged,
Iniihy, and almoft inipra^icab) i ground. Nothing could
be more advantageous than this difpofition of the army, by
which the whole centre and right wing were covered in
front by a river, and the left fupported by rivers on both
its flanks. In the left indeed, was the ftrength and flower
ol the army j the count of Lippe had placed alfo in this

wing,

1 f I

.ri I

■ W fi

/i;

390 T'/'e? HisTOR\ o/ /Z»<r War. 1^5,

wing, the greateft part of the artillery, as he knew that ii
defended the moft important fituation, was the mod expo]
fed in front, and confequently would be the object of thi
enemy's moft confiderable efforts.

He was no^ miftaken in his conjefture. On the 1 5th i
July, in the evening, a very furious attack was made oil
lord Granby's pofts, which was fuftained for a long tim«
with all the intrepidity and firmnefs, which Britifli troop]
always exert, and which that gallant officer knou^
fo well how to infpire. The difpofition we have juft mtn-i
tioned, was not then compleated ; fo that they had th?
whole torrent of that impetuofity, which diftinguilhes the
French in their firft attacks, to refift for fomc hours, untij
Wutgenau, according to the plan originally projected, ar-
rived to their afliftance, and then with efforts united andl
redoubled in a long and obftinate combat, which continiiedl
until it was quite dark, they repulfcd the French, and drovej
them into the woods. '" '

By the next morning, the difpofition of thcal-
July 16. lies was perfe6ted ; and it was evident that the I
French, far from being difmayed by their misfor-
tune, were preparing for a more general and better fuftain-
ed attack than the former. M. Broglio commanded againftl
our left, which, as on the preceding day, was the princi-
pal obje^ of the enemy. The prince de Soubife led their I
centre and their left. The engagement began at three in
the morning, and it was a fevere and continued fire for
upwards of five hours, before the leaft effeft could be per-
ceived on either fide. The weight of the attack this day
!ayonWutgenau*s corps, which iupported it with a degree
of bravery, that rivaled the ftand which had been lately
made by the Britifli forces. But about nine, the prince
difcovered that the enemy were preparing to ere£l batte-
ries on an eminence, in the front of the Marquis of Gran-
by's camp, which he had not been able to enclofe within
his lines. Senfible of the preffing neceffity there was of pre-
venting the enemy from feixing on an eminence, from
whence they might cruelly gall his army, he called in a re-
ferve, which had been placed at the other fide of the Lippe
under general Sporcken. Strengthened by this fupply, and
encouraged by the irrefolution which now began to appear
in the motions of the enemy, he commanded the troops
which were neareft at hand to advance upon them.

Thi?

l]6l-

rbeUis

This movement was

■jito diforder, and retii
lie and left, which had
Kier a long and effe£tui
ltd covered their retrea
Lnce, and the clofenel
lleiges, they marched <
Ld but a little way.
L: the regiment of F
Ifith its cannon and co
Ijle battalion of Max>
liounded, and prifoners
l|,es had about 300 ki
irifoners This aftion
|,-6i (a), in Weftphal

[i) Prince Ferdinand's L
thy datedy Kir

I Have the honour to
fignal advantage, wh
I pined. It is impoffibU
liiis glorious day. The
Lailhed merit, and who 1
I cefs of this day, will gw
1 have the honour to re(

\m.

FERDINANI

What folloiJi-s is the .

ON the I 5 th of Jui
the front of Lord
the heights of Kirch D
nients ofCorni-vallis, K
to fupport the pofts. I
and fmall arms, till nii
iirprelfion having been
left.

In the morning of t
nading began again ver
nine, when the enemy
rene highnefs the Dub

j6i. TbeHisroKY of tbgW AK. 391

This movement was decifive, the enemy gave way, fell
Liodiforder, and retired with precipitation. Their cen-
tre and left, which had not been able to pafs the Saltzbach,

er a long and efFeftual cannonade, retired with the reft,
U covered their retreat ; fo that favoured by this circum-
jjnce, and the clofsinefs of the country, which was full of
Es, they marched off intolerable order, and were pur-
fed but a little way. However, their lofs was confidera-

: the regiment of Rouge, confifting of four battalions^
[lith its cannon and colours, was entirely taken by the fin-
{le battalion of Maxwell. Their whole lofs in killed,
iounded, and prifoners, has been eftimated at 5000. The
Jlies had about 300 killed, 1000 wounded, and about 200
wiloners This aftion was the climax of the campaign of
i;6i (ajy in Weftphalia; it did the greatelt honour to the

'vifdoni

(}) Prince Ferdinand's Letter to his Majejlyfrotn the Field of Bat'
thy datedy Kirch Denckerny July i6, 1 76 1.

IHave the honour to congratulate your majefty upon a very
lignal advantage, whigjn your niajeily's arms have this day
I rained. It is inipofllble for me to fet down every particular of
this glorious day. The bearer of this, an officer of very diftin-
giiilhed merit, and who has greatly contributed to the happy fuc-
cefsof this day, will give your niajelly an exadl account of it.
I have the honour to recommend him to your majefty's royal fa-
tour.

FERDINAND, Duke of Brunfivick and Lunebourg.

What follonii-s is the Account gi^ven hy Major PFedderbourn.

ON the I 5th of July the French attacked the light troops ia
the front of Lord Granby's corps, which was encamped on
the heights of Kirch Denckern. His Lordfliip ordered the regi-
ments of Cornivallisy Keith, Campbell, and Marjherg, to the left
tofupport the pofts. There was an uninterrupted fire of cannon
and fmall arms, till nine at night, when it ceafed, wirhout any
iiporclfion having been made by the enemy upon Lord Granby's
ieit.

In the morning of the i6th, about three o'clock the canno-
nading began again very brilkly on both fides, and continued till
nine, when the enemy gave way in great diforder. His moft fe-
rene highnefs the Duke, then ordered the corps of the prince of

Anbaity

:» hi

's7

1 J 'R •''II.' !■

\, \

III

Ji! '■ .

i \

|t,ff;4-

ogz T/pe History of the Wak. j-igj

vifdom of the accompli fhcd commander in the dlfpofitior
and to the bravery of the troops in the combat ; but it wa.
far from decifive. Notwithftanding the lofs the Frencl
fuffered, they were ftill much fuperior, in their number!
On this misfortune the old ill underftanding between Soil
bife and Broglio broke out with frefh animofity. Narrative!
memorials, and replies, conceived with great bitternef]
were mutually remitted from both marflials to their couri
Marfhal Broglio alledged, that his misfortune was owing; tl
the prince de Soubife's delay, who did not begin the attacl
till it was too late for him to continue it ; the prince A
Soubife, on the other hand, fuggefted, that Broglio hcz}
his attack earlier than the time that had been fixed,
hopes of forcing the allies without Soubife's afliftance ; and
when he found that point lo(l, obliged Soubife to retreat]
that he might not have the honour of recovering it.

The allies after this battle kept their ground for feme
time, whillT: the French retreated. It is impoflible regular^
ly to account for all the unexpe£l:ed turns which have hap-j
pened, perhaps, more in this campaign, than in any of the
former. It is enough to knov/ that the original luperiori-
ty of the French, together with their opportunity of con-
tinual reinforcement, may very tolerably explain the reafonl

Anhalty Lord Granhy and JVutgenaUy to attack them on their]
retreat ; which they did with fo much vigour that the enemy ne-
ver attempted to form before them, but threw down their arm:]
and ran off in the utmoll diforder.

When major fVedderbourn came away, there were fix colours
already taken, eleven or twelve pieces of cannon ; many officers,
araongft whom the Comte de Rouge, and great part of the regi-
ments of De Rouge, Dauphin, and Provence, to the amount of
3000 men.

After having purfued them about a league, the duke ordered
the troops to form upon the heights of Kirch Denckern. The he-
reditary prince was ftill driving the enemy on their left. Prifon-
crs and cannon, were coming in every moment.

It was faid, that the Marfhal due de Broglio commanded on the
right of the French army, oppofite to the prince of Anhalt, Lord
Granhy, and Lieutenant General IVutgenau, where his ferenc
highnefs was in perfon.

Major Wedderhotirn adds, that this great vlftory was obtained,
with fcarce any lofs on the part of the allied army.

\l}) T^ranJJation of Prim

Iij6i. 7he History of the War. 7,^'^

Qt the advantages which they fo often obtained after very
[onfiderable defeats. This is a point which it is neceflary
jilie reader fhouid continually keep in his mind during the
Lhole narration of this Itrange war. After their late lofs
hnd retreiit, the French foon advanced again. The party
liinder the prince de Soubife pafled the Lippe^ and made
dilpofitions for the fiege of Munfter, whilft marHial Bro-
Llio's army turned off on the other fide, croffed the Wefer,
Ijfld threatened to fall in upon Hanover.

This divifion of the enemy compelled prince Ferdinand,

lihough little in a condition for it, to divide his army alfo.

iThe hereditary prince ported himfelf to cover Munfter ;

whilft prince Ferdinand continued in the country towards

|ihe Wefer, to obferve the motions of marfhal Broglio.

Whilft thcfe various portions were mutually taken, as
|the armies were continually moving near each other, a
jomber of very ftiarp (kirmiflies enfued. Marftial Broglio
uutioufly avoided a battle whenever he faw that the duke
ofBrunfwick, by calling together his troops, had prepared
for, and was deiirousof it ; fo that there was no way left,
hut if pofllble, to check his motions, and wear down his
force, by reiterated lefler a£kionsf^/ Thefe aftions were
> almoft

W Tranjlation of Prince Ferdinand's Letter to the Marquis of

Granby.

" My Lord,

Convent at Buhren^ Augufi 6, 1761.

Think it my duty to acquaint your lordHiip how much I ad~
mire the valiant and brave conduS 01 lord George Lenox ^ with
le piquets, and of major W^«(^, with his battalion of grenadiers
rellerday, in the attack of the poft and village o^ Wejien. I beg
vour lordlliip will be pleafed to fignify to them my moft grateful
jcknowledgments, and that thefe t'"o gentlemen would do the
fame to the brave troops who were led on by commanders of fuch
dillinguiflied valour.

/ have the honour to hy

" ■ fFith the moji ferfedl reffeBy

\ ' '' My Lordf ^c.

P d d Coj>y

."'^ H

4i 4\^'^i^'>

394 ^^ History of the War. j-^gj

ainioft always to the advantage of our troops. In one of,
them liowevcr, the young prince Henry of Brunfwick was
mortally wounded ; and the whole army faw
July 20. with regret, the difappointment of fuch great
hopes as were formed from the rifing gallantry
of a prince, who fo nobly fupported the martial fpirit o " his
family, and had fallen whillT: he was emulating the heroic
aftions of his brother the hereditary prince and his uncle
Ferdinand.

On the fide of Wcflphalia, the prince dc Soubifc pcrfe-
vercd, notwithftandingfomc checks, in his defign of laying
ficge to Munfter; there avus great rcafon to apprehend that
he might fucceed in that entcrprize, ?.s it was always in
marflial Broglio's power, by taking fome fteps on the fide
of Hanover, to make it neceirary to draw away the great-
eft part of the force deftined to the fuccour of IVtunfter. He
therefore began to make the previous arrangements at Dor-
flen. The hereditary prince, who knew that he was con-
tinually liable to be called off, took the firft op-
Aug. 30. portunity of attacking this place. A battalion of
French troops formed its garrifon, and made a
brave defence, but it was aflaulted with fo much refoliition
and perfeverance, that they were obliged to furrender pri-
foners of war. The prince totally deftroyed the ovtns

which

majcfty's, and the du

Copy of the Marquis ofGranby's Letter to Major IValJh, command-
itig the firjl Battalion of Britif}j Grenadiers.

Camp at Haarny Augufi 7, 1761.

S I R,

YOU will perceive, by the copy of the letter I have the plea-
fure to enclofe to you, how much his Serene Highnefs ad-
mired your behaviour, and that of the firft battalion of grenadiers
under your command, at the attack of the poft and village of
iVefien, on the 5 th.

** You will, therefore, according to his Serene Highnefs's de-
fire, teftify to the troops his extreme approbation of their dillin
guiihed bravery and firmnefs, and Hkewife my thanks in the ftroiig-
ell manner.

/ rt«, ^ith the greatefl regardy Siry ifc.

;']

G R A N B y.

i-jSi. Tie History of tbeW A K. ^g^

which were eftabliflied here, and by this means not only
frullnited their dcfign of bcfieging Munftcr, but compelled
them for a time, to retire from the Lippe.

As to prince Ferdinand, he faw clearly, that the inten-
tions of marfhal Broglio were to make himfeif mafter of his
majefty's, and the duke of Brunfwick's territories. To at-
tempt to follow him, and to beat him from thence, would
only be irrecoverably to transfer the feat of war into thofe
countries, and wholly to abandon Weftphalia to the enemy.
Diverfion therefore, and not direct oppofition, became his •
objeft. He refolvcd, that as often as he perceived marfhal
Broglio making any progrefs on the fufpeftcd quarter, he
Ihould throw himfelf as far into Hefle as the enemy had ad-
vanced towards Hanover, and by (lopping their fubfiftence,
oblige them to quit their enterprixe. This plan at firft
fucccedcd to his wifhes, and drew back marfhal Broglio
into Hefl'c, upon whofe approach prince Ferdinand retired
to his old quarters at Paderborn, and ready for a
new movement as foon as Broglio fliould return 0&.. 19.
to the execution of his former defign.

Accordingly he ^jon returned to the Wcfer. Then the
hereditary prince, who had by this time re-joined the grand
army, advanced into HelTe, and puftied to the fartheft ex-
tremities of that country, even as far as Fritzlar ; but tho*
he fucceeded fo far in his attempts as to deftroy all the lef-
ftr magazines which he found in the open country ; yet as
all the fortrefles were in the hands of the enemy, as the
garrifons had been newly reinforced and the grand maga-
zines were well fecured in thofe places, he kept his ground
in his advanced pofition. j. m ..f^, „,..

It was on this occafion principally that prince Ferdinand
found the difadyantage of not being able to form vwo ar-
mies, which might a£t feparately. For on one hand, mar-
Ihal Broglio, when he had perfectly fecured his poft: in
Hefle, took a fituation in which he watched all' the motions
of prince Ferdinand, and kept himreif in readinefs to fall
back into Hefle, or to advance into Hanover, as might beft
rgree with his defigns. From hence he fent out fome pow-
crtiil detachments which aded with great effect. One of
thefe detachments entered the Harts Forefl (the remains
of the great Hercynian, fo famous among the antients) and
bcfieged the ftrong caftle of Schartsfelts, which they took
and demolifhed. Then they laid the whole trad of country

D d d 2 und.r

r4-

50 I'he History of the War. 1^5,

under fcverc contribution. Another, and ftill more powrrfu
detachment under prince Xavier of Saxony appeared })f

fore WoUcnbiittcl, a confulerahle city, nndl
Oft. 5. ftrongly fituatcd, as it is wholly furronndid hyl
• ' the Ocker. But the French, as they knew \\yA

the town is moftly built of wood, commenced their npcraJ
tions with a very fierce bombardment. This had fm h ani
cfFe6^, that the rcfiftance of the place was not proportionrd
to its ftrength ; in five days it fiirrendered, and was rulm^l,
like the reft, to a grievous contribution.

Fluflied with this fucccfs, the French followed their]
blow, and advanced, keeping ftill the courfe of the Ockcr,
to Brunfwick ; and began alfo to invert that city. The!
reigning prince, unable to proteft his fubjccts, or to fcciirc
his perfon in his dominions, fled to Hamburgh, where he I
met the landgrave of HefTe, whom the rage of w.ir hnil ini
\he fame manner driven from his territories. This free ci-
ly now became a place of general refuge, and enriched jt-
felf by the calamities, as it had in bettCt- time", done hy the'
profperity of Germany. It was lately computed, that the
ftrangers there had mcreafed to 40,000, amongfl whom
they could reckon two foverci^n princes, and fevcral other
pcrfons of the firft diftintlion.

This rapid and unrefirtcd progrcfs of the French to the
caftward of the Wcfcr, was tothehighcft degree ahuininp;.
Prince Ferdinand with ail the expedition in his power, de-
tached the hereditary prince to the relief of Brunlwick.
Tliis meafure fortunately faved that very important place.
This aflivc commander compelled the enemy not only to
raife the fiegc of Brunfwick, but i abandon WoUcnbuttel,
and to make a precipitate retreat with the lofs of fonic ol
their cannon, and upwards of lono men.

Whilft Broglio's detachments proceeded thus in diftref-
fing the country to the caftward of the Wefer, the prince
of Soubife, who by the removal of the here»lit:iry prime ot
Brunfwick to another quarter, faw no longer any thing ca-
pable of oppofing him, fprcad his army by detachments
over all VVeftphalia, and ravaged it in the moft cruel man-
ner. They took Ofnabrug ; and bocaufe the contrihutions
were not immediately paid, they gave up the place to he
pillagedby their troops, who rifled the mifcrable iidiahitants
without mercy. Another body pufhed as far as iMuhden.
This important town was immediately furrendcre<l by the
■' . , , .. . gam ion

,]6l. "The \

Lrrifon (two Fng)
I the timid inhabi
I treatment : notwitb
Lliofafy a furrcnd(
try of I'.aft-Frieflan
Ln. But their ex(
that the boors wtTf
inch arms as a fmh
Lpprenors o\\\ of tb
/\ more confidcr;!
Condc, laid ficge
fms, of fome con
fome maga/.mes.
ami the garrifon ol
of war.

1 he city of Brci

'(his was a plate o

allies having amalVt

great and trading to

Wefer; and the p(

have given to the I'

which the allies der

had loft Bremen, t

and lock».(l up in a 1

ny, fiirrounded by 1

fourcc. Fortunate

brave as thofc of V

rated by the exam

had fccn on every I

garrifon, inftcad o

plate. The Frcn

and a ftrong reinio

cure that very im|

the fnture.

Whilft the two
the country held b
rage of war fprcad
kept that central j
hattle of Kirch \
tould terrify or all
quarters at Buhne
wards ll.immelcn.
courfe of the \Vcf<

i|6i. I'I'c KiSTORY nf the War. ^97

LrriTon (two F,n[];lifh companies of invniuls) at tlic dcfirc
nt the timid inhahitint'?, and the promilc of a favonribic
lircatmrnt : notwiflifJiintline; rliis capitidation, and the merit
(ilioeafy a rurrcndcr, the town, as well as the wh(»Ie coun-
try of I' aft-Fiielland, was laid under a ruinous confribnfi-
on. But their exorbitances f^rcw to fiich an extremity,
that the hoors were at Ungth (ompelled to rife, and with
inch arms as a ftiddcn rage fupplied ihem, to drive tliefe
oppreflors otit of their country.

A more confidcrahle corps commanded hy the prince de
Comic, laid ficge to Meppen, a place on the
fms, of fome confcqnencc, and whore we h;id 06t. ij.
fnme maga'Aines. In three da) s it was reduced,
and the garrilbn of five liundred men were made prifoncrs
of war.

1 he city of Bremen was defended hy a weak garrifon.
This was a |dace of far ["jrcater moment than Mepjien, the
allies having amalVed lluir immcnfe magay/mes, as it was a
prcntand trading town, advantageoudy fituattd on the river
VVefcr; and the pofTefVutn of this place mnrt undoubtedly
have given to the I'tcnrh the command of that river, thro'
which the allies derived all their fubfillencc. If the I'.nglifh
had loft Bremen, they muft have fcen themfelves inverted
and locked up in a barren country, in the jieart of Germa-
ny, furroundcd by their enemies, and dcprivetl of every rc-
foiirce. Fortunately the inhabitants of this city proved as
brave as thole of I'.mbden were timid. They were exafpe-
rated by the example of the French rigour, which they
had feen on every (ideof them. They therefore joined the
garrifon, inftead of dilcouraging them in the defence of the
place. The French were obliged to retire precipitately ;
and a (Irong reinforcement was thrown into Bremen, to fe-
cure that very important city from the like enterpri'Aes for
the future.

Whilft the two French armies in this manner ravaged all
the country held by the allies, prince Ferdinand, who faw the
rageof war fpread all around him, with his ufual firmnefs,
kept that central pofition which lie had taken foon after the
Imttle of Kirch l>>enkern ; no movements of the cncmv
could terrify or allure him from it. He had fettled his head
quarters at Buhne, and his army extended from thence to-
wards ll.immelcn. )*orted in this manner, he fecured the
fOiirfeof the \Vcfer,by preventing the enemy from making

l. • themfelves

»• 'A J

* -it

-.' ""irn-'ilii

f 4i

» ,

Ssi

1 * ,

398 The History of the War. ,^5^1

themfelves mafters eilhef of Hammelen orMinden; he lav
in the beft fituation in which it was pofllble to place a fin
gle army, that was to aft againft two ; and knowjne that
he could not follow their movements with the body of his
army, without hazarding the king's eleftoral dominions I
and indeed every objeft of the war, he contented himfelfl
with fending out fuch detachments as he could Ipare, fuc-l
ceflively to the relief of the places which were attacked. He
faw that the winter approached, which had always been ai
circumftance favourable to him ; and it was evident that
whilfl; he continued with his main body immoveably fixed as
it was, and his detachments 2 6live on every fide, it was im- !
poflible for the enemy to keep any of thofe places, they had
leized in their incurfions. ; -- v ■

,i> Tf^

■ '.v.\ '\:\

CHAP. VI.

Condition of the King of PruJJla. His inaclion. Motions of\
the Ruffians and Laudohn. BreJJau cannonaded. Tottle-
ben removed. Colberg befteged. Ruffian magazines in
Poland defrayed. JVar transferred to Pomerania. Kin?
of Prvffia quits his frong camp. Schweidnitz t alien hy a
coup de main. General Platen repulfed. General Knob-
lock made prifouer at Trcptoiv. Prince Wurtenburg re-
treats. Colberg .aken. Rujfians winter in Pomerania.

UNTIL this year the operations of the Pruflian armies
took the lead in interelT: and importance before ail the
other events of the war. The firmnefs and activity of their
iliuftrious monarch, the number and animofity of his ene-
mies, the blows that he gave, and thofe that he fuflPcred,
his diftrefllng and terrible falls, his amazing and almoll
miraculous recoveries, kept all eyes fixed on his motions, as
the great centre of public attention. Undoubtedly nothing
that has ever been a6ted on the fcene of human affairs, at-
tracted the minds of men to it with greater juftice; none
perhaps afl'orded at once more entertainment to the imagi-
nation, and furnifhcd more copious materials for political
and military inftruftion ; and probably, therefore, this part
of all our modern hiftoiy, will be the moft carefully ftiidicti
by poflcrity, when it comes to be properly known, and wor-
thily written.

To judge of the Importance of this branch of the general
t . war,

j,^6i- ^he History of the War. 399

liar, it will be proper to recoUefl that, befides a number of
heges which were profecuted, together with innumerable
Ijnd bloody (kirmifhes, no lefs than nineteen pitched battles,
Ijr capital actions, have been fought on his part fmce the
Iclofe of the year 1 756, when the king of Pruffia firft feiztd
upon Saxony, and made an irruption into Bohemia. In
[eleven of thefe battles, the King or his generals were de-
feated. He was vi6torious only in eight. Ten of them
Lere fought under his own command ; and feven out of the
eight victories which were gained, were obtained by him-
felf in perfon ; of the eleven defeats, he was prefent only
[at three.

From thefe circumftances fome judgment may be formed
lot the aftive and enterpriz-ing chara6ter of this monarch,
and of the amazing refource he had prepared, or formed,
or feized, and in fome inftances, one may fay, almofl: creat-
ed. We have obferved that the laft campaign had ended
more to his advantage than the one preceding had done;
for thofe two great viflories of Lignitz and Torgau, with
which he then ended his operations, had not only refcued
his affairs in Silefia and Saxony from impending deftruftion,
but had enlarged his field for recruiting, and prepared him,
to all appearance, for more early and vigorous aftion, than
could have been expeOied in mod of the preceding cam-
paigns. But every one was furprized to obferve, that this
year he had totally altered the fyftem of his conduft. An
inaftivity and langour was difiiifcd over all his proceedings.
He fcemed to have adopted the caution and flownefs which
h?d been fo long oppofed to his vivacity by M. Daun. The
fummer was almofl: wholly fpent, and the King of Pruflla
had fcarcely been mentioned.

It was not fufpefted that the propofed negotiation at
Augfburg could have had much, if any influence upon his
method of proceeding. No particular propofals had been
made concerning his afi'airs, nor indeed any other marks of
a pacific difpofition towards him (hewn, except what were
contained in thofe general declarations, which a regard to
common decency had exac):ed. It muft have added to the
anxiety of his fituation, that Great Britain and France were
at that time engaged in a feparate treaty, in which the latter
power was in a condition to make fo many flattering oflFcrs
in relation to Germany, that he might well have dreaded
the withdrawing of that afllflance which had hitherto been

his

■■a\h

V:'

400 The History of the War. i^g,

his great fupport againft all attacks, and his final refourct
in all his diftrefles. Perhaps he was well aflured, that the
faith of Great Britain was proof againft every offer, however
alluring ; in faO: it proved to be fo ; for in rejeding the
German neutrality, which the French propofed in the late
negotiation, our country afforded as convincing a proof of
an unfliaken public faith, as nny people had ever given to
their allies.

However, whilft this point remained in any degree of
fufpence, it would have appeared natural, that the King; of
Pruflia ftiould make fome uncommon exertions to confirm
the faith of his allies, as well as o put himfelf upon a more
refpeflable footing at the enfui. r congrefs. It is, notwith-
ftanding certain, that he contented himfelf with ading
wholly upon the defenfive ; a condu6t, which perhaps hL
circumftances had rendered abfolutely unavoidable. Prince
Henry commanded an army in Saxony, which intrenched
itfelf ftrongly under Leipfic. M. Daun continued near
Drefden ; and thefe two armies did no more than watch
each other during the campaign. The King was alfo in-
trenched in a very ftrong pofition in Upper Siicfia, not far
from Schweidnit/, whilfl the fortreires in the lower part of
that country were filled with fuch garrifons, as put them
out of the reach of any fudden infult.

This pofition was pointed out by the motions and appa.
rent defigns of his enemies. The Ruflian army was this
year, as well as in the former, divided into two llrong bo-
dies ; one of wiiich, led by "^J^Utleben, direi^^ted its march
towards Pomerania : and the other under M. Butterlin, en-
tered into the Upper Silefia, advancing towards Brcdali.
Baron Laudohn entered that province in the part oppofite
to them, and rhty propofed to unite their armies, in order
to attack the King, or to take Breflau or Schweidnit/. in his
jM'efcncc. The remarkable drought in the beginning of the
feafon, which hail greatly lowered the Odor, facilitated their
jun<ftion. The Rulllans fpread themfelves over all the cpon

country of Silefia ; and exa£\cd heavy contrilni-
Ang. I. tions. A body of them appeared before Brcllaii,

and bei.>,iin to cannonade the town from fevcn bat-
teries. Laudohn ext:rted the whole of his Ikill to draw i!ic
King from his poll, and to engage him in a diladvantagcoib
action. Somcviines he advi^ncecl, as if he meant to join the
Kiiilian^ : IbiiK-times his motions indicated adefign on Sch-
weidnit/.;

Leidnitz; thefe atte

1 feint as if he propo
hopes that he might

j detach and divide hi

moveable in his port

Whilft thefe vario

leffeft, on the fide of
RulTians advanced w

[ it was expected that
with greater effeft fii

I appointment of genei
tleben had been ionj

I convicted, of a feci
Pruflia. The fituat
light with every iort
of fortune, w'-rhour
allegiance, w&s a fit
riary ftratagems. He
of the fame kind whi
dohn. Every circum

, of corruption lefs fucc
Colberg, regularly
campaign, fince the R
kingdom of Pruffia, w:
determined force thar
forty fail of all kinds,
general Romanzowfo
hand, the place threa
efforts. This city w
greater ftrength than
every attempt of th
any weaknefs lay, ta
fenfible of its import
ner it was necelTary
omitted no opportuni
Prince of WurtenbUi
cannon of the town, >
men. '

The King of Pru
danger of this momei
to the north, from t
and, as it were, chai
lance. Though La

,y6i. ^he History of the War." 401

fteidnitz ; thcfe attempts failing, he turned off and made a
feint as if he propofed to fall upon the Lower Silcfia, in
hopes that he might at leaft oblige the King of PruiTia to
detach and divide his forces ; but the King continued im-
moveable in his port.

vVhilft thefe various movements were making with little
eifeft, on the fide of Silefia, the other grand divifion of the
RulTians advanced without oppofition into Pomerania ; and
jt was expelled that their proceedings would be attended
with greater effeft fince the. removal of Tottlcben, and the
appointment of general Romanzow to the command. Tot-
tlcben had been long fufpefled, and, it is faid, at length
convicted, of a fecrijt correfpondence with the King of
Priiflia. The fuuation of this. Monarch obliged him to
tight with every Kirt of weapon ; and Tottleben, a foldier
ot fortune, w-rhour any national attachment or particular
allegiance, w&s a fit object for the King of Pruflia's pecu-
niary ftratagems. He did not fucceed fo well in the attempts
of the fame kind which he is faid to have made upon Lau-
dohn. Every circumftance concurred to render the method
of corruption lefs fuccefsful in that quarter.

Colberg, regularly befieged, or clofely ftreightened every
campaign, fince the Ruifians made themfelves mafters of the
kingdom of PrufTia, was how aflaulted with greater and more
determined force than ever. A ftrong fleet, confiding of
forty fail of all kinds, blockaded it by fea, whilft the army of
general Romanzow formed the fiege by land. On the other
bnd, the place threatened a defence worthy of its former
efforts. This city was from the beginning of the war of
greater ftrength than it had commonly been reprefented ;
every attempt of the Ruffians, by demonftrating where
any weaknefs lay, taught the Prufilans, who were fully
fenfible of its innportance, in what part and in what man-
ner it was neceffary to add to its works ; and they had
omitted no opportunity. In addition to this defence, the
Prince of Wurtenbilrg was ftrongly intrenched under the
cannon of the town, with a body of fix or feven tlioufand
men. ' "■■vi^a f'" " 3^

The King of Pruflia was extremely alarmed at the
danger of this momentous port, the key of his dominions
to the north, from the relief of which he was removed,
^nd, as it were, chained down, at fuch an immenfe dif-
t:)iue. Though Laudohn and Butturlin found abundant

F< e e employment

k •

' V

402 ^he History of the War. i^gj

( mploymcnt for his forces, he refolved to fend a confideN
able detachment under general Platen to the afliftance oi
Colberg. The fertility of his genius propofed two endJ
from this fingle expedient. He ordered Platen to direO: his
march through PoUnd, ar'i to deftroy the Ruffian maeal
lines, which had been amafled on the frontiers of that kineJ
dom, and from which their army in Silefia drew its whole
fubfiftence. This fervice, might, he hoped, be performed
without any confiderable interruption to the progrefs of th(
detachment towards Colberg. The event was entireiv
anfwerable to his wiflies. General Platen ruined three
principal magazines of the enemy. He attacked a greatj
convoy of their waggons ; deftroyed 500, and burned oii
difperfed the provifions they carried. Four thoufand mer
who protected this convoy, were, for the greater part, killed
or made prifoners. General Platen, after this ufeful and
brilliant exploit, purfued his march with the utmod diligence
to Pomerania.

Intelligence of this blow was no fooner received by the
Ruflians in Silefia, than they were ftruck with the utmoftl
confteination. They had lately effefted one o(
Aug. 25. their purpofes by their junftion with the Auftri-
but this ftroke compelled them at once

ans

fever this union, fo lately and with fuch difficulty compalTedJ
to drop all their defigns upon Breflau, to repafs the Oder,!
and to retire without delay into Poland, left their remainingj
magazines (hould ftiare the fame fate with the three above-l
mentioned, and their futuie fubfiftence be thereby rendered!
wholly precarious.

So unfortunately circumftanced were the affairs of the|
King of Pruflla, that his wifeft fchemes and happieft fuc-
cefles could hardly anfwer any other end than to vary thel
fcene of his diftrefs. The ftorm which had been diverted!
from Silefia by general Platen's expedition, was only remov-
ed from thence to be difcharged with irrefiftible fury on!
Colberg. The Ruflians, when they faw that the meafuresl
the king had taken, rendered the completion of both theirl
defigns impraflicable, refolved at all adventures to fecurcl
one of them. Colberg was the objeft of their choice, not!
only as the place furtheft from fuccour but as the pofltilFionj
of it would be an advantage fitteft for anfwering thofe endsl
which were more nearly and properly Rufiian. M. Buttur-I
lin, therefore, as foon as he had eftablilhed his convoys, di<j

reded

i)6i. The History of the War. 403

Lftcd his courfe towards Pomerania, and being mafter of

Un^perg, he fent detachments from thence, that cruelly

wailed all the adjoining Marche of Brandenburg, without

jtthe fame time diverting himfelf by thefe ravages from his

1 main intention.

A force of Ruffians was by this time aflembled in Pome-
[rania, to -which it was impoffible for the king of Pruflla to
flopofe any thing that was in any degree able to contend
with them in the field; of courfe he could not promife
himfelf that immediate raifmg the fiege could be the effeft
of thefe fuccours. All he could do was to fend another de-
tachment to that part, under general Knoblock; and hoped
that by the union of thefe feveral fmall corps, and by their
intercepting or at lead diftrefling the Ruffian convoys of
provifion, the place might be enabled to hold out, until the
ffvere fetting in of winter fhould render the operations of a
fiege irnprafticable.

He was providing in this manner, and ftudying new me-
I thods for the relief of Colberg, to the danger of which place
Ms whole attention was drawn, when an event happened
juft by him, and, as it were, under his eye, almoft as dif-
trefling as the taking of Colberg would have proved, and fo
much the more diftreffing, as it was entirely unexpected.

On the retreat of the Ruffians under Butturlin, the king
of Pruffia imagined himfelf at liberty. He found a want of
provifions in his ftrong camp near Schweidnitz, and to be
the more eafily fupplied, he approached nearer to the Oder,
He was fo little in fear of the enemy, that on making this
movement he drafted 4000 men from the garrifon of Sch-
weidnitz : he thought that the preparations necefiVry to a
fiege would give him fufficient notice, and fufficient leifure
to provide for the fafety of that important place, from which
after all, he had removed but to a very fmall diftance. Lau-
dohn, who through the whole campaign had watched the,
king with a moft: diligent and penetrating affiduity, and
hitherto had found no part open and unguarded; thought in
this inftant he perceived an advantage. It was indeed an
advantage which would never have appeared as fuch, but
to a general as rcfolutc as fagacious. He refolved to at-
tempt this ftrong place, by a coup de main. On the ift of
OAobcr at three in ihe morning, the adault began. An
attack was made at the fame time on all the four outworks,
which the tioops, ordered on this important enterprise ap-

E e e 2 proached

IP'' **,i^

Ml'

■m

^^m.

404 'JT^e History of the War. lyg,

preached with fo much precaution, that they were not per-
ceived by the garrifon. They fcaled all the four at the fame
time; and the troops which defended them had fcarcetime
to fire a few cannon fhot. On the fide of the affailants |
not a gun was difcharged : but in one of thofe out-works i
the fire of the fmall arms fet fire to a powder magazine
which blew up, and on this occafion about 300 of the Au-
ftrians, and about the fame number of the Pruffians were I
killed. As foon as the out-works were carried, they pre-
pared to afiault the body of the place, which they entered I
by burfting open the gates, and at day-break they found
themfelves mafters of the town, after firing a few (hot.
Five battalions, making about 3000 men, and lieutenant-
general Zaftrow, governor of the fortrefs, were made prj-
foners. The conquerors found here a great number of can-
non, and a large magazine of meal. Their lofs in the whole,
of this bold and fortunate undertaking amounted, by their'
accounts, to no more than 600 men.

In a manner fo unexpected, and confidering the nature of
the fortifications, fo unprecedented, Schweidnitz fell for a
fecond time in this war into the hands of the Auftrians;
and that city, which in the year 1758 hadcoft the Pruflians
a blockade of fome months, and a fiege of thirteen days
open trenches to recover it, was again lofl in a few hours,
and with a very inconfiderable damage to thole who under-
took this daring enterprize.

The king of Pruflia felt this grievous blow \o the quick.
By their pofTeiTion of Schweidnitz he faw the Auftrians en-
.abledto winter in Silefia; he faw that whilft they held this
place, he co^ld pofTibly make no motion for the relief of any
other part of his dominions, without expofing Breflau, and
along with it the whole of Upper Silefia, to a certain and
irrecoverable conquefl. In the firft agitations produced bv
fo extraordinary and afFe£ting a difafter, he was difpofed to
attribute this misfortune to the treachery of the governor,
but he was too generous to harbour fuch a fufpicion, for
any time, againft an officer who had hitherto fcrvcd him
with fidelity, and who might have been furpri/.ed with ;in
attack of fo uncommon a nature, and which the king him-
felf had as little fufpefted as the governor. Me immediate-
ly recovered his temper, aud faid with a fmilc, " It is afa-
** tal blow; we muft endeavour to remedy it." He wrote
. .1:0 general Zaftrow, who commanded there, " We m\

no«

,^6i. ^he History of the War. 405

« now fay, what Francis I. of France wrote to his mother

I" after the battle of Pavia, JVe have loji all except our bo-

y ttour. As I cannot comprehend what hath *happened to

" you, I fhall fufpend my judgment ; the thing is very

« extraordinary."

Schweidnitz was loft fuddenly ; but Colberg made a moft
[obilinate and noble defence. At length, however, the gar-
rifon began to be forely diilrefled for provifions. General
platen quitted the intrenchments, which he had maintained
inconjunftion with the prince of Wurtenburg, in order to
cover the reinfol-cements, which the numerous and ftrong
I detachments of the Ruffians, who overfpread the whole
country, had hitherto kept at a diftance. But he had the
misfortune to meet an infinitely fuperior body of the ene-
my, to be beaten, and to lofe part of his convoy ; and it
was with difficulty he efcaped with the remainder to
Stettin. .

The other (general Knoblock) had eftablifhed himfelf at
Treptow, which was to ferve as a refting place for the con-
voys ; but as general Platen had been repulfed, in the man-
ner we have juft feen, Romanzow advanced with a large
force to Treptow. Knoblock, hopelefs of affiftance in a
town which had fcarcely any walls, and invefted by a body
fo vaftly fuperior, yet made a vigorous and gallant defence
for five days; he was at length compelled to furrender him-
felf and his bodv of about 2000 men prifoners of war.

Thefe fucceflive difaftcrs were occafioned by the necef-
fity there was for revifitualling Colberg, coft what it
V >uld, for that end, of difperfing the Pruflian troops in the
face of a Ruffian army of 50,000 men. Tlie reviclualling
in thefe circumftances could not be effected without a fin-
gular piece of good fortune ; and, in order to get into the
way of this good fortune, every rifque was to be run.

Thefe advantages over Platen and Knoblock raifed the
fpirits of the Ruflians, and enabled them to contend with
the extreme rigour of the feafon in that northern latitude;
they pufhed the fiege with redoubled efforts. All hope of
a fiipply from the land was abfolutely at an end ; and though
the Ruffian fleet Jiad been by a violent ftorm driven off the
(oaft, the fuccour from the fea was too precarious to be
depended on. In this dcfnerate fituation the prince of Wur-
tenburg became apprehenfive, Icll: his armv, which had
been unable to relieve the town, in- delaying any longer

under

II 1^

4o6 ^he History of the War. lyg,.

under its walls would only fliare its fate, and that famine
might alfo oblige him to farrender. He therefore refolved
whilft his men re' "led their vigour, to break through a
part of the Ruflian rny, and to leave Colberg to make the
bed terms its circumitances would admit. This defign he
accompUftied happily, and with little or no lofs.

And now Colberg, hopelefs of all relief, the
Dec. i6th. garrifon exiiaufted, provifion low, the fortifica-
tions in many places battered to pieces, after a
long fiege of near fix months, furrendered to the Ruflians.
The governor and the garrifon were made prifoners of war.
This place was defended by the gallant Heydcy who to
this time had maintained it fuccefsfully againft all the efforts
of the Ruflians during the war ; and as he was diftinguifhed
by the king his mafter, for his merit in the fuccefsful de-
fence of it, he had likewife as full afiurances of his favours
after having on the late occaficr. condufled himfelf with
his former bravery, though it was not with the former good
fortune.

The lofs of two fuch places as Schweidnitz and Colberg,
at the two extremities of his dominions, was decifive
againft the king of Pruflia. It was now impoflible for him
to make any movement by which the enemy could not pro-
fit to his almoft certain deftruftion. To form fieges, with
an army like his, inferior in the field, w^as impoflible. The
Ruffians, by poflefllng Colberg, pofleffed every thing. They
were matters of the Baltic ; and they now acquired a port,
by which their armies could be well provided, without the
neceflityof tedious, uncertain, and expenfive convoys from
Poland. The road lay almoft open into the heart of Bran-
denburg. Stetin alone ftood in their way ; but it was ob-
vious that nothing but the advanced feafon could fave Stetin
from the fate of Colberg. The RuflTians, now for the
firft time, took up their winter quarters in Pomerania.

It is remarkable, that this whole year pafled without a
regular battle between the king of Pruflia and any of his
enemies, yet none of the moft unfortunate of his campaigns
had been fo ruinous to him. He had fuff^ered four terrible
defeats, wi'hout having ballanced them with a fingle ad-
vantage of confequence in the campaign of 1759. Yet in
thrTe circurnftances it is almoft incredible how little he
really loll. He was able to take the field again theenfuing
year in a very rcfpctlable manner, and to m.akc head

againfl

qSi. 7hr History of ibe War. 407

againft his enemies. In that year he loft a whole army
near Landfhut ; ftill he was far from being broken. Af-
terwards in that fame campaign, he gave his enemies two
fignal defeats, and ended his operations advantageoufly, and
with great glory. But in the year, of which wc now write,
without fufFering any confiderable blow in the field, without
any ftriking efforts on any fide, his power has gradually
crumbled away. The moft calamitous defeats could n^
fmk him lower. And in the fituation in which he ftood
after the taking of Colberg, we may fafel'y fay, that there
was fcarcely a polTibility that he could be preferved from
deftruftion by any thing that lay within the reach of human
endeavours. ■ , : . , ,. „, = .

CHAP. VII. ' ,; '

The negotiation refumcd. French concejftons. Difference
concerning the German alliance. Difference concerning
the captures antecedent to the declaration of war. Treaty
breaks off. Meffteurs Stanley and Buffy recalled.

AFTER having been fo long detained on the theatre
of war, it is time we fhould return to take a view of
the negotiation for putting an end to the miferies it occa-
fioned. In reality the view, even of this fcene, was very
gloomy and unpromifing. The confidence and good hu-
mour of the two courts being fubverted, all that followed
was rather an altercation than a treaty. It is true, that pa-
pers pafled backward and forward ; and the pretenfions of
each party, the points they agreed to cede, and thofe which
they weredetermined to adhere to, grew more diftin6t and
explicit. But all ihat cordiality was vaniflied, which is fo
neceflary towards fmoothing and clearing a road, which a
long hoftility had broken up, and fo many intricate topics
had contributed to embarrafs.

Without involving ourfelves in the detail of the feveral
memorials which were delivered in and without referring
numerically to the fcve I articles, it will be fufficient that
we briefly ftate thofe pomts which were, or feemed to he,
in a fair way of adjuflment between England and France;
and afterwards thofe on which it fhould appear that the ne-
negotiation broke off.

After fome difcuffions concerning its proper limits, it was

agreed.

\ • %^: IT,

'sif;

m'U:

/'4<^8 The History of the War. iy5,

agreed, that all Canada fhould be ceded to the Englilh.
This ceffion comprehended, on one fide, all the iflandi and
/ countries adjoining to the gulph of St. Lawrence. On the
other, it took in all the great lakes, and the whole courfeof
the Ohio, to its difcharge into the Miflifippi. A territory
lufRcient tor the bafis of a great empire.

In drawing this line of divifton, another queftion arofe
concerning the bounds of Louifiana, and the (late of the
intermediate Indian nation between the lakes and the Mif-
fifippi, who inhabit, or are rather fcattered over an immenle
country, that lies along the back of our colonies all the way
from Penfylvania to Georgia. It was therefore very proper
that fomcthing definitive fhould be fettled on this article,
as it might othervvife eafily be made productive of a new
•war. I'.ngland propofed that all thofe nations fhould cci-
tinue, a3 fhc contended they had heretofore been, under the
protection of Great Britain, without faying any thing pre-
cife as to the dominion of the foil.

France controverted this propofition ; (he on her part
propofed to divide thefe nations ; that thofe to the north-
ward of the line drawn to afcertain the limits of Canada
fhould be independent, under the protedion of England, but
that thofe, which were to the fouthward, (hould enjoy the
liime independence, under the protection of France. No-
thing was perfectly fettled in relation to this point ; but it
does not feem as if there could have been any material dif-
agreement upon it had the other matters in debate been ad-
jufted to their mutual fatisfaCtion.

The African conteft feemed to have been attended with
flill lefs difficulty. The French confented to give up both
Senegal and Goree, provided Anamaboo and Acra were
guarantied to them.

The momentous queftion of the fifliery was iikewife de-
termined. The French gave up their claim to Cape Bre-
ton and St. John's, and were fatisfied to receive the little
ifland of St. Pierre on the coaft of Newfoundland ; but even
this they were to receive on conditions fufficiently humih-
ating. They were to ereCt no fort pf fortification, nor to
keep up any military ertablifhment there. An Englifh com-
miflary was to refide on the ifiand, in order to fee that thefe
ftipulations were adhered to. As to the reft, the French
were to have the fame privileges on the coaft of Newfound-
land, checked \vith the fame reftriCtions, which before the

war

:6l.

The History of the War.

409

ax they had enjoyed under the 15th article of the treaty of
lUtrecht. In conformity to another article of that treaty,

ifld in compenfation for the privilege of the filhery, they
Iconfented that Dunkirk fhould be demolifhed.
Concerning the iflands of Guadaloupe, Marigalante, Mi-

Fiorca,

and Belleifle,

no great controverfy had fubfifted
ironi the beginning. It had all along been agreed, that
ihdeconf uefts Ihould be reciprocally reftored. Neither did
ihe French fcruple to adopt our propofal concerning the
affairs of the Eaft Indies, nor to make fatisfaftory declara-
;;ons concerning Ollend and Nicuport.

So many delicate and interefting points were fettled, that
itdoes not at firft appear what it was that could have re-
tarded the peace. A difcufTion of the feparate interefts of
two powers only, that arc in earned to agree, may be fet-
tled without any very confiderable difficulty. The hard
and almoft inextricable part of the knot, is that wherein the
crois concerns and intcrefts of allies intervene. There were
two points upon which, if we may form a judgment from
appearances, this negotiation unfortunately broke off. The
ilrll was upon the manner in which England and France
might be at Uberty to alTift their refpedtive allies ; and on
tiic reftitution of Wefel, Guddres, and fuch other places

the French had conquered from his Pruflian majefty.

On the firft member of this principal point, the repeated
propofals of France for a neutrality in Germany had been
uniformly and pofitively rejefted by our adminiftration.
They were considered as fo many attacks upon national
integrity. This fcheme, therefore, not being admitted,
they would or could come to no agreement, and fcarely
to an intelligible explanation either of the mode or the
quantity of the aiTiftance which they fhould be at li-
berty mutually to impart to their German allies, or of
the place in which fuch fuccours fhould be employed. As
to Wefel and Gueldres, the French obftinately refufed to
reftore thofe places. They declared that fuch a ceflion
would be dired^ly againft the faith by which they were bound
to the emprefs queen of Hungary, for whom they infifted
that thefe places had been conquered, and in whofe name
alone they were governed, though they had been reduced
by the French arms, and were at that monient held by
French garrifons. . ,- *. -

A'-, to the fccond point, namely, the reftitutlon of cap-

F f I turcs

\i~n

*-■

410 Tl'e}r{isroKY of the'WAH. i^^j

tures made previous to the declaration of war, the negoti-
ating powers were equally pofitive, the one to demand, thel
other to refufe it. The Englifli argued that this claim hadl
no fort of foundation in the law of nations, neither was iti
grounded on any particular convention. That the right of
all hoftile operations refults, not from a formal declaration
of wax but from the hoftilities which the aggreflbr has firftl
oflfered; that the contrary of this propofition is at leaft ex-l
tremely conteftible; and fince it can by no means be ciearlyj
eftablilhed, it follows that the detainment of thofe captures!
muft be confidered, on the fide of England, as part of the!
uti poffidetis, originally propofed as the bafis of this treaty.!

France, on the other hand, feemed as fully convinced ofl
the juftice of her pretenfions, and (he deemed the arguments!
with which fhe fupported them to be fo unanfwerable, that|
flie offered to fubmitthem to thejufHce of the Englifli tri-
bunals. They urged that this claim of reftitution was]
founded on the law of nations, and upon particular conven-
tion ; by the 19th article of the peace of Utrecht; and by
the fecond article of the treaty of commerce ; and that this
was ftrengthened by the third article of the treaty of Aix-
la-Chapelle, which renews and confirms thofe articles in the]
■preceding treaties.

By thefe articles a prote6\ion is allowed to the refpeftive |
fubje£ts who may have ihips in the ports of either of thel
powers, becaufe having no opportunity of knowing that a
rupture is fallen out, they failed under a fecurity of peace, |
and under the faith of treaties. By a parity of reafoning, I
the fhips not a£tually in thdfe ports ought to enjoy the fame
fecurity ; elfe, as they are included in the fame parity of cir-
cumftances, it would follow, contrary to the principals of
"humanity and right reafon, that the fovereigns had provided
for the prefervation of one part of their fubjefts from the
miferies of a fudden rupture, to which they expofe the reft.
*f he particitlar conventions of thefe treaties, they faid, had
their foundation in general equity and the law of nations;
iince, as it is impradicable for belligerent ftates to agree
amongft themfelves which is the agrelTor, it is proper thai
the fubjefts (hould receive previous notice of the rupture,
in ordfer'that they may be able diflinflly to know when they
are. Or are not in fecurity, or when they may, or may not
rely on the treaties which fubfifl: between their fovereigns,

Thefe topics were as ufual, bandied to and fro with great

heat

,^6i. TheHisTORY of the War. 411

Ijieat and little efFe6k ; and as in fuch difcufllons the arguments
Lnboth Hdes are plaufible, and there can be no authorifed
judge, the weight of the feveral pretenfions commonly de-
pends I'pon the power of the parties to enforce them. On
iliefe twc points, therefore, the renunciation of German
illiances, and the reftitution of captures, the negotiation
Iromthe beginning was at a (land ; and on thefe at length
|to all appearance, it finally broke off.

Not but we are fully fatisfied that the difagreement even
Ion thefe points might have been only the oftenfible caufe of
the rupture. The true caufe of the breach feems to have
ibtcn the unfeafonablc interpofition of the Spanifh claims.
For could France he fuppofcd in good earned to defire
peace, that is, to deAre fuch a reafonable peace, as her
circumftances might demand, when Ihe officioufly min-
gled with our particular debate, the affairs of a foreign
I and neutral power, which had not the fmalleft connexion
with thofe that were at this time properly under delibera-
tion? It was ridiculous to urge, that this was done from a
prudent forefight, and to prevent a future war, which thefe
(iifputes might pofilbly occafion. The bufinefs was to put
in end to the war which then aehially fubfifted ; and no-
thing could be farther from afllfting this defign than to in-
creale the fubjefts of debate. France muft be fenfible of
the weight of this argum.ent, who herfelf propofed in the
very beginning of this treaty, as means almoft neceflary for
carrying it on with eiteft, that their particular difpute ihould
be leparated from thofe of their German allies, with which
it certainly had a more natural connexion than with thofe
that fubfifted between England and Spain .; as all the former
parties werethen engaged direftly orindirctlly in the war, to
which Spain had then no manner of relation.

The Englifh miniftry finding the French immoveable on
the two capital points above mentioned, and having no opi-
nion of the fincerity of their procedure, fcnt dircclions to
Mr. Stanley to return to F^ngland, and to de-
fire tliat Mr. Huffy fhould on the part of his 20th Sept.
court, receive the fame orders. An cmuI was thus
put to fills negotiation, (from which Europe h.id conceived
Inch fanguinc hopes of the alleviation of its miferies) after
it had continued near fix months. So far indeed was it from
producing the happy efre6As that were propofed from it, fo
far was it from appeafing the animofilics of the powers ori-

F f f 3 ginall/

r ! ' !*■

412 7';&<r History o///&^ War. j^g,

ginally engaged, or from cxtinguilhing the old war, thi,
^hc parties feparated with intentions more hoftile, and onl
nions more adverfe than ever ; and the war was foon fpreal
to a much greater extent by the taking in of a new partJ
and may poffibly fpread, ftill more widely, by laying opcl
new fources of contention which may gradually draw
other powers, and finally involve even part of Europe.
was alfo a means of producing changes in England, whic]
at a time of lefs tranquillity, and in circumftances of let
internal ftrength, might have been productive of the mol
fatal confequences. But thefe matters are referved for th|
fubjeCi: of the enfuing chapter.

The leading negotiation in London and Paris being thi
broken off, that which was propofed at Augfburg neve
took place.

C H A P. VIII.

ConduiJ of Spain during the negotiation. SpaniJ)) mtniflrr^X
memorial. Treaty bettveen France and Spain. Differl
ence in the Englijh minijiry. Mr. Pitt reftgns. Mr. Fit A
letter. Difpute concerning the rejignation. Addrejfei
Parliament meets. The German war continued.

AS nothingcould have been more unprecedented, fono-j
thing was more alarming than the proceeding of the
court of Spain in the negoti.ition. It was altogether cxtra-j
ordinary to fee a propofal for accommodating difputcs thad
fubfifted between friends, coming thro* the channel of ar
enemy. It was extremely fingular to fee points of fuel
confequence formally communicated and propofed for de-j
liberation by a French agent, commiflloned only to nego-j
tiate a particular and di(lin6l bufinefs, when the Spaniardj
had an ambalTador refiding in London, from whom no for
of intimation had been previoufly received of fuch adefign.j
That propofal not only marked out a want of finccritvl
on the part of France, but it manifcfted To ftrange and ir-
regular a partiality on the part of Spain, that it would very
little have become the dignity of the king of Great Britain,!
or his attention to the fafety of his fubjeds, to let it pafJ
without a full and fatisfaOiory explanation. Accordinglyl
the Spanifh ambafl'ador was called upon to difavow this ir-j
regular procedure; but he returned a verbal, and foonalterj
was authorifed by his court to return a written anfwcr, in

.- i i which

|,^6i. Tbe History of tbi' W\R. 413

Lhich he openly avowed and juftificd the ftep taken by the
French agent, as entirely agreeable to the lentiments of his
Lafter. He declared that the kings of Franco and Spnin
were united not only by tics of blood, but by a mutual in-
tereft. He applauded the humanity and greatncfs of mind
which hismoft Chriftian majedy demonftrated in the pro-
pofition that was complained of. Me infifted much on the
iincere dcfire of peace, the only motive which influenced
the condu^of the two monarchs ; and he added, haughtily,
that if his mafter had been governed by any other princi-
ples, '* His Catholic majefty giving full fcope to his great
« nefs, would have fpoken from himfelf, and as became
« his dignity."

It appeared evidently from the whole of this paper, that
the court of Spain was regularly, as a fort of party, ap-
prifed of every ftep that was taken in the negotiation; that
her judgment was appealed to upon every point, and her
authority called in aid to force the acceptance of the terms
which were offered by France ; in a word, that there was
a perfeft union of affe£kions, interefts, and councils between
thefe two courts ; and the minifter of the former, fo far
from denying or palliating this conduct, feemcd to glory
in it.

Mr. Pitt who then took the lead in the miniftry, was
fully fatisfied the intentions of Spain were by no means
equivocal, and that this partiality, which they ilrong-
ly avowed not only by declarations, but by fafts, would
drive them into all the meafures of France. That a
war on that account was abfolutely inevitable ; and
if, for the prefent moment, the Spaniards rather delayed
their declaration of war, than laid afide their hortile inten-
tions, it was in Order to ft'^ike the blow at their own time,
and with the greater effedi ; that therefore their reafous for
delaying to a6l were the very motives, which ought to in-
duce us to a»5t with the utmoil fpeed, and utmoft vigour.
That we ought to confider the evafions of that court as a
refulal of fatisfaflion, and that refufal, as a declaration of
war. T hat we ought from prudence as well as from
fjiirit to fecureourfelves the firft blow ; and to be pratlic^illy
convinced, that the early and effcftive meafures, which had
fo large a lliare in reducing France to this dependence upon
'pain, would alfo be the fitlert for deterring or difabiing
Spain from afTording any prote61ion to France. 'Jhat, to

carry

, I h

!»'»"•»:

if ''! '-•

414 Tb<^ History qf t/jd War. ^JSi.\

carry on this war with vigour, it was only neccflary to con-
tiniic our prcfcnt cfForts ; no new armament would be nc-l
cefTary; and that if any war could provide its own rcfourccs
it muft be a war with Spain. That their fiota had not yet
arrived, and that the takingof it, would at once difablc theirs
and llrengthcn our hands. This procedure fofiiited to the
dignity of the nation, and the infults it had received, M'ould'
bf a k'lTon to Spain, and to every other power, how thcyj
fhouid prtTume to dictate in our affairs, and to intermeddle i
with a menacing mediation, and anofficicmfnefs as infuljoiis
as it was audacious. 'I'hat he would allow our enemies
whether iVcrct or declared, no time to think and recoiled
themfelves.

Thefe fentiments, fo agreeable to the rcfohite and cn-
terprifmgcharader of this miniftcr, appeared fhockina; to
almoft all the rell of his collcgucs. They admitted that we
ought not to be terrified from the aflcrtions of our juft de-
mands, by the menaces of any power. They owned that
Spain had taken a very extraordinary and very unjuftifiabic
ftep; but thatwcour;ht to admit and even to wifh for, An
explanation ; this court upon a fober yet fpirited remon-
llrance, might recall that rafh propolition into which they
had been perhaps unwarily feduccd by the artifices ot
France ; that to fhun war upon a juft occafion was ccw.ird-
ice, but to provoke or court it was madnefs. And, if to
court a war was not in general a very wife meafurc, to de-
fire it with Spain, if poflTibly it could be avoided, was to
overturn the moft fudamental principles of the policy of
both nations. That this defire of adding war to war, and
enemy to enemy, whilft we had our hands already as full as
they could hold, and whilft all our faculties were ftrained to
the utmoft pitch, was ill to calculate the national ftrenpth
of our country, which, however great, had its limits, ami
was not able to contend with all the world ; that whilll we
were calling for new enemies, no mention was made of new
allies, nor indeed of any ncwrefource whatfocver. 'I'o plimc':
into fuch meafurcs, in the manner propofed, and upon
no better grounds, could not fail to fcandali/,c and alarm all
Kurope ; and we could poflibly derive no advantage from
thij precipitate conduct, which would not be more than
counter-balanced by the jealoufy and icrror it would necd-
farily create in every nation near us. As to the fei/ure ol
the Hota, it was not to be reckoned upon, as at the very

. t'mc

lijnic of that deliberati
|,is harbour ; and perha
Le might perform a
l^jtions, and as little a
III Spain, blind to her
louncils, Ihould give
Idefigns of that court,
liisfaftion, it woidd be
Lhenall the neighbou
I tinted that wc afted
ind when every think
that he was not burr
Ljr, from an idea of
table neccflity ; and tl
upon the utmoft fuppo
jdminiftration that d
hreaded to wade it wa
minifter warmed by tl
« was the time for hi
« that if this opporti
« recovered ; and if !
« he was refolved thj
« in that cor.ncil. I-
•' king for their fuo[
" minillry by the voi
" dered himfelf as a(
" he would no longer
» refponfiblc for mc;
" guide."

The noble lord, w
years have added the
ing the vigour and fir
bold a minifter as ev<
made him this reply :
•' to leave us, nor c
" would othcrwifc 1'
" him ; but, if he 1
" vifing his majeft)
" war, to what purj
" When he talks o
" talks the language
" gets, that at this
" king, However,

qSu TbeHisTuKV of the War. 415

Itiijic of that deliberation it might be expected to be fafc in
,1$ harbour; and perhaps if we could fuccced in feixing it,
re might perform a fcrvice not very agreeable to neutral
|;,jtions, and as little advantageous to our own commerce.
It Spain, blind to her true intcrefts, and mifled by French
Icouncils, ftiould give in a more decifivc manner into the
Jcfigns of that court, and obftinately refufe a reafonable fa-
lisfiidion, it would be then the true time to declare war,
Lftien all the neighbouring and impartial powers were con-
vinced that we afled with as much temper as rcfolution,
md when every thinking man at home fhould be fatisficd
that he was not hurried into the haz^irds and expenccs of
Lir, from an idea of chimerical heroifm, but from inevi-
tible nccefllty ; and that in fuch a cafe we might depend
upon the utmod fupport which the nation could give to an
jdminiftration that depended upon its ftrength, and yet
dreaded to wafte it wantonly, or tv, employ it unjuftly. The
minifter warmed by this oppofition, declared that, " This
« was the time for humbling the whole Houfe of Bourbon;
« that if this opportunity was let flip, it might never be
" recovered; and if he could not prevail in this indancc,
" he was refolved that this was the laft time he would fit
" in that cor.ncil. He thanked the minifters of the late
" king for their fuoport ; faid he was himfelf called to the
" miniflry by the voice of the people, to whom he confi-
" dered himfelf as accountable for his conduct ; and that
" he would no longer remain in a fituation which made him
" rcfponfiblc for mcafures he was no longer allowed to
« guide."

The noble lord, who prefidcd in this council, to whom
years have added the wifdom of experience, without abat-
ing the vigour and fire of youth; and who was himfelf as
boldaminifter as ever direQed the affairs of this nation,
made him this reply : " I find the gentleman is determined
** to leave us, nor can I fay I am forry for it, fincc he
" would otherwife have certainly compelled us to leave
" him ; but, if he be refolved to afl'umc the right of ad-
" vifing his majefty, and dircfling the operations of the
" war, to what purpofcs are we called to this counril ?
'* When he talks of being refponfible to the people, he
" talks the language of the houfe of commons, and for-
" gets, that at this board, he is only refjwnfible to the
" king, However, though he may pollibly have convinced

*• ImiilcU

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1>\. W'<^

|r- , . :i

416 The WiSTOKY of the W kYL. lygj

** himfelf of his infallibility, ilill it remains that we fliould
be equally convinced before we can refign our underftand-
ing t,i hisdiredion, or join with him in the meafure he
propofes.'Y^^

On the diviilon, the minifter himfelf, and a noble lord
clofcly connefted with him, were the only voices in favour
of the immediate declaration of war ; the reft of the board
were iinanimoiilly aG;ainft it.

The reader will obferve that together Avith thofc matters,
which have been publifhed, relative to this very important
deliberation, with fome appearance of authenticity, wc
have added fuch arguments as have l>ecn agitated among
the people ; a liberty neceffary to place the matter in its
full light.

Mr. Pitt and lord Temple, adhering to their firft opinion,
and having delivered their reafons in writing, refigned their
employments. This refignation feemed equal to a revolu-
tion In the ftatc. An univerfal alarm was fpread ; a tliou-
fan i rumours flew abroad, and the firft fuggeftions were,
that this great minifter, endeavouring to avail himfelf by his
firmncfs in negotiation of the advantages he had acquired

, -/ , ■•' r r ' by

(ti) This fpecch has been ilnce difcovered to be one ainongft
the number of contrivances that were formed and publiflied by
the oppofite party to prejudice Mr. Pitt in the eyes of the public ;
for after Mr, A'// and lord Temple h^d taken their leaves at the
fhinj ^x\\S lad council fumnioned to deliberate on the conduft of
Spain, the late earl Crani'tlle, then lord prefident of the council,
rofeup to fpeak, exprellinga very high opinion of Mr. Pitt\m(-
doin, penetration, abilities, honour and integrity, and in a very
particular, and emphatical manner, fpoke of the innumerable and
almoll infurniountable difficulties, which Mr. Pitt and lord Temple
had to llruggle with ; thefe, he faid, were the fentiments he then
<ieliv«^rtd,and in jullice to himfelf, feveral times declared, that the
Ipecch fent abroad, (as fpoke by him on that occafion) was no
rjther tiian a vile forgery, calculated to ferve a purpofe as bafe as
it was ungrateful. It may not be improper to detect another in-
llance of their bafe condutt, propagated with no lefs avidity ; that
Mr. Pitt in his heart was not an emcmy to penfions, ** witncfs his
*' letter to a i)o!)!c duke folliciting his grace's intereft, with his
" late majefty for a j^cnfion :" By the noble duke is meant the
diikc of Neivtn/llcy who, on all occafions publicly declared, he
never had received any fuch letter.

.. .»> Rei'ifiv of Lord Bute's Jilminif^intiriit

,j6i. ^he History of the War. 417

Ibyhis vigour in war, was oppofed by the whole council*

Ifho were refolved to have a peace at any rate, and that

jthis oppofition had driven him to refign the feals. But the
irue caufe of the refignation very foon came out;, and on

Jihis point a violent conflift cnfued, in which the popular
caufe was wotfe fuftained, and the minifterial better, (that'
is, with greater effeS) than is ufual in fuch difcuflions.

ISome circumftances contributed not a little to this fuccefs.
When Mr. Pitt refigned the feals, the great perfon to

I whom they were delivered received them with eafe and
lirmnefs, without requefting that he fliould refume his of-
fice. His majefty exprefled his concern for the lofs of fo
able a fervant; and to (hew the favourable fenfe he enter-
tained of his fervices, he made him a moft gracious and un-
limited offer of any rewarc'.s in the power of the crown to
beftow. His majefty at the fame time exprefled himfelf
not only fatisfied with the opinion of the majority of his
council, but declared he would have found himfelf under
thegreateft difficulty how to have afted, had that council
concurred as fully in fupporting the meafure propofed by

I Mr. Pitt, as they had done in rejefting it. A fentiment
(in the light in which his majefty confidered this meafure)

[grounded upon the firmeft principles of integrity and ho-

Incur, and which muft raife the higheft veneration for his
royal character not only among his own fubjefts, but

I amongft all nations, when they fee a power which has fo
little to fear from any human effort, fo very fearful of the
leaft infringement of the ftrideft and moft critical rules of

Ijuftice.
Mr. Pitt was fenfibly touched with the grandeur and

[ condefcenfion of this proceeding. * I confefs, Sir, I had
but too much reafon to expeft your majefty's difpleafure.
1 did not come prepared for this exceeding goodnefs. Par-

[ don me. Sir, — it overpowers, it opprefTcs me.' He burft
into tears.

We are far from an attempt to add any colouring to fo
exquifitely afFefting a pifture. We are indeed far from be-
ing able to dojuftice to perhaps one of the moft pathetic
and elevated fcenes which could poflibly be difplaycd, the
parting of fuch a prince, and fuch a minifter.

The next day a penfion of three thoufand pounds a year
was fettled on Mr. Pitt for three lives, and at the fame time
a title was conferred upon his lady and her iflue ; a pcnfion

G g g the

III: tr.:"^

4l8 72'^ History 5/ z/;^ War. jh5j

the bed bcftowed, and a nobility the mod honourably ac-
quired, and moft truly merited. Immediately the GaAettel
gave notice to the public of all thefe tranfaQions. The re-
fignation made the firft article ; the honours and revardsi
the nexf ; and they were followed by a letter from our am-l
baflador in Spain, containing an account of the favourablel
and pacific language of that court, and of the ftrong aflu-l
ranees they gave of a defire to accommodate all differences in!
an amicable manner.
- It mud be owned that this manoeuvre was very fkilfully
executed. For it at once gave the people to underftandl
the true motive to the refignation; the infufficiencyof thatl
motive, and t.ie gracioufncfs of the king notwithflandingj
t^e abrupt departure of his minifter. If after this the late]
i vViiifter (hould chufe to enter into oppofition, he muft go
into it loaded and opprefled with the imputation of thei
blacked ingratitude : if on the other hand he diould retire
from bufinefs, or fhould concur in fupport of that adminif-
tration which he had left, becaufe he difapprovcd itsmea-j
fures, his acquiefcence would be attributed by the multltude
to a bargain for his forfaking the public, and that the title]
and the penfion wei c the confiderations.

Thefe were the barriers that were oppofed againft that
torrent of popular rage, which it was apprehended would ;
proceed from this refignation. And the truth is, they an-
fwered their end perfe6tly : This torrent for fome time was
beaten back, almod diverted into an oppofite courfe ; and
when afterwards it returned to thofe objef^s, againd which
it v/as originally direfted, and wb.ere it was mod dreaded,
it was no longer that impetuous and irrefidible tide, which
in the year 1757 had borne down every thing before it ; it
was weakened, divided, and ineffeftive.

On this occafion the clamours and inferior members of *
each party went lengths, which undoubtedly were neither
authorifed nor approved by their leaders. The friends ot
Mr. Pitt raifed the mod violent clamours for difplacing a
minider, whofe meafures had raifed the nation from the
mod abje£t date, to the highed pinacle of glory. They
faid, that " he was in fa£t difplaced, when he was com-
•* pelled to refign, by not being fuffered to carry into ex-
** ecution thofe meafures which he knew to be neceflary to
" the honour and fafety of his country. That the check
'* which this minider had received, would mod unfeafon-

« ably

" Englidi minider tli
" fition ; he has had

i6i.

The History of the War.

419

« ably revive the drooping hopes of France, funk by the
« vigour of our military operations, and the firmnefs of
« our councils under his adminiftration, and would fliew
« Spain with what impunity (he might infult the honour of
« the Britifh crown, and violate the property of its fub-
« jc8s. They reckoned up the difgraces which the nati-
" on had fufFered before Mr. Pitt had entered into the
|« management of affairs, and the viftoriesand conquefls
|« which were the fruit of his councils."

Inconfequenceof thefe reafonings, addrefles, refolutions
I ind inftruftions were fet on foot in the great corporations ;
and it was believed that the example would be followed, as
on a former occafion of the fame kind, by all the other ci-
ties and boroughs of the kingdom. But the progrefs of
this meafure, though commenced with much alacrity, was
flow and languid; a few only of the corporaf^' is entered
into it, and fome even of thefe few in a manne: le warm
[than was expeQ:ed. A ftrenuous defence was nad.; on the
part of the remaining miniftry.

" Was it ever heard, faid they, that a fov "reign has
I" been cenfured for liftening to the whole body of his
" council, in preference to the particular o lions of a fin-
" gle man ? On the contrary, this uncontrouled fway of
" a fingle minifter has been often thought dangerous, and
" was always odious in our free conftitution ; and is the
" more juftly to be difliked, as perhaps inconfiftent with
" the true fpirit, either of abfolute monarchy, or of limi-
" ted government. Let the merit of this minifter be what
I" it will, (hall his mafter therefore be forced tc receive
" him upon any terms ? Muft his prince, to gratify his
i" ambitious yiews, orifyou pleafe, his virtuous intentions,
" dlfmifs his whole council, and annihilate his prerogative
" as a king, his reafon and judgment as a man ? Was it
" ever heard before, that a counfellor has profefied with-
" out any referve or any maik, that becaufe he could not
" guide in government, he would not co-operate ? This
" has unqueftionably been the true motive for the conduct
" of many minifters, but never was the avowed motive
" until this occafion. Mr. Pitt has had the freed: fcope for
" the exertion of his genius; he was, perhaps, the only
" Englifli minifter that never met with the flighlcft oppo-
" iltion ; he has had tiic trcafures and the forces of the na-
" tion at his moft ^bfolute command ; let him, in his turn,

G g g 2 /' da

ill

til

M«'?^

': t: 'tfl

j>A/i'<dM

r^i

\ ,

", i

'''. \

•F

- 1

•J<

■i -^ij

420 "The History of the War. i-^g^

*' do that juftice that has been done to him ; let him, 11
" the favours of the crown conftitutc no obligation, be
*« bound at lead by the rules of equity ; and if he will
** not partake in the conduO: of the prefent mod intricat(
*' and difficult bufincfs of adminiftration, let him not rcn-
" der it dill more intricate and more difficult by his oppoJ
** fition ; and let him not ftudy to find a juftification of
** his meafures, from the ill fuccefs of ihofe whom he has
" left, when that ill fuccefs will be owing to his own devi-

ces

Thus far the points fcem to have been urged with proJ
priety and weight. A torrent, however, of low and illibe-
ral abufe was alfo powered out on this occafion (a). Hisi

wliolel

(a) A Letter from the Right Hon. Mr. Pitt, to a Perfon of Emi

nence in the city.

Dear Sir,

Lomhn, Cooler 17.

FINDING, to my great furprlze, that the caufe and manner 1
of my refigning the feals, is grofly mifreprefented in the city,
as well as that the mod gracious and (pontaneous marks of his nia-
jefty's approbation of my fcrvices, which marks followed my re-
fignation, have been infanioufly traduced as a bargain for my for-
. faking the public, I am under a neceflity of declaring the truth
of both thefe fafts, in a manner which I am fure no gentleman
will contradidt ; a difference of opinion with regard to meafures
to be taken againfl Spain^ of the higheft importance to the honour
of the crown, and to the mod efTential national interefts, (and this
founded on what Spain had already done, not on what that court
may farther intend to do) was the caufe of my refigning the feals.
Lord Temple and I fubmitted in writing, and figned by us, our
mod humble fentiments to his majeily, which being over-ruled by
the united opinion of all the red of the king's fervants, I refigncd
the feals on Monday the 5 th of this month, in order not to remain
refponfible for meafures, which I was no longer allowed to guide.
Mod gracious public marks of his majefty's approbation of my
fervices followed my refignation : They are unmerited and unfoii-
cited i and I (hall ever be proud to have received them from the
bed of fovereigns.

I will now only add, my dear Sir, that I have explained thefe
matters only for the honour of truth, not in any view to court re-
turn of confidence from anv man, who with a credulity, as weak as

'». ; >

jS^di^^^Jiy:^^^^^^'

,1?"

■ i ; ■■'

-■A-

4:' J

]6i

Ifhole life, public an
Bttnoft malignity, to fi
The fuccefles of his
^ults were monftrouf
honours fo juftly con
[by every trick of wit
into matter of degradi
Without prefuminf
which (however une
without entering into
we have always (hi
impartiality, that nc
Mr. Pitt, to be the m
or better qualified to
utmoft limits. Ther
and even a vaftnefs, %
every mind, and
made to appear reaf
reft, he was never v

His power, as it w
ercifed in an ordinary
tary, and withlefs co
and in parliament w
the befi: fupported m
try by the voice of tl
held it with that app
time,adminifl;ration i
der him Great Brita
in which fhe ever wj
greater fplendour, ai
enjoyed at the head c
this ifland feemed to

Ir 'he conduct of

xs^>s^.

it Is injurious, has tho\
on, from one who fen
and who juftly feverei
little follcitous about t
rous : Accept my fine
frieniifliip, and believe

Ugi. ^be History of the War. 4

Uhole life, public and private, was fcrutinixecl with the

lutmoft malignity, to furnifh matter of calumny againll him.

Xhe fuccefles of his adminiftration were depreciated ; his

faults were monftroufly exaggerated, and the rewards and

honours fo juftly conferred on him by his fovcrcign, were

by every trick of wit, lidicule, and buflfoonery, converted

[into natter of degradation and difgracc.

Without prefuming to take any part in a controverfy,
[which (however unequally) divided the royal council, or
without entering into the fentiments of any taction, which
we have always fliunned, we may affirm with truth and
impartiality, that no man was ever better fitted than
Mr. Pitt, to be the minifter in a great and powerful nation,
or better qualified to carry that power and greatnefs to their
utmoft limits. There was in all his defigns a magnitude,
and even a vaftnefs, which was not eafily comprehended by
every mind, and which nothing but fuccefs could have
made to appear reafonable. If he was fometimes incor-
reft, he was never vulgar.

His power, as it was not acquired, fo neither was it cx-
ercifed in an orduiary manner. With very little parliamen-
ury, and with lefs court influence, he fvvayed both at court
and in parliament with an authority unknown before, to
the befi: fupported minifters. He was called to the m.inif-
try by the voice of the people ; and what is more rare, he
held it with that approbation ; and under him for the firft
time, adminiftration and popularity were fcen united. Un-
der him Great Britain carried on the moft important war
in which ftie ever was engaged, alone and unaiTifted, with
greater fplendour, and with more fuccefs than flie had ever
enjoyed at the head of the moft powerful alliances. Alone
this ifland feemed to ballance the reft of Europe.

Ir 'he conduQ: of the war he never fullered the enemy to

breailie.

:f'..-.

<|l i

M*t

i^'

it 13 injurious, has thought fit haftily to v/irhdraw Ms good opini-
on, from one who ferved his country with fideliry and fucccf's ;
and who juftly reveres the upright and candid judgment of it ;
little folicitous about the cenfures of the (Capricious an t un;>;(«nc-
rous : Accept my fincereft acknowledgments for all your kind
friendfhip, and believe me ever with truth and efteeni,

My (leaf Sir, your fdithftil fricudy l^

'^■' -

-.1

422 The History of the War. i^^j

breathe, but overwhelmed them with re-iterated blows, and!
kept up- the alarm in every quarter. If one of his expedi-j
tions was not fo well calculated or fo fucc^fsfully executed
amends were made by another, and by a third. The fpj,
rit of the nation once roufed, was not fuffered for a mo-
nicnt to fubfide ; and the French, dazzled, as it were,, by!
the multitude and celerity of his enterprizes, feemed to I
have lofl all power of refiflance. In fhort, he revived the
military genius of our people ; he fupporlcd our allies ; he
extended our trade;. he raif'idour reputation ; he augment-
ed our dominions ; and on his departure from adminiftratj-
on, left the nation in no other danger than that which ever
muft attend exorbitant power, and the temptation which
may be, to the invidious exertion of it. Happy it had been
for him, for his fovercign, and his country, if a temper
lefs auftere, and a difpofition more pradicable, more com-
pliant, and conciliating, had been joined to his other great
virtues. The want of thefc qualities difabled him from act-
ing any otherwife than alone : it prevented our enjoyinf
the joint fruit of the wifdom of many able men, who might
mutually have tempered, and mutually forwarded each
other ; and finally, which was not the meaneft lof^, it de-
prived us of his own immediate fervices.

Thofe who cenfurcd his political conduct the moll fc-
verely, could raife but few exceptions to it ; none of thcni
fmgly and perhaps, the whole united, of no great weight
againfl a perfon long engaged in fo great a fcene of adion.

Whether the part, which under his adminirtration wc
rather continued to acl than newly took, with regard to the
affairs of Germany, be for the real intcrefl; of Great Bri*
tain, is a quertion of the utmofl difficulty, ^ind which per-
haps will never admit a fatisfa^lory folution. 'To condinin
him on this head we mud be fure of this folution. li Ins
been obferved in favour of that contcfted mcafurc, that
France demonllrated, through the whcle progrcfs ol tl.c
late treaty, the mofl; earned dciire, that wc fhould abandon
the German conneflion ; no triHing argument, that our
enemy did not iookupon it to be extremely prejudicial to our
intercrts. If he has carried on that war at a vart expcnec,
a prodigious ftand has been made againfl the entire power
of France ; had lefs been expended, the whole cxpcncc
might have been loft. How far this part of his conduO was
agreeable to li Is former declarations, is a dikufllon \vliich

cat]

he had once faj

• •

|ii6i. 77^^ History of the War. 423

can avail but little. He found the nation fengaged in thefe

Lfliairs; it was more eafy to pi:(h them forward, tlian to

(Xtricate himfdf from them ; as he proceeded, he difco-

vered by experience the advantages of that plan of adion,

lind his opinion was changed.

But even admitting, that, to attain the ends of oppofiti-
lon, he had once fallen upon popular topics, which even
then he knew were not tenable, it can form but a very fmall
blemifli in a public charaQ:er, however wrong it may be by
application to the flriQ: rules of morality. Ill would it fare
with ftatcfmen if this fort of confiftency were to be expe6t-
i c(l from the mod confiftent of them. "

With regard to the penfion and title, it is a fhame that
any defence (hould be neceflary. What eye cannoi diftin-
gdifli, at the firfl: glance, the difference between this and
ihe exceptionable cafe of titles and penfions ? What Briton,
uifh the fmalleft fenfeof honour and gratitude, but mull
blufli for hib country, if fuch a man retired unrewarded
from the public fervice, let the motives ^j that retirement
be what they would ? It was not pofllble that his fovcreign
could let his eminent fervices pafs unrequited ; the fum that
was given was undoubtedly inadequate to his merits ; and
thequantum was rather regulated by the moderation of the
great mind that received it, than by the liberality of that
which beftowed it.

The conduct of Mr. Pitt when the parliament met, in
wiiich he made his own juftification, without impeaching
the condu6t of any of his coUeapjues, or taking one meafure
that might fecm to arife from difguft or oppofition, has fet
a fca I u pon h i s c h a r a £t e r.

Lord JLgrcmoni was appointed to fucceed him as Secreta-
ry for the fouthern department.

C H A P. IX.

Difpute with Spiiin. Reprffentation of the eari of Drifol.
Difpoptioti cf the court of Madrid. Treaty hetiveen
France and Spain. England dcftres a communication.
Court of Spain refu/cs. The minljlers mutually with-
draw. A rupture.

HE unfortunate intervention of Spain in the late nc-
gotialioii, raifcd fo many diHiculiics, and created fo

nuKJi

r .

424 ^^'^. History of the War. i^5j j

mucli mlfchief both abroad and at home, that it becomes
an aira in this hiftory, and it is neceflary we fliould purfue
that obied from tlie point at which we left it, to its final
and fatal determination.

The anlwer which had been received from the Spani(h
mlniller in London was far from being fatisfactory to our
court. Orders were immediately given to the earl of Brif-
tol, our ambaifador in Spain, to remonftrate with eneriry
and firmncfs on fo extraordinary a proceeding ; to adhere
to the negative put upon the Spanifh pretentions to fifh ^
Newfoundland ; to reft the article of difputed captures, on
the juftice of our tribunals ; to continue the former profef-
fions of our dcfire of an amicable adjuftment of the log-
wood difpute ; and of our willingnefs to caufe the fettle-
ments on the coaft of Honduras to be evacuated, as foon
as ever his Caiholick majefty fhould fuggeft a method for
our enjoyment of that traffic to which we had a right by
treaty, and which was further confirmed to us by repeated
nromifes from that court.

At the fame time that the earl of Briftol was authorifcd
to proceed with that fpirit, which the offended dignity of
our court required, and to bring Spain to a categorical and
fatisfa£tory declaration, concerning her final intentions ;
yet if he perceived on her part any intention to difavow or
even to explain away thisoffenfive tranfa£tion, he -was rea-
dily to accept it, and to afford to that court as handfomea
retreat as poffible. The letter which conveyed thefe in-
ftrudtions was written by Mr. Pitt, and dated on the 28th of
July, a few days after the fatal memorial had been delivered
by Mr. Buffy.

The earl of Briftol pun£\ually obeyed thofe orders. He
found General Wall, the Spanifh minifter, much in cold
blood, and in very equivocal difpofitions. Me heard with
great patience the proper and energetic reprefentation that
had been very ably made by the earl of Briftol. He ap-
plauded the king of Great Britain's magnanimity in not
fuffering France as a tribunal, to be appealed to in hisdif-
putes with Spain ; and declared, that in the propofition
which had been made with theconfentof his court, things
were not confidered in that light; alked whether it could
be imagined in England, that the Catholick king was fcck-
ing to provoke us in our prefent moft flouriftiing and mort
exalted fitualion, and after fuch afeiies of profperous events

j,i6i. 'J'he History of the War. 425

L no fingle nation had ever met with ? He valued, and
Ireclprocally returned, our frequent profefllons of fricndfliip
jffld our defire of amicable adjuftment. But thefe favoura-

jle demonftrations were accompanied with fome circum-
Ijances, that had a very menacing appearance. For, in
like firft place, he declared, that at that time the utmoft
Ijirmony fubfifted between the courts of France and Spain ;

t in confequence of their perfe6t agreement, there was a
lnutuai unreferved communication of every ftep taken in
Itlieir feveral negotiations with England ; that France had
[even offered to aflifi: Spain, in cafe the difcufHons fhe had
Ifith us fhould grow into a rupture ; and that this offer was
Iconfidered in a friendly light. Such an intimate union of
|> third power with one of the parties at war, forebodes no
bng duration to its friendlhip, or even 10 its neutrality
ivith the other. If Spain juftified the proceedings of France,
land owned herfelf concerned in them, it was but one, and
iiiat a fliort, ftep, to a junction with her.

As to the three matters in difpute, the Spanifh minifter
jrefolutcly adhered to them all ; and as to the lafl: (that of
ihe logwood) he obferved, that Great Britain had offered
them nothing, but what they had longlince been tired of,
treaty and negotiation; that this matter had been already
tally difcuffed ; and that on this head Spain had given tho
Uoll convincing proofs of her defire to be on the bed terms
with England ; for in the beginning of this war, before
Fngland had grown terrible by her fucceffes, when their
■\merican governors had endeavoured to diflodge the En-
l^lifhfrom fome new eftablifhments on the coaft of Hondu-
ras, they had, at the complaint of our court, in order to
takeaway all caufe of miftruft, ordered the governors to
(lefift from "o juftifiablc an enterprize. That on the offer
of England on this occafion to fettle matters in an amicable
manner, they chearfuUy agreed to that method. But that
fix years had elapfed without their receiving the leaftfatisfac-
tion. Ihey even alledged that the Enghfh encroachments
lonthcir ccafts in that time increafed.

In tiiis manner the Spaniards vindicated the form and the
matter of their proceeding: they fliewcd no fort of difpofi-
tion to relax from their claims ; but at the fame time they
no longer infilled on blending together the feveral difcuffi-
ons ; and they profeffed in general, though not in very warm
terms, a defire of continuing in amity with us. With re-

H h h gard

426

7he H I s TOH Y of tijc War.

1 ■•■ Li ■

gartl to the matter in difpute, the W'ncni'.ons of be-.'; , o\v»j
ers rtood in this pofture thioiiiriy ut this whole difcuf on •
except that they were urged vith ^nore o\ lefs afperitv, ac-
cording to the flufluatinf^ dilpofition o.'the court of Spain
which feemed to reft upon no fure and fettled principles.
There were probably twofa^ions in her councils, who as
they alternately prevailed, changed the language and counte-
nance of the Spanifh minifter. However, for fome time the
afpeft of things conlinvied on the whole to be rather la-
vourable ; and even ?n exprcfs declar livin was at lenpth
made, that Spain had been, at no time, more intent on
cultivating a good correfpondencc with us. But dill the
French intereft fdcntly gained ground at Madrid ; the con-
fidental communications of that court with Spain ; her at- 1
fefted moderation in the treaty ; the dangerous grcatncfsot
England : the common intereft of the houfe of Bourbon
every part of which muft fuffcr,both in its dignity and fafc-
ty, by allowing the principal of its branches to be pruned
to thequick: thefe points were urged with continual foilici-
tation; and they afliuredthe Spaniards that even the figninp-
an alliance between the fovereign.^ oi the two nations, would
intimidate England, already exhauited by the war, and ap-
prehsnfive of lofing the valuable commerce ftie carried ou
with Spain.

Thefe arguments and fuggcflions at length prevailed,
and a treaty was figned betwcra tlie two courts, the pur-
pofe of which was to prcferve from oppreflion, and to
maintain the intereils of the houl'c of Bourbon. This al-
liance V ? of a nature the more dangerous, as it turned up-
on family .> t national intereft, and becaufc not ftating ex-
actly its uj)iefts, it might bemade juft of what extent they
pleafed. VVe make no mention of any other treaty than
this, of itfelf fufficicntly alarming, becaufe whatever ful-
picions may be entertained, there is no certainty that any
other has been concluded between thofe powers.

France had obtained in this treaty almoft all that (lie
aimed at ; by it ihc entered into the clofcft conne6Uon with
Spain; this connection did not indeed feem direOly «ifnc-
ceflTity to conclude a breach with England ; it led lo it how-
ever, almoft inevitably. At firft the whole tranfaOion vns
kept a profound fecrct ; the inferiority of the murine of
Spain, and the prccarioufnefs of their fupplies from Amciici,
in cafe they came to a prcfcnt rupture with England, obli;,'tii

tlicni *^

\)6l. TbeH

them to this tempor
treaty fliould not tr:"
olF; and Spnin, \vh
exhibited thofe oc(
which we have juft
loil all hopes of coi
ilie had wifhed, ai
thp intervention ot i
great induftry a re|
dare agiinft Great 1
concluded among th
England found th
confidently made, a
' iher without founda
I henfions, orders wer
moiierate terms, bui
munication of this ti
tzined any thing tc
before thefe orders c
ttlf receiveo intcllig
which the FVench r
that fource. He th
of defiring fatisfafki
cunccrning it.

Upon this applica
change in the coui
that minifter, .is in*
fufpicions that were
now fafely arrived \\
had made a confidcr
minions ; the fucce!
ing ; the reafons to
longer ex ifted. Th
ments which thev h
inc; a direQ. anfwe
plaint, not only of t
irom us, but of tJie
i'Vancc ; that it wa^
not to fiiffer a neii^i;
any longer to rim tl
were prefcribed t>v
'ntoxi'.ated witli <>i
v'"^'jiic3 had elued

i'ff®^;:

i^i)6i. The Hi s-t OR Y of I be War. 427

them to this temponiry referve. Fnn^r tcck car; ihat thi«-
treaty fhouki not trinfj/u'; until ihc negotiation wq'- bir en
off; and SprJn, wh'lft ihe was under tlicfe apjrehenfions,
exhibited tliofe cccafional proofs of a pacific difpofition,
which we h^ve jiifl. now ft en. But as foon as France had
loft all hopes of concluding.the negotiation in the manner
ihe had wifhed, and had failed in the ufe flie made of
ihp intervention of the claims of Spain, fhe circulated with
great induftry a report, that Spain would immediately de-
clare againft Grtat Br »<<in, in ronfequenceof a treaty lately
concluded among the TJourbon courts.

Kngland found that thofe boafts of the French were too
confidently made, and too generally believed, to be altoge-
ther without foundation. In confequcnce of thefe appre-
henfions, orders were fent to Spain, to demand in the moft
itioeierate terms, but in a manner not to be evaded, a com-
munication of this treaty, or at lead a difavowal that it con-
t2ined any thing to the prejudice of Great Britain. But
before thefe orders could reach Spain, lord Briftol had him-
I'clt receivea intelligence of the treaty, and of the hopes,
which the French made no fecret of their deriving from
that fource. He therefore thought himfelf under a neccfllty
of dcfiring fatisfa6tion from the Spanifli fccrctary of ftatc
concerning it.

Upon this application there appeared on a (vdden fuch a
change in the countenance, language, and fentiments of
that minifter, as indicated but ton fully the juftnefs of the
fufpicions that were entertained. 'J'he Spanifh flota was
now fafely arrived with a very rich cargo; the French arms
had made a confiderabic progrefs in the king's cle6loral do-
minions ; the fuccefs of the Imperial arms was no Icfs ifrik-
ing; the reafons for their former fhew of moderation no
longer ex i (led. '['hey therefore gave a loofe to ; hole move-
ments which thev had hitherto concealed. M. Wall, cvad-
inj5 a dire6\ anfwer, entered inio a long and bitter com-
pUint, not only of the treatment which Spain had received
irom us, but of the hsuglitinefs of our late proccc'dingn with
i'Vancc ; that it was time for ihcm to open their eyes^ and
not to fuffcr a neigliluxir, an aliv, a relation, and a friend,-
any longer to run tiu riNuie of receiving fuch rigid laws a«
were prefcribed bv an inftiiting conqueror ; ihat we were
'ntoxi' ated with o»ir fiKcelies ; and a continued ferics of
V '^oilca had eUtcd u'. fo far, as kj inalw us r<li rt the rea-

il h li 1 iuii;d)lq

k 'I

^■■:^:iJ'ii:

428 ^he History of the War. 1761.I

Ibnable concefllons offered by France. This refufal made itl
evident, that our defigii in ruining the French power, was!
the more calily to crulh Spain ; that we propofed entirely!
to chafe the French from all their colonies in America, to!
have the eafier talk in fei/.ing on the Spanifh dominions inl
thofe parts, thereby to fatisfy, to the utmofl: our ambition I
and to gratify our boundlefs thirft of conqueft ; theretorel
he would himfelf be the man to advife the king of Spain,!
that fince his dominions were to be overwhelmed, at Itaftj
that they (hould be fci/.cd with arms in his fubje£ts hand,!
and not to continue the paflive vidim he had hitherto ap-
peared in the eyes of the world.

The Englifh ambaffador, though aftoniftied at fo cxtraor-j
dinary a change of ftilc, replied with coolnefs to the invec-
tives, and with firmnefs to the menaces of the Spanifli mi-
nifter; he obviated the objections which had been made,]
and fupported our pretenfions; after anfwcring in the belli
manner to what M. Wall had urged, he returned to his
firft demand, an explanation concerning the treaty : as often
as a direct anfwer was evaded, the fame qucftion wasa";ainl
put ; and at length the only reply was, that the king of
Spain had thought proper to renew bis family compa^ ; and
then Mr. "Wall, as if he had gone farther than he was an- 1
thorifed, fuddcnly turned the difcourfe, and no farther latif-
fa6tion could be obtained.

1 his revolution in the appearances of things in Spain,
was ton intercfting not to be immediately communicated.
Our miniftry faw evidently, that the moderation they had
hitherto diAilayed, might be attributed to fear, and that the
language of the court of Spain would permit no doubt ot
their hoftile intentions. Orders were therefore given to
the earl of Briftol, conformable to the dignity of the nation,
and the juftice of our claim. He was ordered to renew his
iiiftances concerning the treaty ; to demand an explanation
with ;i proper firmnefs, but without the niixture of any
thing which might irritate ; and to Hgnify, that a peremp-
tory refufil to communicate the treaty, or to difavow an
intention to take part with our enemies, would be confuicr-
.ed as an aggreflionon the part of Spain, and an abfolutcdc-
claiation of wnr.

Things were now brought to a fingle ami prccife point.
The demand was made in the terms of the order. Thc;i
it was I hat the pride of Spain entiiely threw off the remain-

il.i

1761. 7'he History of tfje War. 429

(ler of that maik, which her policy had perfuaded her to

aflTume; the fecretary, M. Wall, replied/** That

" the fpirit of haughtincfs and of difcord, which Dec. 10.

" dictated this inconfulerable ftcp, and which for

« the misfortune of mankind flill reigns fo much in the

" Britifli government, is what has made the declaration of

« war, and attacked the king's dignity ; and that the Earl

" of Briftol might return when and in what manner was

"convenient to him."

The Ea*-! of Briftol parted from Madrid the 1 7th of De-
cember ; and thus was brought on a rupture which has
prodigioufly extended the operations, and confequently the
miferies of war, and threatens to prote<5t them to a v-.-ry
long duration. Europe unfortunately found herfeirpUniged
into the gulph of a new war, at the time fhe hoped to
emerge from the old one, and by the very means which
were ufed to draw her out ot It. A point of lionour alone
feemed to have been the laft and imnud'aic caufe of the
breach ; but whoever has diligently attended to iJie Spanifli
affairs from the memorial prcfented by Bufly to liic nnal
aiifvver delivered by Wall, will fee that the motives were,
however ill underftood, of a much more ferious and impor-
tant nature.

As the two powers had now come to extremities, and the
Englifti ambaftador had departed from Madrid, the Spanilh
minifter alfo quitted London ; but before his dcjarturc he
left a paper, in the nature of a manifefto, of very little im-
portance in point of argument, but filled with inv(<5livc<;,
charging the war on the haughtinefs of the late EMglifh
minifter, and on the Utile refpcfl with which his court had
been treated, both during the adminiftration cf that mii^iflvT,
and fuice his refignation. That liad the purport of the
treaty been defircd in a manner Icf^ oftenfivc to the dignity
of his mafter, it might as eaf^ly have been obiaini-d, as it
could have been juftified ; for the treaty, which was believ-
ed to have been figned on the 15th of Auj ft, contained
only a reciprocal guaranty of the dominions of the feveial
branches of the houfeof Bourbon, but with this particular
ic'ftriQion, that it fliould only extend to the dominions
which fliall remain to France after the prefent war.

It muft be remarked that, this paper, whilft it pretcndi
to let forth the purport of a treaty dated the i 5th of Au^';uft,
iiocs not deny the e\iftence or any other treaty, wliicli

»night

■*M

r»

430 "Tbi' History of the. War. i^g^

might morq ofFcnfivcly concern the intcrcft of Great Britain.
It \v:is howcvi-r anlvvcrtil in every ariiile with the iiimoll
motleration, perlpituity and force, in a memorial of lord
Epremont. Here we tlofe the Spanilh tranfadion ; as tlij^
is the \\ hole of what helongs properly to the year we treat
of. All that remains for ii.s to do, is to touch upon the at-
fairs of the I'ail Indies and America.

C H A P. X.

AFTKR the defeat of the French near Wandewnfli,
the taking of the city of Arcot, and the redu6\ion ol
the fortrclVes of Chittcput and Carrical, Fondicherry was
the only fpace of confequencc which remained to our ene-
mies in India. This town, heautifully huilt, ftronply forti-
fied, and four lea|>;ues in circuit, feemed rather the capital
of a kingdom, than a trading crtahlifhment. It is fituaicd
on the coall of Malabar, about forty miles from our Icttlc-
ment at Madrafs, which in the days of its profpcrity it ri-
valled, if not exceeded in trade, opulence and fplendor; ami
it ftill remained the depofitory of whatever wealth was jctr
to the French, after the reverfc of their fortune in war.

As foon as the fortrefles adjacent to this important place
had been reduced, and the inland country brought perkftiv
to our intcrcrts by the total expidfion of the I'rcnch, the
blockade of I'ondiciierry was commenced by the land forces
under colonel Coote, and the marine under admiral Stevens.
A regular fiegc was at that time impradicable on account
of the periodical rains, which were daily expeded ; nntl
even under more favourable circumflances it would have
proved a talk of intinite dii"Hcultv to attempt anv army that
could be fupported in India, the taking of a place fo llrongly
fortified, defended by a good garrifon, and by an ofHcer able
and refolute, and whofe pride and obftinacy, fo prejudicial
on all other occasions, would have made him, as in effed
they did make him, perfcvcre to the very laft moment, in

the

of January i 761, 01

n6i- Ti^^ History of the War. 431

the defence of the lall (lake, which the French had left in

Imlu.

The blockade being therefore chofcn as the moH: eligible
for the time, was conliniud with the bed difpofitions, and
llic mod extraordinary patience on both fides, for lull fcven
months. In this lime the garrifon and inhabitants fuffered
forcly by famine. Col. Coote, in order to augment their
(iiftrefs, eic6led batteries at a diftance, not with a view of
mining the walls, but to harrafs the enemy by an encrcafe
ot garrifon duty.

At length when the ucathcr appeared fettled, four hatlc-
rits were raifcd at fonie diilance to enfilade the llrects of
Pondicherry, whilft others were advanced nearer in order
to play upon tlie works. Thefe operations, though the ficgc
Mb not yet formally undertaken, commenced on the j.:;ih
ol November, i 760, but as the I afonof the rains and winds
was not yet quite over, much was fufiered from ftorms,
wliich ruined the batteries and approaches. They were
however always repaired with the utmofl: alacrity and fpecd,
and the fiege fuiFered no intermiffion. So that the befieged,
wIk) eagerly expelled the arrival of their fleet to their reliet,
were reduced to the moft extreme diftrefs. They lived on
tamely, elephants, dogs, and cats. The extreme fcarcity
and dcarnefs even of this wretched provifion, increafed their
mifery. Sixteen roupies (half crowns) had been paid for
ihc flefli of a dog.

In the nidfl: of this diflrefs their hopes were fuddenly re-
vived, and thofe of the befiegers, notwithflanding the pro-
grcfs they had made, almoft totally depr 'ffcd. On the firfl
ol" January 1761, one of thofe terrible ftorms, fo frequent
in the Indian fea, and fo ruinous, drove the F.nglifli fquadron
from before Pondicherry. Two fliips of the line were
wrecked, and their crews, with the exception of two or
three men, entirely perifhed. Two others of the fame clafs
were driven afliore, and beat to pieces. The men fortu-
nately efcaped. The real damage which our fleet fuftained
on this occafion, together with the idea of a far greater^
fuggefted by their own defires, and juftiHcd by the violence
of the fl:orm, elevated to the higheft pitrh the fpirits of the
Riurifon, funk by difeafe, famine, fatigue, and an uninter-
rupted train of advcrfe fortune. General Lally feeing the

port clear, lent an cxprefs without delay to the French
assent in the neighbouring neutral fettlemenls, that this wa»

tho

■i

432 The History of tbe War. lygj.

the time to tlirov/ in fuccours ; he feemed fanguine and full
oF vigour. The letter, which was intercepted, is printed
belcw (a)i as it may tend to furnilli fome idea of the cha-
racVer of this fingular man.

But admiral Stevens, and thofe who commanded under
him, exerting themfelves with unparalleled diligence and ce-
lerity, appeared again before Ponilichcrr\ in lefs than four
days after the ftorm, with eleven fhips of the line and one
frigate, and the blockade was as complcat as ever. No fuc-
cours had been th.rov/n in, and admiral Stevens in order to
prevent the ill impicillon which the late difafter might have
occafioned, fent a mefTage to the neighbouring Dutcli and
Danifh fettlvments, of the good condition and ftrength of
the remainder or his fleet, and aflured them he would make
pri'/.c of fuch veiTe's as he found iniringing the neutrality by
attempting to fuppiv the enemy.

Notwithftanding this mortifying difappointment, M.
Laii) made no propofal to furrender. The fiege was carried
on with redoubled alacrity ; and at length a large batterv
being advaiced within four hundred and fifty yards of the
rampart, a breach being efletted, and not more than one

day's

Iterms : and in confei

(a) Tranjlation of an intercepted letter from getter u I Lally, to M.
Raymond, the French re/u/ent at Puliicat, ilateJ Pondicherry,
//)^ 2</ o/' January 1761.

Mr. R \ YM ON D,

/"TT^ H E Eftc^lijb rciiiadron is no more, Sir j out of the twelve
\ fhips they lia.l in our road, feven are loft, crews and all;
the four others ciilinafted ; and it appears there is no more than
one frigate tha l.as efcaped ; therefore don't lofe an inllant to
fend us chelingoes upon chelingoes loaded with rice ; the Dutch
have rothing to I'ear now ; helides (a. cording to the law of na-
tions) they are only to fend us no provifions themfelves, and wc
*re no more blocked up by fea.

The faving of Pondicherry has been in your power once alrea-
dy ) if you mils the pvefenc opportunity, it will be entirely youi
fault J do not fori^ot alfo fome fniall chelingoes : offer great re-
wards : I expett fiventeen tlioulan \ Monittoes wirhin thefe four
days. In fliort, rifiaie all, attempt ml, force all, and fend us fome
lice, fhould it be but half a garfeata time.

Signed, LALLY.

» ^ -

i)di. The HiSTOJLY of thWhK^ 453

\hfs provlHon of any kind remaming, a fignal wa$ made for
Itceflation of arms ; the principal of the Jefuits, together
Ivith two Civilians came out, and offered terms of capi-
jtulation. The governor preferving all his haughtinefs^
Ifhich neither his errors nor misfortunes could in
Ithc lead abate, declined to offer any terms ; he Jan. 15.
Iltnt out a paper full of invedives againfl the En-
bliih, for the breach of treaties relative to India ; he alledgefl
Ithat thofe breaches difqualified him from propofmg any
Iterms ; and in confequence he rather fufFered our troops to
lake poffeflion of the place, than formally furrcnder it. A3
[the governor refufed to capitulate, the propofal of the in-
habitants was little regarded, and the city of Pondicherry^
with a garrifon of about fourteen hundred European fol-
Liers, a vafl quantity of military flores, and great riches ^
was given up at difcretion to our vi^orious arms.

Nothing can be faid too highly of the copduft, perfevc-
Innce, and unanimity of the land and fea fervices during a
tedious fiege and blockade of eight months, in a cUmate (o
unfavourable to all military operations. Colonel Coote gave
the final blow to the French power in India; he was now
indifputed mafter of the rich coaft of Corornandel ; the
French power wa? wholly extirpated; the neutral nations
were contemptible ; the princes of the country confidered
us with an aweful regard, and nothing but a little French
fettlement on the coafl: of Malabar, called Mahie, (and
I which was foon after reduced) oppoled our commanding the
vhole trade of that vaft peninfula of India from the Gange?
I to the. Indies, the mod extenfivc and profitable fphere of
I commerce in the world.

VVhilft every thing was giving way to our .arms in the
fouthcrn parts of this peninfula, the affairs of France, which
I in Bengal had been to all appearance totally fuppreffed, rofc
up again for a moment from a quarter, and in a manner,
which was little expefted. After the taking of Chandena-
gore by admiral Wat. n in the year 1757, Mr. Law, (ne-
phew to that Law who had made himfelf fo well known by
the Miflifippi icheme) put himfelf at the head of a party of
French fugitives, which war, augmented from time to time
to about two hundred men. With this fmall party he
ihrew himfelf into the heart of the country, and joining
himfelf fometimes to one, fometimes to another of the na-
tive princes, as his interefl led him •, he rendered himfelf

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434 ^heHisroRY of the Wavl. i^g^

confiderable by feveral flriking fervices, and fupported the
credit of his little corps with a very high reputation.

The Great Mogul having fome time (ince been depofedj
by an irpuption of the Marrattas, and dying foon after, one
of his fons, Sha Zaddah, aflumed the title, and was fup-
ported by fome of the provinces of that extenfive and dif-l
united empire ; he wa« oppofed by others ; and though he|
was at the head of a royal army of his native fubjeasj
fuch is the ftate of the military in that part of the world,!
that he confidered an handful of European fugitives, as anl
acquifition of the greateft importance, and fuch as might!
turn the ballance againft any weight of Indians, which]
might be thrown into the oppofite fcale. In fad, it was to
Mr. Law he attributed the reduction of feveral confiderable I
provinces to his obedience.

Elated with thefe fuccefles, Law perfuaded him to turn!
his arms againft Bengal, which had not acknowledged hirti;!
it was a rich and flourilhing country, and the pofleflion ofl
it, would undoubtedly contribute more than all the reft tof
fet him on the throne of the Moguls. Here, unfortunately!
for him the evil genius of Law impelled him to encounter
again with thofe arms, by which the intereft of his country
had been before ruined in this part of the world, and which
indeed were thofe only, from which he had a great deal to
fear. Sha Zaddah entered the kingdom of Bengal at the
head of an army of 80,000 Indians and fomething more
than 200 French.

The French fupport was more prejudicial to his title in]
the eyes of the Englifti, than any other objection, and as
they were now become the arbiters of crowns in the Eaft,
they joined the Nabob of Bengal to oppofe his progrefs.
\bout 20,000 blacks fupported by 500 Englifh foldiers,
termed the army againft him. A major (major Carnac)
commanded that body, which engaged, and totally routed
an army of fourfcore thoufand men, commanded by the
Mogul in perfon. That prince was taken prifoner ; Mr.
Law was alfo taken, and the party of French adventurers
difperfed for ever. It is not yet known with certainty, in
what manner they mean to difpofe of their captive monarch.
It was fome heightening to the fatisfa6lion of this great!
event, that it happened on the fame day in which the French
agreed to the furrender of Pondicherry.
/V li^tk before this, Jaffier Ali Cawn, the Nabob who,

,y5i. TJ^e History of the Wavl. 435

|ini757> had been placed in that dignity by general Clive*
jotwithftanding the terrifying example of his predeceflbr,
tv his weaknefs and mifgovernment, drew on himfelf the
li'atred of his fubjefls, and loft the proteflion of the Englifli.
But as his ambition was the feeblett of his paflions, he con-
sented quietly to quit the throne. The revolution was ef-
fefted without bloodfhed, his fon-ift-Uw was appointed in
Hsrooni; and as the whole tranfaftlon was with the cOn-
fent and co-operation of the Englifli governor Vanfittart,
the old privileges of the company were confirmed, and new
iiere acquired: the Englifli in Bengal were become neceflary
to the government of that country, and every change, pro-
[duced fomething to their advantage. \ -.. -^

It is certain, that the period of this war in the Eaft In-
ed, has been marked by as many ftriking events, uncom-
Imon circumftances, and Angular reverfes of fortune, as any
that have happened from the time of our knowledge of this
part of the world. t V

It can hardly be faid, that this feries of profperity was
I interrupted by the fuccefsful atteinpts of the count d*Eftaign.
This lively adventurer, with the command of no more than
two ordinary frigates, had in Oftober 1759, taken and de-
I ftroyed the Englifli fettlement of Bender-Abafli, on the Per-
il gulph ; he then ftruck over to the ifland of Sumatra^
where we carry on our moft conHderable commerce in pep-
per ; and before the end of the following April, reduced
I Bencoolen, the principal fettlement, ^nd all the reft of our
forts and fad:ories on that ifland, which made a defence al>
together as unworthy of the reft of our conduct in India, as
that of the count d*Eftaign was fuperior to the efforts of his
countrymen in that quarter. This bold adventurer, how-
ever, could not derive fo much honour from the vigour of
his enterprize, as difgrace from having made them againft
the moft facred law of arms : if what is faid is true, that he
was at the very time a prifoner upon parole.

In America the ifland of Dominica, one of thofeiflands
I called Neutral, but which the French had fortified and fet-
tled, w^s redi^ced by a fmall armament under lord Rollo
land Sir James Douglas. North America was perfe^lly
quieted by a p^ace with the Cherokees. Colonel Grant
reduced them to this neceflity, by penetrating with great
[Courage and perfeverance into their country* anddeftroying
fifteen of their towns, and almoft their whole harveft.

I i i a THE

'' ii

h ;|

^■\^J

[436]

•H-

.',', t

( J

: M.r-.- ;■ "'' •;■; THE ■

ANNUAL REGISTER

-^ 1-

H I S T O R

: .< O F T H E ^ V - '

W A R.

For the YEAR 1762.

."•)•;•- r.-

•1- ■'•, ■■ '■■■• CHAP. i. •'\'-^"^^ ■•• -

State of Europe in the hej^inning of this yeat, Illjlaie oj
the Britijb alliance. Condition of the northern powersh
War reaches to the foutbern. Family compa^, Somi
articles from [it. Obfervations upon them. Confequen:
cei of this treaty to Europe. War declared againji Spaln\
State of Spain and Great Britain at the beginning oftbi
war between them* Advantages and difadvantages Qf\
tacbftde*

THE clofe of the year 1 761 k.lt the affairs of all Eu-
rope, both military and political, in the moft in-j
terefting fituation^ in which they have flood, at]
perhaps any period of our modern hiftofy. The endea-
vours which had been made to bring about peace amongfl
the belligerent powers, ferved only to increife their anl-j

mofitj'.

.>fi\4- • ,» I J hJ '^ ■

lit j.-w

.r-V.vr -,;

I* 'pi

jy62. ^^^ History of the War* 437

mofity. And at the fame time they brought into light and
exertion, thofe latent motives and difpofitions to war, which
I had long lurked in other powers under the veil of a neutrali-
ty ; and had only been kept down fometimes by irrefoluti-
on of temper in perfons, and fometimes by want of fyftcm
in politics. Thefe inefFeftuai endeavours for peace produ-
ced alfo many occafions of quarrel and debate, that were
abfolutely new.

•To the north there was no appearance of relenting in any
one of th'e powers engaged. It was not to be expefted,
that the confederacy, which had held together fo long, and
under fuch difficulties and difappointments, fhould now
break to pieces, juft at the moment when the dates which
compofed it feemed in a condition to reap the mature fruits
of their unanimity and perfeverance. The king of Pruflia
was not in {\ (late either to allure or to intimidate. Great
Britain could not increafe his fubfidy, nor reinforce his ar-
mies. The allied army in Weilphalia played a defenfive,
and, on the whole of the campaign, a lofing game ; and
there was no body fo fanguine as to think that Great Bri-
tain could increafe her ftrength in Germany, where (he
paid already 100,000 men, and expended five millions an-
nually.

Althoigh nothing feems more certain in a general view
of the political fyftem, than that the king of Pruflia is not
the natural and neceflary ally of this nation ; yet his fortune
neither was, fmce the beginning of the war, nor is it now,
a matter of indifference to us.

The late Mr. Shippen was of opinion, that the power of
France was become an object of ; ''ch lefs terror fince the
growth of the power of Ruflla. but he never imagined it
foflible, that all the great continental powers pf Europe
Ihould ever be united with France ; and that they (hould
confpire to load her fcale inHitad of balancing it. He never
could fofefee, what has actually happened in this war, that
this very power of Ruffia could co-operate with France,
and even with Sweden ; and, what is full as extraordinary,
that both thefe latter could co-operate with Auftria to de-
ftroy in efFeft the fyftem, which had been eftablifiied by
the treaty of Weftphalia ; that fyftem, which it had been
the great drift of policy, and the great objeQ: of war to
t>oth France and Sweden in the laft century to eftablifti and

f'!f

■n.4

^P i

i f- \

.n(

438 T/je History of t be War. lygjj.

to confirm, and to the houfe of Auftria conftantly to op-
pofe. The deftniftion of the king of Pruflia feemed to in-
clude the deftruclion of the treaty of Weftphalia ; becaufe
he is the only power in the empire capable of aflcrting the
independency of its members, and fupporting the declining
credit of the Proteftant caufe.

The total ruin of Saixony, with fuch circumftances of
unpardonable cruelty by that prince himfelf, and the ex-
haufted ftate of all the other Proteftant membws of tHe
empire, have narrowed that interefl: more and more to the
fingle objeft of Pruflia. As this interefl: was firfl: formed
in the empire, fo its condition there cannot fail of having
the mofl: fenfible influence on all the potentates of the fame
communion. Even in this light, England had an interefl:
that the king of Pruflia fhould not be entirely cruflied by
the prevalence of a combination compofed in fo extraordi-
nary a manner, that its fuccefs mufl: neceflarily produce a
total revolution in the fyfl:em of Europe, and draw on a
feries of confequences, which;, though it is impoflible to
particularize, mufl: have undoubtedly been of the mofl im-
portant and alarming nature.

But there was an intereft yet nearer to us, the fate of
our own army in Germany, which could not furvive the
deftru6lion of the king of Pruflia for an hour. Thefe cir-
cumftances rendered the profpeft of the campaign in Ger-
many very gloomy ; as there was no fort of ground to fup-
pofe that this prince, upon whofe fate fo many important
interefts immediately depended, could hold out to the mid-
dle of fummer. Befides, Denmark fhewed no favourable
difpofitions towards us ; and Holland difcovered evident
marks of coldnefs, if not of abfolute alienation. Such was
the difpofition of the powers in the north.

The fouthern powers of Europe, whofe total inconnec-
tion with the caufes, and whofe great remotenefs from the
feat of war might appear fufficient to enfure their tranquil-
lity, began to enter into aftion with a fpirit equal to that of
any of the parties, who had from the beginning afted, as
principals ^ new fewel was heaped upon the fire of conten-
tion, which had wafted fo many nations, jufl: as it feemed
to be on the point of expiring. ./ j,' .1 .«,';„;.„.,^

That alliance between the bVanches of tlie' houfe of
Bourbon, of which we have ff oken lafl: year, and which is
fo well known by the name of the Family Compuft, is one

17^2. 'TheViisTOKY of the W hv.. 439

of the moil extraordinary tranfa£tions of this, or, perhaps*
of any time. It has already produced feme efFe£ls anfwer-
able to its defign ; it may produce others ftill more impor-
tant ; and on the whole muft be coniidered as an event of
the moft extenfive, lafting, and alarming influence.

The treaty of Vienna in 1756, between France and
Auftria, has certainly contributed not a little to give that
new turn to affairs, by which almofl all the dhcourfes,
that have hitherto been written on the interefts of princes,
are rendered erroneous, and of little ufe in future fpecula-
tions. That treaty, however, though it feems entirely to
have disjointed the antient fyftem of alliance by which
France was formerly counterpoifed, may, poflibly, not be
fo much a lafting change, as a temporary and excentric de-
viation from the fphere in which the houfe of Auftria had
formerly moved, and into which it feems fo fuitable to her
natural and permanent intereft to return. The Bourbon
compact is of a different nature ; and it feems to have at
length produced that entire union between the French and
Spanifli monarchies, which was fo much dreaded on the
death of Charles II. and which it was the great purpofe of
the treaty of partition, and the w?*- of the grand alliance
to prevent. We have feen it take place in our days, cotn-
paratively with very little notice ; fo much greater is our
prefent ftrength ; or fo much greater was the apprehenfi-
on in thofe days, than the danger of the actual event in the
prefent.

It was a bold pufh in France to attempt, and an uncorii-
mon fuccefs to procure, towards the clofe of an unfortu-
nate and difgraceful war, an alliance of this kind. France
could not have expeded from the moft fortunate iffue of her
affairs, an advantage fo great as that which flie derived
from her uncommon diftrefTes. It is fome time fince the
jealoufy of her power has began to abate. But in fa£t her
fecurity, and probably too her power, will be greatly in-
creafed by this very circumftance. Inftead of forming fuch
an objeft as alarmed mankind, and againft which all Fai-
rope ufed to unite, flie is herfelf become the centre of an
alliance, which extends from the northern to the fouthern
extremity of Europe ; and fhe was, in this war, actually
united with RuiTia, Sweden, Auftria, the Empire, Spain,
andl«japles; to fay nothing of Denmark, with which fl\e
had alfo fome connections.

With

I Ma >

riiiiti

f :!'■

i, .: ,.

I* , I '

■*■)

''■■;

440 7^6^ History <?//;&(? War. lyg^,

• With other nations, however, her ties are comparative-
ly flight : but the engagements of the Bourbon compaft
form rather an aft of incorporation than an alliance. It
contains flipulations hitherto unheard of in any treaty. By
the 23d and 24th articles, the fubjefts of the fevcral branch-
es of the houfe of Bourbon are admitted to a mutual natu-
ralization, and to a participation of fuch privileges and im-
munities, as if they were natural born fubjeftsof thecoun-
• tries of their refpe£tive fovereigns. The direft trade to
America forms the only exception to this eomprehenfive
community of interefts. The tenor of this article is of in-
finite confequence to the general trading intereft of F'urope;
all the ftates of which, by the 2$th article of the fame al-
liance, are excluded from any profpe£t of obtaining fimilar
advantages.

This forms a civil union in almoll the fcriflefl: fenfe; the
political union is eyen more perfect. By the ift and 16th
articles, the two monarchs of France and Spain agree to
look upon every power as their enemy, which becomes an
enemy of the other ; that a war declared againfc either,
fhall be regarded as perfonal by the other ; and that, when
they happen to be both engaged in a war againft the fame
enemy or enemies, they will wage it jointly with their
whole forces; and that their military operations fliall pro-
ceed by common confent, and with a perfeft agreement.

By the 26th article, they agree reciprocally to difclcni
to each other their alliances and negotiations.

"By the 1 7th and 18th, they formally engage not to make,
or even to liften, to any propofal of peace from thpir com-
mon enemies, but by mutual confent ; being refolved, in
time of peace as well as in time of war, each mutually to con-
Jider the interejh of the allied crown af its own ; to cotnpen-
fate their feveral lojfes and advantages, and to afl as if the
two monarchies formed only one and the fame power. The
king of the Sicilies, and the infant duke of Parma are com-
prehended in this treaty.

Here is the model of the moft perfeft confederacy.
There is but one reftriftion to the extent of this fcheme ;
but this particular reftriftion is a key to the whole treaty ;
as it fhews, in the moft fatisfaftory manner, againft what
obje£t it was principally dire£led. For by the 8th article il
is provided, that Spain fhall not be bound to fuccour France,
when Ihe is engaged in a war in confequence of her engage-
ment?

that their coi

|j^62. ^he History of the War. 441

Lents by the treaty of Weftphalia, or other alliances with
the princes and ftates of Germany and the north, unlcfs
(me maritime power takes part in ihoje ivars, or France

j'be attacked by land in her own country. This exception
of the maritime powers indicates fufficiently that the ten-
dency of this article is' to affeft England, and ferves to pi "mt
out clearly, though obliquely, to the other powers of Eu-
rope, that their conneflion with England is thd great cir-

Icumftance which is to provoke the enmity of Spain. *' ■
It (hould feem that this treaty alone, when once its true

[nature came to be difcovered, if no other caufe exifted,
would have been fufficient to jullify Great Britain in a de-

[claration of war againft a monarchy, which had united it-
f in fo intimate a manner with her enemy, that it was

[rendered impoflible to diftinguifh the one from the other.

hn this point, however, prudence was to interpofe, and
circumftances to direct. It was not, therefore, untill eve-
ry attempt to bring Spain to 1 clear declaration of pacific
intentions had been tried without fuccefs, in the manner
we have already feen, that war was actually declared again!]:
Eer. This declaration was made, on our part, in London,
the 2d of January of the prefent year.
Since Great Britain was a kingdom, Ihe never was in

Ifuch a doubtful and dangerous fituation; for at this time
Ihe was engaged, direftly or indirectly, in a war, not only
with all the great continental powers, but, what is more
material, with the mod confiderable part of the maritime
llrength of Europe. According to the ordinary computa-
tions, the navy or Spain confifted of more than 100 men
of war ; and though the French navy was greatly reduced,
it became of condderation when added to the Spanifli.
Great efforts were made to render it refpeflable. Several
communities in France engaged to fit out men of war at
their own expeiice; and in general that whole people felt,
after having been funk under a long defpondency, a momen-
tary glow of hope and animation from this alliance, fo pow-
erful in its real ftrength, and in its principles fo flattering
to the national vanity. The gloiy of their royal houfe was,
on this Qccafion, united with the fafety of their country.

1 They were reinforced by the moft cordial amity of a power
untouched in its refources of men, money, and ftores ;
whilft Great Britain was exhaufted of men by her many
^ -- , K k k ...i - ... . .,. . viftories,

V, >

:;:>it \

:»',.■■

^w-'

442 The History of the War. i^^^ 1

vi8:ories, and her refources were finking under a debt of
more than one hundred millions.

Befides, a rude fhock had been lately given to the fyfteml
of the Englifh miniftry, which might be fuppofed, in fomel
degree, likely toaffcft public credit. The part which Mr.!
Pitt might finally take, and the confequences which mightl
refult trom his a6tions, were extremely undetermined • norl
was it at all clear, what degree of harmony and real confi-|
dence continued amongft the feveral parts of the fubfiftinf
adminiftration. All thcfe confiderations could not fiiil of
inl'piring France with great confidence.

Great Britain, under thefe circumftances, had, however I
fome things in her favour. The hope of plunder whithj
aKvays attends a Spanifh war, difpofed the minds of many]
towards the prefent ; and was fure to call forth a very vigo-
rous exertion both of public and private ftrength. Thisi
circumftance alfo infured the fupplies.

With regard to the adminiftration, their delay in enter-j
ing into this Spanifh war, contrary to the ideas of Mr. Pitr,|
his refignation in confequence of this delay ; the neceflityj
which fo foon after appeared, of engaging in hoftilities,!
and which, to the bulk of the people, feemed to juftify thel
ientiments of that minifter, together with a recolledion of]
the fingular fpirit with which the French war had been car-
ried on, mufl neceflarily have excited them to the moftj
ftrenuous efforts, and to every aft of laudable emulation.)
There was a necefllty of (hewing, that the fpirit of the na-
"tion, and the wifdom of its councils, were not confined to|
a fingle man ; and it was fhewn effeftually.

We had alfo, to ballance the great ftrength derived from]
the extraordinary combination of our enemies, that uni-
form tenor of fuccefs on our fide, which made our people]
believe themfelves invincible. This was not an unground-
ed prefumption, oradream ofenthufiafm ; their juft opini-
on of fuperior courage, together with the folid experience!
derived from fuch a variety of fervices, and fo many fharp
conflifts by fea and land, all combined to make our forcesj
feem, and be, almoft irrefiftible.

Spain, on the other hand, had, in the very conftituiionl
of her power, an effential defeft, which expo fed her on
this, as upon all other occafions. Her refources, though
very great, are not within herfelf ; and confequently arc
not always at her command, being fubjeft not only to be

intercepted

11^52. 'The HrsTORY of the War. * 443

intercepted by the operations of the v/ar, but to be de-
llroyed or loft by the cafualty ,f long voyae;es ; and, in
every event, are liable to delay and difappomtmcnt,-"' • -

' C H A P. II. ' V ^

mrlugal threatened. Melancholy jlate of that kingdom.
Arrogant propoftion of the Frenth and Spanijb miniflcrs
to the court of Lijhon. Anfwer of that court. Several
memorials. Refclution of the king of Portugal. French
and Spanijh minijiers depart. War declared by thofe
powers againjl Portugal.

SUCH was our fituation, both at home and abroad, at
the breaking out of this new war Something extraor-
Idinarywas to be expefled from the confederacy of the
houfe of Bourbon. It was not, however, altogether cer-
tain where the ftorm, that was gaihering, would fall.
There were apprehenfions for the peace of Italy ; Holland
had fome caufe of dread ; and menaces were ufed in that
quarter. But Portugal feemed to be moft Ci iangered, on
'account of her clofe and natural connexion with Great
Britain, her internal weaknefs, the antierv^ claims of the
Catholick king, and the opportunity of invafion ; that
kingdom being on all fides, except to the fea, in a manner
inclofed by Spain.

Public conjecture was not miftaken in fixing upon Por-
tugal. No mention was made, indeed, of the Spanifh pre-
tenfions to that crown ; but a refolution was taken not only
to oblige her to renounce all friendlhip, but to violate her
neutrality with, Great Britain.

No attempt was ever defigned with lefs appearance of
juftice ; no proportion was ever made with more arrogance
and defpotifm to an independent fovereign ; and no fcheme
feemed, according to every human appearance, fo certain
of fuccefs. '-'" ' f""' '•* ■' "■

The kingdom of Portugal, on the recovery of her li-
berty; which happened in the year 1640, found herfelf
dripped of the ^reateft part of thofvi acquifitions, in both
Indies, which had been the principal fources of her power,
and the great monuments of the capacity of her former
kings and commanders. During the interval of her fub-
jedion, new commercial powers had rifen, fome on tlic

K k k 2 riiir; «

-i*!

;.,j«.p

'■■' J' I fM

444 * ^^^ History of the War. j^g^i

ruins of her fortune, and others upon different but not Icfsl
fubftantial foundations. Though the Brazils were recover-
ed, and Goa and fome other places in India remained ftiH
to Portugal, her maritime power, and the Ihare of trade
on which it depended, were not recoverable. Contrary
the fate of other nations, who have fhaken off a foreign do-
minion, Ihe did not owe her liberty to great abilities i
Whilfl: the United Provinces were firft freed, and after-l
•wards aggrandized, by the capacity of the princes of
Orange, and whilft Pruffia, from an inconfiderable and de-
pendent principality, grew into a formidable monarchy byl
the genius of her fovereigns, Portugal continued to Ian- 1
guifli in a (late of mediocrity. Without any fymptoms of
danger to her exiftence, (he fuffered a gradual decay of herl
power and confideration. The chara6ter of her govern-
ment was narrow and bigoted, and the whole fyftcm of herl
commerce prepofterous. If, on the one hand, a long peace I
added to the refources of her revenue, it, on the other
abfolutcly annihilated her military ; and no country in fhe
world had an army fo incomplete in numbers, fo ill furniih-
ed with arms, fo deficient in difcipline, and fo wholly un-
provided of able and experienced officers.

In this condition Ihe fuffered a fatal blow from the earth-
quake in 1 756. The wealthy and flourifhing city of Lifbon
was laid level with the ground ; near 30,000 of the inhabi-
tants were buried in the ruins ; and thofe who remained,
with the court itfelf, were reduced to the utmofl diilrefs
and mifery.

As if this earthquake, which overturned their capital,
had alfo fhaken and diftrafted the frame of the^r government,
and the temper of their minds, the moll: dreadful diftempers
broke out in the ftate. A feries of horrid crimes, and of
cruel punifliments, fucceeded to this calamity. Themoft
noble and wealthy family of Portugal, having engaged it-
felf in a facriiegious attempt on the life of their fovereign,
was cut off at once, with little diftin£tion of fex or age, by
a bloody and dreadful exertion of juftice. Many others,
who were accufed or fufpefted, fuffered death, or exile,
or imprifonment. Amongft thefe, and from the fame cau-
fes, one of the mod confiderable religious orders for wealth,
influence, and policy, was ffripped of its poffeffions, and
intirely driven out of the country.

Ail thefe circumflances left this unhap y kingdom in the

utnioft

,762. 7V^^ History of the War. 445

utmoft weaknefs and confufion. All thofe, and they were
npt a few, who were attached by connection of blood or
intereft to the nobles that had fuffered, or by religious pre-
judice to the Jefuits who had been expelled, ccuiJ never
be cordially relied upon by the crown, ajul were probably
as little inclinec!, to any extraordinary i:fic,;is in tavour cf a
government, which their refentinents mufl iiave repr>.rent-
ed to them as no better than a bloody tyranny.

The Bourbon confederacy had fonie ground to fuppofe
that Portugal, in this fituation, would not have courage to
withftand their menaces, and much lefs ability for any long
time to refift their efforts. The Spanifh army ovcrfprcad
the frontiers of Portugal ; the commerce of corn between
the two kmgdoms was prohibited, and every thing tlirc^t-
ened a fudden invafion. In the midfl: of thefe
hoftile preparations, the French and Spanifh mi- Mar. 6.
nifters prefented a joint memorial to the court of
Liibon which was followed by feveral others. The pur-
port of thefe memorials was to perfuade his mod faithful
majefty to enter into the aUiance, and co-operate in the
meafures of the 'v:c. crowns, againil: Great Britain.

It was not eafy to hnd very convincing arguments to in-
duce Portugal to adopt fo extraordinary a change of fyiliem.
The united crowns, in a memorial which v/as figned by
the ambafladors of both, infiftcd largely on the tyranny
which Great Britain exerted upon all powers, cfpccirdly the
maritime, and upon Portugal among the reft ; on the par-
ticular infiilt which had been offered to iicr jurifdiction, by
Bofcawen's attack on de la Clue's fquadron in a Portuguefe
harbour ; on that affinity, by which the two monarchs of
Spain and Portugal are as clofely conneflcd by the tics of
blood, as all powers are by a common intereit, to oppofe
the ambitious defigns of the Englifii.

Whatever thefe arguments were deficient in reafon, was
made up by a flrong infinuation of force. The memorial
concluded with a declaration, that,asfoon as his mofl; faith-
ful majefty had taken his refblution, which they doul;ted
not would prove favourable, their army was ready to enter
Portugal, and to garrifon the principal ports of that king-
dom, in order to prevent the dangers to which they might
be expofed from the attempts of the Engliili.

The tv/o minifters added to this extraordinary memori-
al, that they were ordered by their courts to demand a ca-
tegorical

44-6

T*/'^ IhsTORV of the War.

i76d

tcRorical anfwcr in four days ; and that any delay, beyont
that lime, Ihuuld be cdiiridered as a negative.

The fituation oF Portugal was at this time certainly wor-^
thy of compalTion. If, contrary to her known interclls ^
contrary to her antient conneditions, and to the faith of
treaties, llic fhould engage in this offenfive alliance fhe
nuifl cxped to fee her territories and her colonu s exnofed
to the fonnidaole navies of I'^ngland. This however dan-
gerous condelcenfion was not to fccure her, by jier own
a<i:\, fhc would have put herfelf, bound hand and foot, in,
to the power of the Hourbon alliance ; and having receiv-
ed foreign garrifons into all her places of flrengtli, would
have reduced Ik i ielf to the condition of a province to Spain.
On the other hand, if llie adhered to her faith, and at-
tempted to maintain her independency, an army of fixty
thoufand men was ready to enter her territories, which
co\itained no place ' f real ftrcngth, and which had not
twenty thoufand troops, and thofe ill armed, and woifc
Ciifciplined, to defend it.

in this emcigency, the firmnefs of the king of l\)rtiigal
was eminent, and fnch as mull tlcliver his name to polUii-
ty with the moll dillinguifhed advantage. He refolvcd (Ica-
diiy to adhere to his antient and natural alliance, and to
brave all dan!;crs and difiicullics, that he might prcfcrvi;
his fidelity inviolable ; following that generous maxim of
king John of France, that if good faith were to he hanilh-
ed from all other parts of the world, it ought to be found
in the breail of fovereigns.

Vlis anfwcr to this infulting propofition was humble and
moderate, but firm : he obfcrved, that the ties, which
cc|uall\ united him to Great Britain and the two crowns,
rendered him as proper a mediator to then ill, as they
made it improper for him to declare himfelf an enemy to
any of them ; that his alliance with F''ngland was antient,
and iiicreforc could give no oflcnce at this CG.ijiin6hirc ;
tiiat it was purely defenfive, and therefore innocent in all its
circumltances ; that the late fulTcrings of Portugal ilifablcd
h.er (in cafe flie were willing) from taking part in an oilcn-
fivc war, into the c;daniities of which, neither the love liis
laithful majellv bore to his fubjci-L^ ar. a father, nor the du-
IV by which he v.as bound to them as a king, could fuller
him to plunge them. l''inally, lie reminded the catholic
kuig of ins pacific difpofitions, by which, on former octi-

fions,

<»t

,y62. ^he History of the War. 447

Ifions, he !iad yielded fo much, to prcferve peace between

lilie two kingdoms.
This realonable and moderate anrwcr drew on replies,

Lhich more and more difclofed the true character a?id Ipi-
fjt of the Bourbon confederacy. They denied that the al-
liance with En{!;!and was purely defennve, or inlirely inno-
ctnt i and for this unheard-of reafon, that the delcnrivc al-
liance is converted into an ofTcnfive one, fro? .he fttuation

Uf tbt Portugncfc dotniniotiSt and from the nature of the

\tn^lijb power: the ICnglifh fquadron, faid they, cannot
keep the fea in all fcafons, nor crui/.e on tlie principal coafts

I for cutting off* tiie I'Vcnch and Spanish navigation, without

ihc ports and the afllflance of Portugal; that thefe ifland-

Jers could not inhilt all maritime Kuropc, if all the riches of

4 Portugal did not pafs into their hands; thut therefore Por-
iiigal furniflies them with the means to make war; and
their alliance with the court of Great Britain 'is oflen-
five.

Certainly, the ftuotion of a country was never before
given as a reafon, however it might have fcrved as a fecrct
motive, for declaring war againfl it. Nor was it before
heard, tint the common advantages of trade, derived from
a neutral nation, could be deemed an a6l of hoftility. Thcle
were rather infults than arguments. And the whole pro-
ceedings of the united crowns were in the fame llrain ; they
undertook to judge for Portugal of the pretended yoke which
was impofed upon her by Ivngland, and which flie could
not herftif difcover ; to refent irijurics for her, for which
ihe had received and accept d latisfa^tion ; and, ;i5 if this
had not been indignity fufficient, tliev infultingly inform
the king of Portugal, that be ought to />r plaJ 0/ the nccejji-
ty whi< h they laid upon him to make vje of hii rctfovi in
order to take the road oj bif Flory^ nnd the common intereft.
This nccelfity was the immediate inarch of their army to
take pofleflion of his dominions.

So extraordinary a treatment neither intimidated the king
from the tirmnefs of his refolution, nor provoked him to
cluuige from the moderation of his language. H*' main-
tained, that the treaties of league and commerce, which
fubfifled between Portugal and Great Britain, are fuch n»
the law of God, of nature, and of nations, have always
fieemed innocent. He intreated their mod chrillian and
catholic majertics to open tl.eir cyci; to the cr)ing injujlicc

4'«

? ' '

\ '

44^ ^hii History of the War. il6z\

of purfuing agalnft Portugal, the war kindled againft Great
Britain: he dtfircd them to confider, that they were giving
an example, which would produce the deftrudion of man-
kind ; that there was an end of the public fafety, if neutral
nations were to be attacked, becaufe they have defenfne'
treaties with the belligerent powers ; that a maxim fo dc-
ilruclive would occafion defolation in all Europe, the mo-
ment a war was kindled between any two dates ; that, there-
fore, if their troops fliould enter his dominions, he would
in defence of his neutrality, endeavour to repulfe them with
all his forces, and thofe of his allies ; and he concluded with
this magnanimous declaration, that // would affe^ him kfs^
though reduced to the lajl extremityy of which the Great
fudge is the fole arbiter y to let the lajl tHe of his palace
fall, an4 to fee his faithful fnhje^s fpill the lajl drop of
their blood, than to facrifce, together with the honour of
his crowh, all that Portugal holds mojl dear ; and to fub~
mit, by fucb extraordinary means, to become an unheard-of
example to all pacific powers, ^vho will no longer be able to
enjoy the benefit of neutrality whenever a varjhall be
kindled between other powers 'th which the former are
connected by defevfve treaties. /hen this final refolution
i' ' was thus fpiritedly declared, paflports were de-
April 27. manded for the ambafladors of the two crowns,
who immediately departed; and, in a little time
after, France and Spain jointly declared war againft Portu-
gal.

We have dwelt fome time upon this tranfafllon : we
hope the reader will not think the narrative drawn into a
blameable length. The fubjeft is interefting, the proce-
dure uncommon, and the example alarming. This war
againft Portugal was the firft fruit of the Bourbon compad:
they fhewed very early to the world, what it was to expefl:
frum the maturity of this league; when they were fo ele-
vated by the fuperiority they imagined they had attained,
even in forming it, that they thought themfelves difpenfed
from thofe decorums, and plaufible appearances, which the
moft ambitious princes commonly make ufc of, in the exe-
cution of their moft ambitious defi^^ns. If they had invad-
ed Portugal without any declaration, at all, it might, per-
haps, be confidercd as a piece of convenient injuftice, which
they left the previous neceflity, and fubfequent fuccefs of
their affairs, to juftify as they could ; but fo many memo-
rial

|,y62. ^he History of the War. 449

rials and reafonings on the fubje£t, (hew that this oppreflion
Las deliberate, and that they had not been driven to it by a

fudden emergency, but that it became a regular and avowed

part of their political fyflem.

Having laid open the manner in which the fouthern part
|of Europe fo furprifingly became engaged in this war, it is

now our bufinefs to relate in what manner fome of the

northern parts were as furprifingly extricated out of it.

CHAP. III.

^eatb of the emprefs Elizabeth of Rufpa. Her cbara^er.
State of the power of Rujpa on her deceafe. Her nepheiLy
Peter III. fucceeds. Intire change offyjiem. Peace with
Prujpa. Peace between Pruffta and Sweden. Prufpan
conquejls refiored. The czar enters into an alliance with
the king of Pruffta. War with Denmark threatened. Its
caufe. Extorted loan from Hamburgh. Campaign be-
tween Prujpans and Aujiriam opens. Pruffians obtain
advantages in Saxony and Silefta. Sudden revolution in
Rufta. i - >

WE have feen, in the clofe of the laft year, that, by the
taking of Colberg, on one hand, and Schvveidnilz,
on the other, the king of Pruflia's dominions were entirely

I at the mercy of his enemies : his forces were worn away,
and even his efforts had gradually declined: a complete

hiftory, tho' this was an event not at all probable, could not
fave him. The RufTians, by wintering in Pomerania, and
by the poffeflion of Colberg, which infured them fupplies
by a fafe and expeditious channel, were in a condition to
commence their operations m.uch earlier than ufual, as well
as to fuftain them with more fpirit and uniformity. No
refource of policy could be tried with the lead expe6:ation
offuccefs. After fuch a rcfiftance for five years, of which
the world never furnilhed. another example, the king of
Pruflla had nothing left but fuch a conduct as might clofe
the fcene with glory, fince there was fo little appearance of

pis concluding the war with fafety.
In the midfl: of thefe gloomy appearances, his inveterrte

land inflexible enemy, the emprefs of Ruflia,

died, in the fixty-third year of her age, and the Jan. 2.

twenty-fecond of her reign.

L 1 I TM.

450 The History of the WaR. n62 i

This princefs was fecond daughter to Peter the Great
and a defcendant not altogether unworthy of that illuftrious
founder of the Rufllan empire. From being little better
t' an a prifoner, fhe became in a moment a defpotic fover-
e gn. At the acceflion of this princefs, the Ruffian power
fo newly created, fecmcd to be in danger of a decline, from
the many revolutions to which the empire had been fubjeft •
and the inftitutions of Peter the Great, by which that ex-
tenfive part of the world was drawn out of barbarifm, be-
gan perceivably to decay, until her acceflion to the throne i
when the former was put out of all queftion by the vigour
of her government, and the latter cheriflied and promoted
by the encouragement which fhe gave to every valuable art'
and fcience. The academy at Peterfburg is at prefent one!
of the mod flourifhing in Europe, and has already enriched J
the learned world with confiderable difcoveries.

In fafk, file governed the RufTian empire with morej
lenity than any of her predecefTors ; and, perhaps, carried i
this amiable difpofition to an impolitic accefs. She regu- i
lated and increafed her finances ; kept alive, and even in-
creafed, the difciphne of her armies ; and in all her tranl-
aftions with foreign flates, and in the various faces which!
her politics affumed, fhe always fupported the dignity and
importance of her country at the highefl point. For her
private pleafures, indeed, fhe has been much cenfured ; but
as they were merely pleafures, and of fuch a nature that fen-
timent had little fhare in them, they had httle influence on]
her public conduft, which was always manly and firm.

The part fhe took in this war, though it might in fomci
meafure have been didated by relentment, was at the fame
time the refult of the foundeil policy. No power, but that
of the king of PrufTia, was capable of checking hers. He
was, not only from his flrength and character, but from the
fituation of his dominions, the only prince in Europe from
whom it could be materially her interefl to make conquefts.j
By the retention of PruflTia, and by the dominion which in
another name, fhe held over the dutchy of Courland, flie
pofTefTed a very great fhare of the Baltic coaft, and thereby!
poifefled the means of becoming a maritime power of the
firfl: order. With thefe advantages, fhe might eafily com-
plete all that had been wanting, towards eflablifliingan un-
controulalile power over Poland. By the fame means fliel
might entirely ovec-awc Denmark and Sweden ; and aifo,

1^62. The History of the W AK, - 451

by her vicinity, fhe would be enabled to interpofe in the
concerns of Germany, with much more authority than fhc
had hitherto poflefied ; although her intervention had
always been of confequence.

In reality, the houfe of Auftria feemed to make far greater
facrifices of her intereft to her refentment than Ruflia did,
with whom thofe two principals went hand in hand, and
Ifiipported each other. For nothing is more evident, than
that Ruflia would fet up for a defender of the liberties of
Germany, if %ver fhe got any footing in its neighbourhood ;
that fhe would animate the powers there to alVert a greater
degree of independence than they do at prefent ; that fhe
would render, by her machinations, the empire in the Au-
jlrian family very precarious ; and might even find means of
fetting fome feeble prince on the imperial throne, in order
to embroil the whole Germanic body, and to keep it in en-
tire dependence upon RufTia. On the whole, if the projefls
of Aufiria had fucceeded in their full extent, fhe would have
very foon found in RufTia a more powerful reflraint than
ever fhe had either in France or Sweden, even in the great-
eft heights of their power and credit in Germany. She
would, indeed, have ruined the king of PrufTia ; but ftie
would have purchafed his ruin with her own independency.

Thefc were the profpcQ;s that lay before all political rea-
foners at the time of the death of the emprefs Elizabeth.
Charles Peter Ulric, of the houfe of Holflein, who had
been created grand duke of Ruffia, and appointed heir ap-
parent to that vafl empire by the late czarina, fucceeded,
under the name of Peter III. None but thofe who were
intimately acquainted with the character and difpofition of
the new czar, could have any rcafon to imagine that he
would abandon the fyflem of his predecelTor, which was
certainly founded on the true intercjl of ihe country he go-
verned. The king of Pruflia himfelf feemed for fonie time
to have entertained no great hopes from this change. The
czar had, however, fometimes difcovered marks of cflccm
for die character of this monarch. He had the black eagle,
of which order the king of Pruflia is grand niaflcr. l^ut the
king of Pruflia could place very little confidence in this :
however, with that air of pleafantry, whicli never enlirely
forfook him in all his misi'nrlanc^, he laid in a letter to Mr.
Mitchel, the Britifli miniiler at the Rnirum court, " Is not
this a very extraordinary knight, to feed 80,000 men al my
' I. I I 2 cxpcnce j

^' f i: t| f

M>: I i .^:-

1*2 - i'i

''^' *■&■■■ ■'■lSi»i|- ^

452 'I'f-'c History of the War. jng^

expencc ? He is the only one of my knights that takes thai-
liberty. If every knight of the garter did the fame, your
England ^^England though it is) would be devoured by them
I beg you would endeavour to make m}> knight more trac-
table, and tell him it is againft the inftitutes of the order
for a knight to eat up his grand maftcr."

Tlie eyes of all Europe were now fixed upon the fleps
which the czar might take. With regard to the govern-
ment of his country, nothing could be more popuLir and
aufpicious than his firfl: meafures. The earlieft ufe he made
of his abfolute power, v/as, to fet the Ruflian nobility and
gentry free, and to put them on the fame footing wuh thole
of their rank in the other more moderate govern merts of
Europe. Almofl: all the exiles were iecailed to court, and
amongffc the reft the unfortunate count Biron, who, from a
fovereign prince, had been reduced to the moft wretched
condition, in the moil wretched country on the globe. He
had been many years a peafant of Siberia, and may very
probably once more become a fovereign prince. It is jn
ihofe defpotic governments we fee the mo{t ftrikingexcelTes
and difmal reverfes of fortune ; in which one day a perfon
is raifed to fomething almofl: abov^. man, and the next i

perhaps in a moment degraded to the lowed ftation cf hu-
manity.

The new emperor proceeded in his refornjation to aboliih
feme fevere and tyrannical jurifdi6lions, and intending the
fame benign difpofition to all degrees of his fubje£ls, he
leflened the tax upon fait, to ihe very great and univerfal
relief of the poor.

Thefe beginnings gave the moft favourable imprefllons of
hir> domeftic government. But Europe was principally con-
cerned in his foreign politics. It was not long before his
d'fpofiticns to peace became apparent. What aftonifhed
the world, was the high rate at which he valued this bleiling.
In a memorial, which he caufed to be deliversd on the 230
of February, to the minifters of the allied courts, he declar-
ed, that, /// order to the eflablijhment ofpeaccy be was ready
to facrifu r all the conquejis made by the arms of Ruffta in this
"Mary in hopes that the allied courts will on their parts equally
prefer the refioraticn of peace and tranquillity, to the advan-
tages which they might expi^ from the continuance of tbr
war, hut which they cannot obtain but by a continuance of
the effufion of human blood.

... The

,j62. 'J'he History of the War. 453

The aMles praifed the ilifintcreftedncrs, fpirit, ami huma-
nity of this declaration ; but rccommcmled to his attention
the fidelity to treaties, which conllitutcs a no \tk valuable
part of the royal charafler, and a no iefs confiderablo branch
of the duty of a monarch to his fubjefts. They fhcwed a
difpofition to imitate his defire for peace, but by no means
to follow his example in purchafing it by a ccilion uinll the
advantages, which they liad acquired, or hoped to acquire
by the war.

The czar having thus far complied with decency, and
being of h r/harader little fitted to wait the ilow procedure
rf a joint negotiation, gave way to his ardent defires for .
peace, and to the fcntiments of that extravagant admiration,
tthich he had conceived for the king of Pruflia. A fufpen-
fion of hoftilities was concluded between them on the i6ih
cf March ; and it was followed rot long after by
a treaty of peace and alliance. Nothing was May 5.
ftipulatcd by the czar in favour of his former con-
feclei ates, whom he entirely abandoned. He even agreed to
join his troops to thofe of the king of PiuiTia to a6l againft
them. In a little time a Ruffian army vvas feen in conjunc-
tion with one of PrufTia, to drive out of Silefia thofe Auftri-
ans, who had been a few months before brought into tliat
province by the Ruffian arms. j

This vvas a miraculous revolution. Fortune, who had fo
long abandoned the king of Pruifia to his genius, after ha-
ving pcrfecuted him for near five years, and overpowered
him with the whole weight o\ her anger, at length made
amends by a fudden turn, and did for him at one ftrokc the
only thing, by which he could pofiibly be favcd.

Sweden, who fince (he has recovered her liberty has loll:
her political importance, and for a long time acled entirely
under the dirertion of RuiTian councils, foUcwtd on this,
as on all other occafions, the example of the court of Pr-terf-
burgh, and figned a treaty of peace with the king of Prufua
on the 22d of May.

In order to account for whatever was not: the rcfult of
mere perfona! charucler in this extraordinary revolution of
politics in Rufiia, it will be neccirary to remind the render,
that the czar Peter the third was duke of I lolilcin ; and that
the dukes of Holllein had prctcnlions to the dutch.v of S'.f-
wick. Thcfe pretenfions wore rompronVifid by a treatv in
J 732. Bui as (he rtflion made bv the hoiifc of lluhkir, i-i

this

''it » ■■ V

t ''S:. '

h V :

■y.„ •

'if**}''"

; If*'

454

-The History of the War.

1762.

this treaty was the efFeft of necefllty, it had been alwav 1
apprehended that flic would make ufc of the firlt lafe onpor
tunity of rcclaimiiv^ her antient rights. The czar feifedl
cagerl) on the great one, which the polTefllon of the wHoIp
Ruffian power afforded him, and he refolved to enter into
an immediate war tor this objeft, to which his predilefiion
for his native country gave in his eyes a far greater impor .
tunce than to all the conquefts of his predeceflbr. As Ion?
as this war with the king of Pruflia fubfifted, it was inipofft-
bie that his defign.^ againft Denmark could be profecuted
with any hope of fuccefs. Wholly indifTerent therefore to
all others, and paffionately fond of this obje£l, as foon as
he came to the throne, without any difpute or negotiation
he offered the king of Pruffia in his great diftrefs every
thing he could have hoped from a feries of vi6lories, and
whilfl: he joined his arms to thofe of that monasch in
Silefia, he caufed an army to march towards Holftein.

Thus the peace with Ruflia, far from conducing to the
general peace of Europe, did very little more than change
the face of the war. It brought in new fubjeds of difpute,
and new parties, and by threatning Denmark, left not a fni-
gle power in the north in a flate of affured tranquillity.

The king of Denmark, though threatened by io formida-
ble a power engaged in purfuit of a favourite obje6i:, was
not terrified into any mean conceffions. He recruited his
army, repaired his fortifications, and prepared for his defence,
with temper and magnanimity. As money iiiufl be much
wanting for the fervices of fo important a war, as his coun-
try could furnifh no great fupplies, and the borrowings in
every part of Europe, together with the fudden inva^ m of
his dominions, could enable him to form no fanguine hopes
of public credit, he turned his eyes towards the city of Ham-
burgh, which had enriched itfelf by its induftry and neu-
trality during the whole war, and bv the number of wealthy
perfons who had fled there for reiugc from the calamities,
which all the neighbouring countries had fuffered.

His Danifh majcfly had always kept alive a claim of
fovereignty over that city, which (however founded) he
exercifcd whenever he found himfelf able. He thouglit
the prefent one of thofe conjun6lurcs. Therefore without

any previous notice he appears with a ftrong army
Tune 18. before Hamburg, fci7.cs the fuburbs, threatens

the city with an immediate fiegc, if they did not
-■•'■• immcdiatdv

favour, who had
fliul Daun's army

Hy52. ^h^ History of the W\r. 455

jmmediately fubmit to a loan of 1,000,000 of rixdollara.

Jxhemagiftrat';s of this trading city, little prepared for, or

*3CCuftomed :o war, having no ally at hand, and wlio would

; be equally endangered by the ftrength of any ahy able to

proteQ: them, prudently fubmitted, and furnilhed the king'

Iwith fuch a fupply as h's affairs required.

The king of Pruflia lofl: no time to profit of this great
and unexpected revolution in his favour. The neutrality
of the RulTians fiill left the Auftrians much fuperior to him.
Their^alliance brought him to an equality. Two Auftrian
armies in Silefia and one in Saxony, were prepared to a 6^,
and it was not clear which fide would begin to a£l on the
offenilve: the Auftrian armies threatened Glogau and Brel-
law with a fiege, and the king oi Pruflia's threatened Sch-
tt'cidnitz.

The a^ive chara6ter of the kmg of Pruflia, and the
caution of marfhal Daun, foon determined the part which
the feveral armies were to take, and the fpirii of
the feveral operations. Very early in the cam- May 12.
paign prince Henry made a vigorous pufh on the
imperial ports towards the frontiers of Saxony. The fm-
perialifts were oblig'jd to evacuate Dippolfwalda with fome
lofs in k'lled. About four thoufand men were taken prifo-
ners ; 365 waggons were alfo taken, and feveral military
trophies.

By this fignal advantage, all the part of Saxony, poffefled
by the Pruitians, was effeflually fecured ; and any attempt
which might hereafter be though^ proper for the recovery
of Drefden, was much facilitated. Although the Auftrians,
fcnfible of the confequence of this lofs, and largely reinforc-
ed from the armies in Silefia, attempted to recover thefe
polls by feveral lively eflcrts, they were rcpulfed with no
fmall flaughter on both fides; and prince Henry remained
fo much mailer of Saxony, that it was necefiary to keep
a large army from the war in Silefia, to prevent if pofll-
ble his making irruptions into the .cry heart of Bohemia.

His Prufllan majedy derived advantages from lliecondut^
of his brother, which he did not neglecl to improve. It
wciS not until the latter end of June that he was joined by his
new Rnfhan allies. As foon as this junclion was formed, he
rcfolvcd to make a tryal of what thcfe men could do in his
favour, who had aclcd fo flrenloqliy againfi liim. Mar-
ftial Daun's nrir.v occupied foveral IItoih:,, but detached emi-

neiicics.

'w,

456 TOe History of //jc \V A K. i^gj.!

ncncics, which cnaolcd him to communicate with and pro-
tect SchwcidnitA from all attempts of the enemy. I
Jul) 21. The king of Pruflia undertook to diflodge hinil
from thofc ndv agcous ports. In fome of his at-
tempts he fuccecded, in o s he was baffled with fome lofs.

This was no regular l<. .e ; but the king of Pruflia
though he did not fuccecd immediately in his attack, yet by
his judicious manoeuvres he attained all the advantages he
propofr^ from his cnterprife. For marfhal Daun, apprc-
hcnfive from the motions of his army, that the king of
Pruflui intended to fci/,c upon his principal maga/.ine, and
even to cut off his communication with Bohemia, abandon-
ed thofe important pods which he had hitherto maintained
with fucctfs, fell back to the extremities of Silefia, and left
SchweidnitA entirely uncovered.

The king of Pruflia immediately prepared to invert that
city wh'lft dtiTerent detachments of Prufllans, fome on the
fide of Saxony, others on the fide of Silefia, penetrated deep
into Bohemia, laid many parts of the country under contri-
bution, and fprcad an univerfal alarm. It was about five
years fince tliey had been driven from thence by the vi£to-
rious arms of marfhal Uaun, who now found himfelf unable
to pro^efi that kingdoni from their ravages. A confiderable
body of Rurtiun irregulars alfo made an irruption into Bo-
hemia, and began there to retaliate on the Aurtrians thofe
excelfcs, which they had thernfelvcs fo often before com-
mitted on the Prufnan dominions. ,

Whilft the king of Pruffia was thus playing with fpirit
the great game which fortune had put into his hands, he
was all at once threatened with a fudden reverfe, by ano-
ther revolution in Ruflla, which bore all the appearance of
being as unfavourable to him, as the former had been be-
yond all hopes beneficial. The variable political climate of
Ruflla, under whofe influence all his fortune decayed or
flourillied, was covered with a fudden cloud by the dcpo-
fitiofi'TToUowed clofc by the death, of his fart friend, and
faithful ally, the czar of Mufcovy.

C H A P.

1762.

The History of the War.
C H A P. IV.

457

iVl T J

\CduftS of the revolution in Ruffia. Czar irritates the clergy
and foldicry. Differences with the czarina. Confpiracy
againj] him. Czar depofed ly the fenate. Attempts- an
(fcape. His imprifonment and death. The czarina de-
clared cmprefs. Her politic condutH. Ingratiates berfelf
•with the people.

FROM the moment of the late czar's acceflion to the
throne of the RulTia's, fomething extraordinary was ex-
jpcfted. His difpofition fecmed to lead him to make ahera-
tions in every thing, and having fet before himfelf two great
{ examples, that of the king of Pruflia and of his predeceflfor
Peter I. it was expefled that this vaft empire was going
I once more, almod within the life of a man, to aflume a new
face ; a circumftance which could not fail of having a feri-
ous influence on the affairs of Europe. Peter III. made
more new regulations in RufTia in a few weeks, than wife
and cautious princes undertake in a long reign. It was to
be feared that his anions were rather guided by a ralh and
irregular turn of mind, and the fpirit oj innovation, than by
any regular and well digefted plan, for the ijnprovement of
his extenfive dominions.

His firfl: aftions on coming to the throne, it is true, were
laudable, and fcemed well calculated to acquire him the af-
Icftions of his people. But if in fome inftances he confulted
their interefts, in many he fhocked their prejudices ; and he
loft thereby that opinion, which is on all occafions necefl"ary,
but is particularly fo for carrying fuch uncommon defigns
as liis into execution.

The power of the czars, though abfolqte and uncontrou-
lable in its excrcife, is extremely weak in its foundation.
There is not perhaps in Europe a government which de-
pends fo much on the good will and affe6lion of thofe that
are governed ; and which requires a greater degree of vigi-
lance and a fteadier hand. The regular f acceflion which
has been fo often broken, and the great change of manners,
which in kfs than a century has been introduced, have left
in Ruflia a weaknefs amidft all the appearance of ftrengthj
and a great facility to fudden c nd dangerous revolutions.

Peter III. paid little attention to thofe difficulties, which

M m m to

4 .

I nil I''! c(- »

4.5^ T^'f? History r?/ //^r War. i^q^

to him were the greater, as he was a foreigner born. They
were augmented by the fuperior and invidious regard he
Teemed to pay to foreign interefts, and foreign perfons. The
preference he fo manifeftly gave to the uncertain hope of
inconfiderablc conquell in HollUin over the folid and valu-
able pofleflions which the fortune of his prcdeceflbr had kfi
him, muft have difgufted all the politicians of his country.
His intimate connexion with, and boundlefs admiration of
that prince, with whom Ruflia had been fo lately, and fo
long, in a ftate of the moil violent hoAilitjr, could not add
to the opinion of his prudence. They did not think he
fufficiently confulted his dignity, in folliciting with great
anxiety a command in the Prufllan fervice. When he re-
ceived it, he drcfled himfelf in the Pruffian uniform, made
a grand feftival, and difplaycd all the marks of an immode-
rate and puerile fatisfa6tion. He puflied his extravagance
in this point fo far, that he made preparations in this im-
mature ftate of his government to quit Ruflia, and to go
into Germany for the fake of an interview with that great
monarch, whofe genius, principles and fortune he fo greatly
admired.

Although this proceeding was, almofl: in every rcfpe6f,
extremely impolitic, it did not threaten fo dangerous confe-
quences as the other fteps, which he took about the fame
time. Nothing requires fo much judgment, and fo nice a
hand, as to cfFeft a change in the fettled eftabliihments of
any country. Above all, there muft befomething favour-
able in the conjunfkure ; or fomething fo uncommon and
over-ruling in the genius of the conduftor of thofe changes,
as will render him fuperior to all difficulties. This latter
was the cafe of Peter I. who had indeed very little favour-
able in the conjun<5tiMe ; but he did every thing by his ca-
pacity, courage, and perfcverance. The foldiery and the
ecclefiaftics are the great fupports of all abfolute rule, and
they are certainly the lart bodies, upon which a prince of
this kind would chufe to exert any invidious aQ: of autho-
rity. But the czar was indifcreet enough, very early in his
reign, highly to provoke both thefe bodies ; the foldiery,
by the manifeft preference he gave to his Holftein guards,
and to all officers of that nation ; and by the change he
made in favour of the Prufllan uniform to the exclufion of
that, in which the Rufllans believed they had fo often aflert-
cd the honour of their country, and gained many fignal ad-
vantages

1762. Tyf?^ History ////;f War. 459

vantages over the troops, diftinguiihed by thofe regimentals
which were now preferred.

Thefe trifles had very important confequences. But what
he did in matters of rehgion wns ftill more danr;eroiis. This
prince had been educated a Luthern ; and though he con-
t'ormcd to the Greek church, in order to qualify himfelf for
the fucceflTicn, he never fliewed much refpeft to that mode
of religion, to the rites and doftrines of which his fubjefts
had been always extremely attached. He feized upon the
revenues of the clergy, whether monks or feculars, whether
birtiops or inferiors, and for compenfation aMowed them fome
mean penfions, in fuch a proportion as his fancy fuggefted.
His capricious order that the clergy fhould be no longer dif-
tinguifhed by beards, was in itfelf of lefs moment, but it
was hardly lefs ofFenfive. He made alfo fome regulations
concerning the images and pictures in their churches, which
gave them reafon to apprehend his intention of accomplifh-
ing a total change in the religion of the empire, and intro-
ducing Lutheranifm.

Whilft he was taking thefe meafures to alienate the minds
of his people in general, and efpecially of thofe bodies, with
whom it was the moft his intereft to be well, he had not
the good fortune to live in union with his own family. He
had long flighted his confort, a princefs of the houfe of
Anhalt Zerbft, a woman of a malculine underftanding, and
bywhofe councils he might have profited. He lived in a
very public manner with the countefs of WoronzofF, niece
to the chancellor of that name, and feemed devoted to her
with fo ftrong a paffion, that it was apprehended he had
fome thoughts of throwing his emprefs into a monaftery,
and raifirtg this lady to tiie throned all the Ruffias. What
feemed to confirm this opinion, was his omitting formally
to declare his fon the grand duke Paul Pctrowitx the fuc-
celTor. This omilTion in a country where the fuccefllon is
eflabliflied and regular, would have been of no confequence ;
the pun£tual obfervance of fuch a ceremony would rather
have betrayed fome doubt of the title. But the nature of
this government, as well as pofitive conflitutions, had made
it neceflfary in RulTia, and the omiiTion was certainly alarming.

That unfortunate prince, having in this manner affronted
his army, irritated his clergv, ofiended his nobility, and
alienated his own family, without having left himfelf any
firm ground of authority, in perfcnal eflcem or national

M m m 2 I'rejudicc,

;: 'f

^1 !'

i ^;

f ;

460 7'/'^ History o/zi?^ War. i-^Sz.

piejudice, proceeded with his iifual precipitation to new-
changes. In the mean time a moft dangerous confpiracy was
forming againft him. The cruel punifliments inflifted in
Ruflia on ftate criminals, have only an efFe6l to harden the
minds of men already fierce and obdurate, and feldom deter
them from the mod; defperate undertakings. Rofamou(T<i
Hetman or chief of the Coflacks, a perfon of importance hy
that command, Panin, governor of the grand duke Paul
marflial Butterlin, the chamberlain Teplow, the attorney
general Glebow, baron Orlow major of the guards, and
many otl>ers of the great officers and firfl: nobility of the
Empire, engaged in a confpiracy to dethrone the czar,
who was now univerfally hated ; and, what was more fatal
to him, univerfally defpifed.

They aflured themfelves that their adicns could not be
difagreeable to the emprefs; whofe conduct had always been
the very reverfe of that of her confort. This princefs find-
ing that the afFeftions if her hu{hand were irrecoverably
alienated, endeavoured to fet up a feparate and indepen-
dent intereft in her own favour, and for aflerting the rights
of her fon. She therefore afliduoufly cultivated the affec-
tions of the Ruflian nation, and paid a refpeft to their man-
ners and religion, in the fame degree that her hufband
fcemed to contemn them.

. So ill was the czar ferVed, that this confpiracy was grown
general, without his receiving the leaft notice of it, and

he remained in perfect: fecurity, whilft the icnatc
June a8. and the clergy were afTernbled to pafs the fentence

of his depofition. At this time the emprefs and lie
were both abfent from the capital at different country feats.
The emprefs, as foon as flie found that the defign was declar-
ed, got on horfe-back, and with all poflihle fpeed arrived at
Peterfburg. She immediately harangued the guards, who
chearfully and unanimoufly declared in her tavour, and pro-
claimed her emprefs of Ruffia independently of her hulband.
She then addrefled herfelf to the clergy, and the chief of the
nobility, who applauded her refolution ; and all orders im-
mediately took the oath of allegiance to her as fole emprefs.
She was no fooner acknowledged in this manner, than,
without lofing a moment's time, (he marched from Peterf-
burg towards the emperor at the head of a body of troops.
This prince was indulging himfelf in indolent amnfc-
mcnts, and lulled in tlie moft profound fecurity at a hoiHV

iliforder, which k

IqSz. ' The History of the War. 461

of pleafure, called Oraniebaum on the fca Ihore, when a
foldier brought him an account that his kingdom was taken
away from him.

Aftonifhed, and wholly unprepared for this event, he was

Ifome time fenfelefs, and entirely at a lofs what part to take.

When he was rouzed from this trance by the approaching

[danger, his firft fuggeftion was to defend the place with his

[Holftein guards; but tho' fatisficd of their attachment, he

doubted their ftrength, and he knew it was in vain to hope

for any effort in his favour from the Ruflians.

Nothing then remained but flight, bv which he might
efcape to HolHein, and wait fome favourable turn of fortune.
This late lord of powerful fleets and armies embarked in
a fmall veflel, and with a few attendants, rowed towards
Cronfl:adt ; but he had not proceeded very far, when he
was informed that this fortrefs was in the hands of his ene-
mies, and that every avenue for efcape was fhut againfl: him.
Dejected and defponding he returned to Oraniebaum. Af-
ter fome fliort and tumultuous deliberation, he refolved to
abandon all thoughts of defence, and to throw himfelf on
the companion of the emprefs.

On her march fhe met his meflengers, who brought let-
ters containing a renunciation of the empire, and ftipulating
no other terms than leave to return to Holfliein, and the
fatisfaftion of taking with him, as the companion of his re-
treat, the countefs of Woronzoff and one fmgie friend.

Reafons of fl:ate could not permit the emprefs to confent
to the firft of thofe terms, and the lail: could not be very
flattering to her. His terms were rejcftcd ; and he was re-
quired to fign an unconditional refignation of his crown, ac-
cording to a form that was prepared for him. Not fatisfied
with depriving him of his crown, it was thought fit to make
him the murderer of his own reputation ; and tliis unfortu-
nate prince, moved with the vain hope of life, figned a paper
declaring his conviction of his inability to govern the empire,
either as a fovereign, or in any other capacity, and h.is fcnfe
of tlie diftrefs, in which his continuing :U the head of aflV.irs
would inevitably involve it. After h^ had figned this abdi-
cation, he gave up his fword, and was condu»5\cd
toprifon, where in a fliort time, but according to July 6.
v.'iiiu had been univerfiilly expefled, he d-.ed. TIic
'liforder, which killed him, was calkd an hemorrhoiiial
tholic.

M. Thus

!" ! :!i>

Wmt r

I, '.V

'tV

■!;

462 The Hi^TnKY cf the W AK. jyg^]

Thus was a revolution of fuch immenfe importance effefti
ed in a fmgle day, and without fhedding a fingle drop o|
blood. The unfortunate emperor enjoyed the power oj
which he had made fo imprudent and unpoHtic an ufe, nc
longer than fix months. His wife, without any hereditary
title, is fovereign miftrefs of the Ruffian empire ; and the!
moft abfolute power on earth, is now held by an eleQivel
monarch.

Immediately on this revolution a number of manifej(loes|
appeared, in which the conduct of the late czar was fe-
verely condemned, the weaknefs of his perfonal character I
€xpofed, and defigns of the blackeft kind, even that of miir-j
dering his confort, attributed to him. Thofe manifeftoes
at the fame time were filled with the ftrongeft declarations!
ofafi'e£tion from the emprefsto the fubjefts of Ruflia, of re-
gard to their interefls, and of attachment to their religion ;
and they are all filled with fuch unaffeded and fervent drains !
of piety, as muft needs prove extremely edifying to thofe
who are acquainted with the fentiments of pure religion,
by which great princes are generally animated on occafions!
of this nature.

Nothing could be more able than the conduft of the em-
prefs, fince her acceffion to the throne. In almoft all re-
fpc£ts it was the very reverfe of that of her hufband. She
difmified all foreigners from her confidence and fervice ;
file fent away the Holftein guards, and chofe Ruffian, whofe
antient uniform was revived with luftre, the emprefs her-
felf frequently condefcending to appear in it. The clergy
were rcilored to their poifeflions, and their beards. She
conferred alj, the great ports of the empire on nati\e Rufli-
ans, and entirely threw herfelf on the afFeftions of that peo-
ple to whom Ihe owed her elevation.

CHAP.

1762.

72'^ History of the War.
CHAP. V.

463

We^ of the revolution in Ruff a on the king of Prujfia*s af-
fairs. Situation of the new emprefs. She adopts a neu-
trality. Ruffian conquefs rejlored. Rujpans quit the
^rujftan camp. King of Prufpa draws marjhal Daun
from Buckerfdorff. Schweidnitz hefteged. Marfjal Lau-
dohn attacks the prince of Bevern. Is repulfed. Difpo-
fttion of the French and allied armies. Broglio removed.
Battle of Gruoenflein. French defeated. Lord Granhy
drives the French from Homhourg. Prince Xavier of Sax-
ony defeated. Gottingen evacuated. French army called
from the Lower Rhine. ^ ^ , .

THIS great change in the government of Ruflia, It was
univerfally feared, would be followed by a total
change of fyftem with regard to foreign affairs. The peace
and alliance with the king of Pruflla were very unpopular
meafures in Mufcovy. It was not probable that the clofe
and intimate connexion which had fubfifted between the
I king of Pruflia and the late czar, could greatly recommend
him to the fucceflbr. And as it was imagined that this re-
volution muft have been in a great degree owing to the
machinations of thofe courts, whom the czar had irritated
by withdrawing: from their alliance, there was the greater
rcafon to apprehend that the power, which was now fet up,
would be exerted in their favour.

There were alfo great advantages on the fide of Ruflia,
if the emprefs ftiould not hold the peace concluded by her
late hufband to be binding on her, as none of the conquefts
were at this time evacuated. Every thing feemed to con-
fpire towards plunging the king of Pruflia into the abyfs of
his former diftrefles, after he had emerged from them, on-
ly for fuch a time, and in fuch a manner, as to make them
more bitter and infupportable.

Fortunately, however, for this wonderful man, the em-
prefs, who had come to the Ruflian throne in the extraor-
dinary manner that we have feen, could not look upon her-
lelf as fufficie.itly fecure to unHertake again a war of fo much
importance as that which had been julT: concluded. It was
neceflary, for fome time at leaft, that Ihe ihould confine
her attention folely to her own fafety. Therefore it was

expedient

i. '.r ' ■. it/

464 T/je History of d?e War. 1^5^

expedient to cullc£l, witliin itfc'.f, all the force of the eni-1
pire, in oivicr to oppofe it to the defigns of the many mal,
contents, with vhich that empire always abounds, and
who, though not attached to the intereft of the late czar
and little inclined to revenge his fate, would find now both
inducement and opportunity for raifing troubles and at-
tempting new changes. Very plaufible pretences for fuch
attempts exiftcd fiom the time of Peter the Great; who
whilft h.e improved and firengthened his kingdom, left
in it, ai the iame time, the feeds of civil wars and rc\o-
lutions.

Thefe confiderations, whatever her defires might be
induced tliC czarina to continue fo much of the fyftem of
her prcdeceffor, as coincided with her fituation. She there-
lore declared to the king of PrufTia's minifters, " that flie
vvHs refelved to oljferve inviolably, in all points, the perpe-
tual peace concluded under the preceding reign, that never-
thelefs fiiC had thought proi>er to bring back to RufTia, by
the ncartil roadb, all her trocps in Siiefia, Prufiia, and Po-
merania."

It was not the critical fituation alone of the czarina
which produced tiiis moderation ; the prudent behaviour
of his Pruflian majefty, during the time of his connefticn
with the late czar, had a confiderable fliare in reconciling
the mind of this emprefs to him, and of perpetuating fome-
thing like the fame friendfliip, with interefts fo very differ-
ent. The Raflian fenate, flaming with refentment againft
this monarch, and againft their late fovereign ; and the
emprefs, full of fufpicion that the condu£l of tlie latter
might have been influeaced by the councils of the former,
fearched eageily amongft the papers of the late emperor
for elucidation or proofs of this point. They found indeed
many letters from the king of l^rulTia ; but in a ftrain abfo-
lutely different from what they apprehended. The king of
Pruflia had, as far as prudence would admit, kept a referve
anddiftance in regard to the rafli advances of this uchappy
ally. Too experienced to be carried away by his inccnfi-
derate impetuofity, he gave hiin much lakitary, though
fruitlefs, advice; he counfelled him to undertake noihing
againft the emprefs his confort ; to defift from the war
w^ith Denmark; to attempt no changes in the religion and
fundamental laws of the country ; and not to think of com-

inn; into Cermanv.

i>j6z. 'The History of the War. 465

On hearing thefe letters read, the emprefs is faid to have
j burft into tears of gratitude, and made in confequence the
ftrongeft declarations in favour of this prince. They were
not without effefl. Orders had been given with relation
to Pruflla, which threatened a renewal of hoftilities. They
were foon fufpended. The army of the RuflTians was in-
deed feparated from that of Pruflia ; but all the important
places, which the Ruillans .had, with fo much bloodfhed,
and through fo many difficulties acquired, and which gave
them the command of every thing tlfe that remained to the
kins, were faithfully reftored.

This change from a UnOt alliance to a cold neutrality,
though it made no fmall difference in the Prufllan affairs,
yet, all things confidered, muff be regarded as an efcape,
and as a deliverance almofl as wonderful as his former.
However, this circumftance could not fail of infpiring fome
degree of confidence into his enemies, which the king of
PrufTia endeavoured above all things to prevent. '

On the 2 1 ft of July, the orders arrived at the allied
camp from Peterfburg, for the Ruffians to feparate them-
felves from his army, and return without delay to their own
country. The king, without being confounded by this
fudden order, and inftead of flackening his efforts on ac-
count of this defertion, refolved to fall with vigour, and
without delay, upon marftial Daun, and to attack him be-
tore the news of this change could reach him. Since he
could no longer profit by the arms of the Ruffians, he en-
deavoured to profit at leaft by their appearance in his camp.
The very next day therefore he attacked the Auftrian army,
whofe right wing occupied the heights of Buckerfdorff;
drove them from that eminence, and from fome villages
where they were advantageoufly ported. The fuccefs was
not owing only to ihe fpirit of the aftual attack, but to &n
apprehenfion of the Auftrians, that the whole united army
ofthePruffians and Mufcovites was on the point of engag-
ing them. The king of Pruffia made an ufe of thofe allies,
in the moment they deferted him.

This lively attack was made with a lofs ojily of three
hundred men on the fide of the Pruffians ; the number of
the Auftrians killed is not known. The p.'ifoners amount-'
I'll to one thoufand ; and fourteen pieces of cannon were
taken. It was indeed no more than an affair of pofts ; but
its confequences were important ; for the communicatioii

N n n of

466 The History of the War. 1^5^

of the Imperlalifts with Schweidnitz was now entirely an
finally cut off ; they could not attempt any thing confide
rable for the relief of that place. Prince Henry held then
in continual alarm for Bohemia, and a great part of ihei
attention, and no fmall part of their forces were kept con
tinually engaged upon that fide.

The king of Pruffia having thus puftied back marflial!
Daun, inverted Schweidnitz, and laid fiege to that impor
tant fortrefs before his face. This was the fourth time
which that place had been befieged fince the beginning o
this war ; and this circumftance alone might fuffice to ihew
the many and extraordinary changes of fortune which dif-
tinguilhed thefe campaigns. We apprehend no inftance
has happened before of any place like this of real ftrength
being fo often fuccefllvely taken and retaken in the courfe of!
a fingle war.

As Schweidnitz is the key of Silefia, and, though not
quite a regular place, is notwithftanding well fituated and
well fortified ; as the garrifon amounted to nine thoufand
men, commanded by a good officer, and affifted by a verv
experienced engineer, and as two great armies of the ene-
my obferved all his motions, it was neceffary to m.ake the
difpofitions for the fiege with uncommon care. His infant-
ry were encamped on the heights behind Schweidnitz. His
cavalry formed a chain in the plains of Keintzerdorf, to be
nearer the camp of the prince of Wirtemberg, which was
fituated fo as to prevent any enterprize from the county of
Glatz, The prince of Bevern commanded a ftrong corps,
which pofted itfelf advantageoufly near Cofel. One under
general Werner did the fame at Noiffa.

By thefe difpofitions the Pruflian convoys were protect-
ed, the principal places in Silefia guarded, the fiege of Sch-
weidniz covered, and an eafy communication preferved be-
tween all the detached corps enaployed in thefe fevc al fer-
vices. rn.lr;:,vt ,.i; .

The effects of this wife difpofition were foon felt. Mar-
flial Daun, defpairing to fucceed againft the army, which,
under the king in perfon, covered the fiege of Schweidnitz,
endeavoured to break this chain, and by that means diftrefs
the Pruflians who were carrying on the fiege. Laudohn
was therefore detached, with a very fuperior force, to at-
tack the prince of Bevern, and to drive him from the ad-
vantageous poft he occupied. This attack was made with

all

|iy62. The History of the War. 467

all the celerity and refolution, which diftinguifh the opera-
tions of this brave officer. But the prince, mindful of the
(jifgrace he had formerly fufFered in this province, oppofed
liini with fuch conftancy and perfeverancc, that the king of
I pruflia had time to come to his relief. The Auftrians were
then put between two fires, routed, and purfued with a ter-
|rible daughter.

This attempt being defeated, the king of Pruflia met
with no difturbance in his preparations for the fiege, and the
[trenches were opened on the night of the 8th of July. ' "

Whilft the king of Pruflia was making this advantageous
I ufe of his fortune, the armies of the French and the allies
iti Wefl:phalia were not inactive. Among the commanders
of the former a great difunion had long prevailed. The
marfhals de Broglio and de Soubife had mutually accufed
each other; the Camp and the court were for fome time
I entirely diflrafled with the cabals of the partizans of thefc
j officers. The refult was not favourable to marflial Broglio.
In him the French court was obliged to recal, and in fome
meafure to difgrace, on? of the very beft of their officers.
A fufpicion, and that not weakly founded, prevailed againft
this general, that unable to bear a competitor in fame, or
an aflbciate in cornmand, he had often, in order to difgrace
thofe with whom he was to a£t, negle6led to improve his
favourable opportunities ; and that in fome inftances, by his
conduct, he had purpofely occafioned fome failures, and
even defeats. This was a fault which no great qualities in
an officer could compenfate. He was therefore removed
from his command, and the conduct of the army lef^ to the
prince de Soubife, who was infinitely beloved by the fol-
diers for his generous and benevolent difpofition ; and mar-
ihal d'Etrees, who has peen fo often mentioned in thv' courfe
of this hifl:ory, was {\iTociated with him.

The plan of the campaign, on the part of the French,
did not differ much from that which had been formerly
purfued. They had, as before, two armies ; this under the
prince de Soubife and marflial d'Etrees on the Wefer, and
another under the prince de Conde on the Lower Rhine.

The difpofition of the allies was alfo but little varied. The
hereditary prince was pofi:ed in the bifhoprick of Munfler,
to watch the latter of thefe armies; and prince Ferdinand in
perfon, with the body of the army, lay behind the Dymel
to make head againft the former. So little had t]ie French

, ,., . ., . • N n n 2 profitcvt

'.jp'i

IVliSi' ■ '.5 u

iliii'l"'' "^
* "S '•■■ f

ni's?

468 The HisroKY of the War. ,^5^

profited by their fuperior numbers, and fuperior refources !
in this continental war, and fo little decifive nfe had they
made even of fome advantages in the field, that this cam-
paign commenced very nearly in the fame place, and they
contended for pretty much the fame objeds, which they
had ftruggled for in the two preceding years.

So fuperior was the genius of prince Ferdinand, that un-
der many difadvantages he was the firfl: to commence offen-
five operations. The flroke he ftruck on this occafion would
fuffice alone to rank him with the firft commanders of his
age. His abilities throughout the war have never fhone
out with more luftre than in this campaign, which conclu-
ded it.

The French army was moft advantageoufly pofted, both
for command of the country, and for ftrength, near a place
called Graebenftein, in the frontiers of Hefle ; their center
occupied an advantageous eminence ; their left wing was
almofl inaccefllble by feveral deep ravines, and their right
^yas covered by the village of Graebenftein, by feveral ri-
vulets, and. a ftrong detached body under one of their beft
officers, monfieur de Caftries.

In this fituation they imagined they had nothing to fear
from the attempts of prince Ferdinand, whofe army, be-
lide's the inferiority of its numbers, was feparated in fuch a
manner, and in fuch diftant places, that they judged it im-
pofllble it could unite in any attack upon their camp. But
whilil they enjoyed themfelves in full fecurity, the ftorm
was preparing to fall upon them from all quarters.

A confiderable corps of the allied army, under general
Luckner, was pofted to the eaftvvard of the Wefer, near
Eimbecke, on the Leine. He lay there to obferve prince
Xavier of Saxony, who was encamped between the Werra
and Gottingen. • But if he watched the prince, the prince
alfo watched him. When, therefore, he had orders to
quit this poft, that he might co-operate in the grand defign,
he left a fmall party of his corps in his ftation, by which he
deceived the prince of Saxony; and marching in the night
with the utmoft fpeed, he crofted the Wefer, turned the
right of the French army, and, without being difcovered,
placed himfelf upon their rear. General Sporcken at the
fame time placed himfelf fo as to attack the fame wing in
flank. Prince Ferdins^nd crofted the Dymel, in order to

t t n t ,«',t ■

,i .'iiiif.,..

toll

;.^.*.-

*■

[1-762. ^he History of the War. 469

fall upon their center. The attack on the enemy's left was
commanded by lord Granby.

Thefe preparations were made with fo much judgment,
I celerity, and good order, that the French had not pcrceiv-
1 ed the approach of the allies, when they found
themfelves attacked with infinite impetuofity in June 24.
front, flank, and rear. The battle was fcarcely
begun, when they thought of nothing but flight. The
corps under monfieur de Caflries had time to retreat in to-
lerable order, and without any great lofs. But it did not
fare fo well with their center, and their left, which were
oppofed by the calm refolution of prince Ferdinand, and the
generous courage of Granby. ;

As the French placed all their hopes rather in retreat
than combat, an entire rout mufl have enfued, if monfieur
Stainville, who commanded on the left, had not thrown
himfelf with the flower of the French infantry into a wood,
which enabled him, at the expence of the befl: part of it,
to cover the retreat of the army. Here this brave and ac-
complifhed officer made a refolute fl:and, and for a long time
fuftained the whole weight of the allies. His corps was a
devoted facrifice. All bat two battalions were cut to pieces
or made prifoners. The other bodies, covered by this re-
folute manoeuvre, made a (t.ift to flielter themfelves under
the cannon of Caffel, or precipitately efcaped to the other
fide of the Fulda.

Thus did the French army, by the virtue of monfieur
de Stainville, efcape a total defeat; but the confequences
of the a6lion were not recovered during the whole cam-
paign. They loft much credit both in point of refolution
and generalfhip. Their infantry, in this engagement, con-
fifted of one hundred battalions, when that of the allies was
compofed but of fixty. The common men made prifoners
by the allies on thisoccafion were two thoufand feven hun-
dred and fifty, and no lefs than one hundred and fixty-two
officers were taken. The Englifli loft but a few men killed,
and no officer of rank but lieutenant-colonel Townfhend (a)^

who

(a) This col. TotonJhend'WTL^ fecond fon to the Hon, Thomas
foivripjend, Efq ; He had diilinguilhed hinifelf on feveral occa-
fions. At Guadeloupe he was puflied overboard in the landing of
the troops, but his black faved his life by jumping after him. In
the laft campaign in Germany, he was Ihot through the arm, and
in this engagement he loft his life, feeking the poll of honour that
his duty did not require.

iSf I In

>' ^'V »'

>«■' f-hil

470 I'he History of the War. 1^52!

who fell with great glory to himfelf, and to the regret of
the whole army.

Every thing in the conduft of prince Ferdinand appears!
the effe£l of a well-digefted plan ; and one great aftionl
compleated always helps todifclofe a feriesof bold, mafterj
ly, and conne6led defigns.

As foon as the enemy was diflodged from their ftrong port 1
ufe was made of this advantage (whilfl: the French, under
the hurry and confufion of their late misfortune,, were un-
able to provide againft unexpe<?led accidents) to pufli for-
ward a body of the Englifh under lord Granby and lord Fre-
derick Cavendifli. The French could fcarcely imagine,
that, whilfl: they were in pofleflion of fo ftrong a place as
CalTel, and commanded an army fo fuperior in numbers to
the allies, that, whilft prince Ferdinand braved them in
front, they fhould find one of his detachments upwards of
thirty miles behind them. In this emergency, monfieurde
Rochambeau perceiving their motions, haftily collected
fome brigades of infantry and cavalry at Horn-
July 6. bourg, to prevent, if pofTible, the communicati-
on of the grand army with Francfort from being
cut off. But they were charged with fo much vigour by
the two EngUfli commanders, that, though they defended
themfelves with fpirit for fome time, they were in the if-
fue difperfed with confiderable lofs. They were obliged to
evacuate that tra£t of country. Fritzlar, Feltzberg, and
Lohr ; and almoft all the important ports in the fouth part
or Hefle were occupied by the allies. The communicati-
on with Francfort, from whence the French drew their
whole fubfiftence, was abfolutely intercepted.

To the north of Hefle alfo the allies were not lefs active,
nor lefs fuccefsful : they obliged prince Xavier, v/ith his
vSaxon detachments, to abandon his advanced port on the
L^eine, and unite himfelf to the grand army. They got
between him and Gottingen, by which the French garrifon
there was left without fupport. This garrifon, feeing its
communication interrupted, blew up a part of the fortifica-
tions, and attempted a retreat; but finding no avenue
open, they were obliged to return in oonfufion. Defpair-
ing of their ability to hold this important place, they thought
themfelves happy, virhen at length, with much
Aug. 16. management and difficulty, they were a.l?le to eva-
cuate it without oppofition. ," . ' ' '
■ ' ' Prince

U-jbz. 'The History of the War. 471

Prince Xavier, after having, as we faid before, quitted
[his advanced fituation at Morungen in the territories of Ha-
nover, united himfelf to the right of the principal army,
which was ported to the eaftward of the P'ulda, not far from
the place where that river forms an angle in its junftion
kith theWerra. In this angle ftands the tovvhof M nden,
a fortified place, in which the French had a garrifon. Full
of confidence from this fituation, they were under no ap-
prehenfions : but the generals Zaftrow, Gilfac,
and Waldhaufen, pafled the Fulda in their fight, July 23.
and under a heavy fire of their cannon. The
corps of the two former officers poflefled themfelves of a
wood on the enemy's right flank. General Waldhaufen,
in the mean time, had feized the village of Bonnevert,
which enabled him to keep the garrifon of Munden in
check, and gave him alfo an opportunity, whenever the
occafion required it, of falling on the enemy's rear.

The bold palVage of the Fulda, and the judgment of the
fubfequent difpofitions, infured the viQ:ory. Prince Xavier,
for a good while, defended himfelf with an obftinate refolu-
tion ; but finding his flank gained, he began to give way.
In this inftant Waldhaufen, who had hitherto only watch-
ed the ifllie of the engagement, threw in his horfe upon
their rear, and compleated the defeat.

General Stainville, who occupied a ftrong intrenched
camp in the neighbourhood, feeing the l^rty of the prince
of Saxony in danger of being totally cut to pieces, quitted
his intrenchments with his whole army of ten thoufand
men, and haftened to their relief. Prmce Frederick of
Rrimfwick, attentive to this movement, with great quick-
nefs feized this critical opportunity, entered their camp the
moment they had left it, and entirely deftroyed all their
works, j.i this a£lion iioo of the enemy were made pri-
ibiiers. ■■ ,•

The French finding their communication deftroyed,
their army furrounded and harraflfed on every fide, and
without intermifllon, were neither able to advance with a
profpeft of fuccefs, or to retreat with any hope of fafety.
in this diflirefs they had nothing left but to call their army
from the Lower Rhine to their afi'iftance. No time was to
belofl:. Exprefs after exprefs was fent to haften them. In
confequence of thefe difpatches, the prince of Conde ad-
vanced by forced marches ; the hereditary prince ftuck

clofe

•:t .■,

472 The History of the War. 1^5^!

clofc to him, and kept himfelf in rcadinefs to fall upon hisl
corps, when a favourable opportunity fhouU' offer.

In the mean time prince Ferdinand prcffed upon Soubife's
army. Advantagcoully as they were fituated, he offered!
them battle for a whole day. Rather than rifque an en-
gagement they decamped in the night, and quitted, with-
out an allien, thoic advantageous grounds called the heights '
of Mulfmgen, vvliere they could not be attempted withoufi
the greateft difT.cnhy and ha/.ard ; and the quitting of which
gave prir.cc lerdinund the mod important advantages over
them.

Never were military operations puflied with more viva-
city, whilfl: the negotiation for peace was in great forward-
ness. The two great contending courts had opened confe-
rences, whilfl their armies were cutting one another in pie-
ces : but prince Ferdinand, on that account, rather flrain-
ed than flachcned his efforts. He knew that the negotiati-
on for peace is always much forwarded by the operations of
the campaign, and that a fuccefsful a6tion often hallensthe
decifion of a contefled article. Perhaps too he was willing
to fhew in England, that the necefTity of making peace
ought not to be attributed to the circumflances of that part
of the war which had been committed to his care. People
imagined they could difcern fomething like coldneis to-
wards tliis great commander in the new Britifh miniflry;
and that he, on h\^ fide, feerned rather to favour that party
in England which was for prolonging the war.

C H A P. VI. ' /

War in Portiigol. Plan of the campaign. Mirand, Erag-
mrza, a fid Chaiies taken. Almeida befteged and taken.
Count of La Lippe arrives in Portugal. Utirprize ofVa-
lantia d"* Alcantara, by general Burgoyne. Affair of Villa
Velhf,. Spaniards retire.

THE events of the war in Germany, though its objeft
was not more interefling than that in Portugal, feem
to rank far before the actions, of the latter in dignity and
importance. They naturally occ.:py the firfl place, and
juflify a more minute detail in an hiflory of military opera-
tions. It is in Germany that the great efforts of all the
greut powers in Europe were made from the beginning.

Here

iy62. T^he History of the War. 473

Here the moft confiderable armies were maintained ; here
the great battles were fought ; and on this theatre the great
commanders gave a full fcope to their genius. Germany
feems, as it were, the natural foil of hoflility ; but Portu-
Lali which had long languifhed in a tranquil obfcurity, could
fcarce furnifh out a faint image of war.

Of the ftate of the military in that country we have fpo-
|[en in a preceding chapter. The marine was not on a
much more refpedable footing. About fix or feven ftiips
of the line, and a very few frigates, compofed all the naval
force of Portugal that was fit for fervice; of that Portugal
which had formerly been one of the firft maritime powers
in Europe. The fortifications in that kingdom had been
jifo long neglected, and fcarce any of them were in a con-
dition to fuftain a regular fiege.

Portugal, however, poffefled fome advantages ; but they
were only fuch as fhe derived from her weaknefs. The ex-
treme barrennefs and poverty of the country, made it very
difficult for an army, either of friends or enemies, to fub-
lift in it. The badnefs of the roads, and the frequency and
lleepnefs of the mountams, which occupy the greateil part
of that kingdom, made it no lefs difficult to advance with
rapid marches, and to improve the advantages of the cam-
paign with proper expedition. The nature of the country
alfo rendered it not unfit for that fpecies of defence, which
the bed force it had was bed qualified to make ; that is, in
the way of an irregular war, by its armed peafantry; for the
defiles in many places are of fuch a nature, as to be capa-
ble of being maintained by a fmall and undifciplined body,
againft very numerous and very regular forces. And the
Portuguefe, from the higheft to the loweft, were animated
with fuch a fincere and inveterate hatred to the Spanifh

I name, and were filled with fo much terror at the profpe£t
of falling a fecond time under the government of that nati-

|on, that great hopes were entertained of their exerting
themfelves to the utmoft on this cccafion, and of their rou-

Ifing that natural courage in which the Portuguefe are not

Ncficient.

Thefe advantages, however, did by no means balance
the dangers to which that kingdom was expofed, from the

I joint hoflility of France and Spain. All the hope of Por-

' tugal was centered in England, for whofe fake, and ir whofe

[ quarrel ftie had been drawn into this unequal contefl. The

O o o greater

ikHi N

474 ^^^ History of the War. 1762.

greater the weaknefs of Portugal was, the more confpicu-
ous were the magnan?'Tiity and refources of Great Britain I
who made, in the clofe of fo expenfive and ruinous a war I
fuch aftonifhing efforts, and who was in a condition by her
ftrength to prop up, at lead for a time, fo very feeble a fyf-
tem. She fent to Portugal, officers, troops, artillery, arms,
military ftores, provifions, and money, every thing which
could enable the Portuguefe to exert their natural ftrength,
and every thing which could fupply that ftrength where it
was deficient. ^ I

When the Bourbon courts made war againft Portugal,!
the declared objeft was to prevent Great Britain from the!
military and commercial ufe of the ports of that kingdom.!
As it was impoillble to attain this obje£t by naval operati-
ons, they attempted it by military ones, and aimed their
principal endeavours at the two great ports, to which the!
Englifli principally refort. Oporto and Liibon. The pofi
feflion of thefe two obj efts would probably have finifliedl
the war in their favour ; the pofleflion of either of themj
would have given them the moft decifive advantages in itj
With this view three inroads were to be made, one tc
the north, another was propofed more to the fouth, whilft^
the third was made in the middle provinces, in order to"^
fuftain thefe two bodies, and preferve the communicatior
between them. The reader muft confider this, as what ap-
pears from their defigns, and from the fteps they took to
execute them, to have been their general plan ; not that
it was ever perfectly executed in all its parts, or at the fame
time.

The firft body which commenced hoftilities was com-j

manded by the marquis de Sarria. This army entered into

the north-eaft angle of Portugal, and marched towardj

Miranda. This town, though in no good ftate of defenceJ

might have delayed them in their progrefs; but a powdeif

magazine having blown up by accident, the fortification!

were ruined, and the Spaniards, before they had

May 9. raifed their firft battery, marched into the towr

by the breaches in the wall.

Animated by this eafy and fortunate fuccefs, they proj

ceeded to Braganza, a confiderable city, from whence tlij

royal family of Portugal derived its ducal titles. This towfl

made no greater defence than Miranda. Fron

May 15. thence a detachment marched to Moncorvoj

which was furrendered in the like manner ; ani|

ever

1762. The History of the War. 475

every thing was cleared before them to the banks of the
Douro. A party under count O'Reilly made a
forced march of fourteen leagues, in two days. May 24.
to the city of Chaves, which was immediately
evacuated. By thefe fucceffes they became mafters of al-
moft the whole of the extenfive province of Tralos Montes,
and their progrefs fpread a general alarm. Oporto was al-
moft given up as loft; and the admiralty of England prepa-
red transports to carry off the effefts of the Britifh faftory.
However, the body which had traverfed this province with-
out refiftance, attempting to crofs the Douro, had its pro-
grefs checked on that fide. The peafants, animated- and
guided by fome Englifli officers, and feizing a difficult pafs*
repulfed and drove them back to Torre de Moncorvo. They
are faid to have been guilty of fome cruelties to the Spaniln.
prifoners who fell into their hands. Thefe cruelties were
afterwards feverely retaliated upon them. Thefe people,
on both fides naturally ferocious, had not been fufficiently
inured to war, to moderate its fury, and reduce it under
laws ; they hated mutually, and they gave a full fcope to
their hatred : they did not fee each other as foldiers, but a$
enemies.

The fecond body of the Spaniards, which we have men-
tioned as the conne^ive link between the two others, en-
tered into the province of Beira, at the villages called Val
de Mula and Val de Coelha. They were joined by ftrong
detachments, amounting to almoft the whole army in Tra-
los Montes, and immediately laid fiege to Almeida, which,
though in no good order, was the ftrongeft and beft provi-
ded place upon the frontiers of Portugal. Befides, it was
of the greateft importance from its middle fituation, as the
pofleflion of it would greatly facilitate the operations upon
every fide, and would efpecialiy tend to forward an attempt
uponLiibon, which was the capital objeft, towards which,
at this time, all the endeavours of the Spaniards feem to have
been directed.

Almeida was defended with fufficient refolution ; but its
fate was forefeen as foon as it was attempted, there being
no means of affording relief to any of the places
befieged. It furrendered, liowever, upon terms Aug. 25.
honourable to the garrifon. • ...... ..u,

The Spaniards, having made themfelves mailers of this
place, overfpread the whole territory of Cartel Branco, a

O o o 2 principal

i ' x

"'' 1* ,1 Vm-r

476 ^be History of the War. i^^^

principal diftriO: of the province of Beira, making their way
to the fouthward, until they approached the banks of the
Tigus. During the whole of their progrefs, and indeed
during the whole campaign, the allied troops of Great Bri-
tain and Portugal had nothing that could be called a body
of an army in the field, and they could not think of oppofing
the enemy in a pitched battle. All that could be done
was by the defence of pafles, by (kirmifti, and by fur-
prize.

By this time the count of la Lippe Buckeburg had arri-
ved in Portugal. Lord Tyrawly, who had been fent, at
che defire of the court of Li(bon, thither before the break-
ing out of the war, being difgufted by the behaviour of !
fome perfons at court, and much difappointed in his expeft-
ations of the exertion they had promifed to make of their
own force, and even of the ufe they had made of the fuc-
cours from England, had been recalled very early in the
campaign, and probably not contrary to his own incli-
nation.

It is impoflible to exprefs the joy which filled the whole
nation at the arrival of fo celebrated an officer as the count
la Lippe to their afliftance. More unanimity was now ex-
expeded, as the count had nothing to complain of, and
came an entire ftranger to all the fubje£ls of debate, which
had hitherto exifted between the Britifti general and the
court of Liibon. . '

That army, which we have mentioned as the third corps
deftined for the invafion of Portugal, affembled on the
frontiers of Eftremadura, with an intention of penetrating
into the province of Alentejo. Had this third body been
joined to the others already in Portugal, it would probably
hav& formed fuch an aimy as might, in fpight of any ob-
ftruftion, have forced its way to Liibon: had it aQed fe-
parately, it might have greatly diftrafted the defence, fo as
to enable fome other body to penetrate to that city. It was
neceflary to prevent, if poflible, their envrance into Portu-
gal; fmce their mere entrance would have been almoft
equal, in its confequences, to a viftory on their fide.

The count la Lippe, therefore, formed a defign of at-
tacking an advanced body of the Spaniards, which lay on
their frontiers, in a town called Valentia «le Alcantara, as
he heard that they had here amajled contiderable maga-

zines.

1762. ^he History of the War. 477

zines. The condu^ of this important enterprize was com-
mitted to brigadier general Burgoyne.

This gallant and able officer, though at a diftance of five
days march, and in fpight of all the difappointments andob-
ftruftions to which fervices of this kind are fo liable, when
they cannot be executed immediately; yet effedt-
ed a complete furprize on the town of Valentia Aug. 27.
de Alcantara ; took the general, who was to have
commanded in the intended invafion, one colonel, two
captains, and feventeen fubaltern officers. One of the
beft regiments in the Spanifti fervice was intirely de-
ftroyed.

Although they were difappointed in their expectations of
finding magazines in this place, the efFeft of this well-con-
dufted enterprize was not loft. The taking of this general
was probably the caufe which prevented the Spaniards from
entering into the province of Alentejo. This feemed to
have been for fome time the deftination not only of that
particular body, but alfo the great objeft of the Spanifli
army, which had hitherto aQied in Beira. The former of
thefe provinces is a plain, open, fertile country, where their
cavalry, in which confifted the chief of their army, and in
which lay their moft marked fuperiority, might have a6led,
and a£ted decifively ; whereas the latter was a rough moun-
tainous region, in which the horfe were fubfifted with dif-
ficulty, and could be of little fervice. To prevent, there-
fore, the entry of the Bourbon army from any quarter, into
Alentejo, feemed to be the great and fingle objefi: of the
campaign on our fide. General Burgoyne, by his expedi-
tion into the Spanilh territories, had already prevented it on
one part ; and the vigilance and activity of the fame officer
had no fmall ihare in preventing it alio on the other.

That part of the Bourbon army, which adled in the ter-
ritory of Cartel Branco, had made themfelves matt-
ers of feveral important pafles, which they obliged fome
bodies of the Portuguefe to abandon. They attacked the
rear of the combined army, which was pafling the river
Alveito, with the appearance of a retreat; but, in reality,
with a view to draw them infenfibly into the mountainous
trafts: here they were repul fed with lofs; but ftill they
continued maftiers of the country; :ind nothing remained
but the paffage of the Tagus, to enable them to take up
their quarters in Alentejo.

. Burgoyne,

l*i.ii'

478 The History of the War. ly^^.

Burgoyne, who was pofted with an intention to obftruft
them in their paflage, lay in the neighbourhood, and with-
in view of a detached camp, compofed of a confiderable
body of the enemy's cavalry, which lay near a village cal-
led Villa Velha. As he obferved that the enemy kept no
very foldierly guard in this poft, and were uncovered both
on their rear and their flanks, he conceived a defign of fai-
ling on them by furpriz^. He confided the execution of
this dcfign to colonel Lee, who turned their camp,
Oft. 6. fell upon their rear in the night, made a confide-
rable flaughter, difperfed the whole party, deftroy-
ed their magazines, and returned with fcarce any lofs.
Burgoyne, in the mean time, fupported him by a feint at-
tack in another quarter, which prevented the enemy's be-
ing relieved from the adjacent ports.

This advantage, being obtained in a critical moment, was
attended with important confequences. The feafon was now
far advanced ; immenfe rains fell at this time ; the roads
were deftroyed ; the country became impracticable ; and the
Spaniards, having feized no advanced pofts in which they
could maintain themfelves during the winter, and being ef-
pecially unprovided with magazines for the fupport of their
horfe, every where fell back to the frontiers of Spain, where
their fupplies were at hand, and where they were not liable
to be harrafled by the efforts of the combined nrmy.

In this manner Portugal was faved, at lead for that cam-
paign, by the wife condu6l of count la Lippe, and thedif-
tinguifhed valour of the Englifh commanders and foldiery :
all that was wanting towards their deliverance was accom-
flifhed by the fuccefs of the Englifli army in more diftant
'quari:ers, and by the peace, in which fo valuable and fo ex-
pofed an ally was not neglected. There never was probab-
ly fo heavy a ftorm of national calamity, ready to fall upon
an unprovided people, fo happily averted, or fo fpeedily
blown over. Every thing, at the beginning of this cam-
paign, bore the mofl: louring and ominous ajpe£t to the af-
fairs of Great Britain. As it advanced, the flcy continual-
ly cleared up ; and the fortune of no nation, towards the
clofe of it, was enlivened with a more brilliant and more
unclouded profperit^'. We fhall now proceed in the relati-
on of thofe fuccefles, and of the progrefs of the Englifli
arms in other parts of the world, where nev;r fcenes of dan-
cer and honour were now opened to them. '" •
; . - CHAP.

1762. I'he History of the War.

CHAP. VII.

479

Expedition againji Martinico. Forces fent thither. Troops
land at Cos Navire'. Nature of the country. Attack of
the pojis near Fort Royal. Fcrt Royal furrendered. St.
Pierre and the whole ijland capitulate. St. Lucie, Gre-
nades, and St. Vincent taken. Preparations for lAMr
againfl the Spanifj Wefi Indies,

Towards the clofe of the laft Year, it was determined
to refume the fcheme of operations in the Weft In-
dies ; where nothing had been attempted fince the year
1759. Diftrefled as the French trade to their iflands had
been, it ftill continued a refource to that nation. 0». the
other hand, nothing could poflibly furnilh us with places
of more importance, either to retain, or to exchange upon
a peace, than our fuccefs in this part of the world. Ano-
ther confideration had probably no fniall fftare in direfting
our arms towards that quarter. F,om the time that the
difpofitions of Spain had become equivocal, it was necef-
fary to take fuch fteps, as would put us in a refpeftable fi-
tuation, in cafe a war with that kingdom fhould become
unavoidable. It was therefore very proper to have a ftrong
armament in the Weft Indies, that fide on which Spain is
moft vulnerable, and in which every wound affefts a part
of the quickeft fenfibility. Accordingly the force which
was fent into the Weft Indies on this occafion was very
great ; and, if we take the naval and military together, it was
fuch an armament as had never been before feen in that
part of the world. It was certainly very right to leave as lit-
tle to hazard as poftible; and when, in the moft frugal me-
thod of proceeding, a great many men muft have been
employed, and a great deal of money fpent, it would have
been an unpardonable error, from a confideration of almoft
any faving, to have left any thing imperfect; efpecially at
a time, when the efFeft of every operation became almoft
hourly, more and more critical and decifive.

Every thing which had been an obje£t of war in North
America, was by this time completely acquired. It was
therefore eafy to draw a very confiderable part of the
army from thence. Eleven battalions were drawn from
New York; u draught was alfo made from the garrifon of

Belleifle

*| : 5,

:»* ,,

%\w

480 The History of the War. \*]^z.

Belleifle. Thefe were reinforced by fome trc s which
had been fcattered among the Leeward Ifla.i^c ; fo that
the whole land armament did not fall very fhcrt of twelve
thoufand men. General Monckton, who had acquired fo
much reputation in North AmericSf, and had received a
very grievous wound at the taking of Quebec, command-
ed the land forces in this expedition. The marine was
under rear-admiral Rodney.

The failure in 1759 did not difcourage our adminiftra-
tion from making Martinico the obje6l of another attempt.
The Englilh fleet, after having rendezvouzed at Barba-
does, came before thisifland on the 7 th of January, 1762.
The troops landed at a creek called Cas Navire without
the lofs of a man ; the fleet having been difpofed fo pro-
perly, and having direded their fire with fuch effeO:, that
the enemy was obliged in a (hort time to abandon the bat-
teries they had erefted to defend this inlet.

When the landing was effected, the diflSculties were far
from being at an end. It is true, that neither the number
nor the quality of the enemy's regular troops in the ifland
were very formidable. But the militia was numerous, well
armed, and not unqualified for fervice in the only kind of
war, wh'ch could be carried on in their country. Befides,
the whole country was a natural fortification, from the
number of ravines with rivulets between them, which lay
from diftance to diftance. Wherever thefe grounds were
prafticable, the French had ported guards, and erefted
batteries. It is eafy from hence to difcern what obftruc-
tions the progrefs of an army was liable to, particularly
with regard to its artillery. Thefe obftruflions were no
where greater than in the neighbourhood of the place,
againft which the firft regular attack was propofed.

This cown and citadel is overlooked and commanded by
two very confiderable eminences, called Morne Tortenfan
and Morne Gamier. Whilfl: the enemy kept poflfeflion of
thefe eminences, it was impofllble to attack the town ;
if they loft them, it would prove impofllble to defend it.
Suitable to the importance of thofe f:tuations were the
meafures taken to render them impregnable. They were
protected, like the other high grounds in this ifland, with
very deep ravines; and this great natural ftrength was im-
proved by every contrivance of art. The Morne Tortenfon
was firfl: to be attacked. To favour this operation, a

body

Th e Hoii''?^

RobT Mo nck t ox

[■K is

.'\^

■\'i:.

•^,

» \

i"s

1762. Ti

body of regular t
vance on the righ
inorder to take the
A thoufand failors
the Ihore to aflift
a corps, of light i
round the enemy's
made by the Britif
under the fire of
the oppofite fide v
cannon having bee
feamen.

The difpofitions
ving been made \vi
commander, it vva
tion by the foldier
ter. With irrefifta
fuccefllvely carriec
until our troops, s
of the whole Mori
into the town, to
purfued. Others 1
which was as ftron:
fon,and overlooke
proceeded with fi
done, without the
troops being much
rior fituation.

It was three da
made for driving t
difpofitions were :
cended from the 1
the EngUfh in thei
diately repuHed : a
rying them forwai
into an attack, pafi
fcaied the hill, feiz
on the fummit of
troops efcaped into
felves in the count

All the fituation;
del were now fecu
longer than until t

1762. The History of the 'WhB.. 481

body of regular troops and marines were ordered to ad-
vance on the right along the fea-fide,. towards the town,
inorder to take the redoubts which lay in the lower groi nds.
A thoufand failors in flat-bottomed !>v)ats, rowj;d ck.fe to
the fhore to aflift them. On the left, towards the country,
a corps, of light infai;try, properly fupported, was to get
round the enemy's left; whilfl: the attack in the centre was
made by the Britifh grenadiers and the body ot the army,
under the fire of batteries, which had been erefttd on
the oppofite fide with great labour and perfeverance ; the
cannon having been dragged upwards of three miles by the
feamen.

The difpofitions for the attack of this difficult pod: ha-
ving been made with fo much judgment on the part of the •
commander, it was executed with equal fpirit and refolu-
tion by the foldiery. The attack fucceeded in every v^ car-
ter. With irrefifl:able impetuofity the enemy's works were
fuccefllvely carried. They were driven from prft to poft;
until our troops, after a fharp ftrugglc, remained mafters
of the whole Morne; fome of the enemy fled precipitately
into the town, to the very entrance of which they were
purfued. Others faved themfelves on the Morne Gamier,
which was as fl:rong, and much higher than Morne Torten-
fon, and overlooked and commanded it. Thus far had they
proceeded with fuccefs; but nothing decifive could be
done, without the pofleflTion of the other eminence, our
troops being much moleflied by the enemy from that fupe-
rior fituation.

It was three days before proper difpofitions could be
made for driving them from this ground. Whilfl: thefe
difpofitions were making, the enemy's whole force def-
cended from the hill, fallied out of the town, and attacked
the Englifh in their advanced pofl:s ; but they were imme-
diately repuHed : and the ardour of the Britifii troops hur-
rying them forward, they improved a defenfive advantage
into an attack, paflfed the ravines, mingled with the enemy,
fcaled the hill, feized the batteries, and pofl:ed themfelves
on the fummit of Morne Gamier. The French regular
troops efcaped into the town. The militia difperfed them-
felves in the country.

All the fituations which commanded the town and cita-
del v/ere now fecured ; and the enemy waited no
longer than until the batteries againft them were

P p p com-

Feb. 4.

(fV-

■',*.■•

S f

'-,J

482 7'1'e History of t/jeW^ An. i^f^^

completed to capitulate, and to furrcnder this important
place, the fccontl in the ifland. fa)

The capital of the illand, St. Pierre, dill remained to be

reduced :

(a J General Monchon's Lettet-y to the Right Hon. the Earl of Egre-

. mont.

Head-Barters in the IJlandof Martinico. Jan. 20, 1762.

My Lordy

I HAVE the honour to acquaint your lordfliip, that we left
Barbadoes the 5th inHant, anchored in St. Anne's bay in this
illand the 7th, the fliips of war having fdenced fome batteries
which the enemy had ereded there, and where I was in hopes to
have been able to have landed on the weftern fide of the bay, and
to have crofled over to Port Royal bay ; but the difficulties that
would have attended our being fupplied with provifions and itores,
added to the fcarcity of frefli water in that part, made me defill.
I then thought that if I could get pofTeflion of Pidgeon IJIanJ,
a fecure anchorage might be had for the fleet and tranfports in
Port Royal harbour. For this purpofe, I detached two brigades of
the army, under the command of brigadiers Ha'viland znA Grant ^
to Ance Darlet, where they landed, and marched to the ground
oppofite to the ifland j but finding the road impafl*able for cannon,
which were neceiTary for the reduction of that ifland, 1 judged it
belt for his majefty's fervice, to proceed (having previoufly recon-
noitred the fhore) and land near the Cafe des Na-vires ; which we
effected on the i6th, without any moleftation, the fhips of war
having filenced the batteries above us. I had forgot, my lord,
to mention, that with the above command, were the light infan-
try under lieutenant colonel Scott, who were advaiiiced the night
the command remained there, and were attacked in the night by
three companies of grenadiers, fome free-booters, negroes and
mulattoes, which the enemy had pafl*ed over from Fort Royal; but
they were fo warmly received, that they retreated precipitately,
leaving fome dead ; and a ferjeant and three of their grenadiers
taken prifoners, without any lofs on our fide.

We are now encamped upon the heights, above Cafe des Na-
viresy ; and I was in hopes, before this time, to have given your
lordlhip more fatisfadory accounts of our operations. But the
ravines or guliys we have to pafs, are of fuch depth and difficulty
of accefs, and that in the face of many batteries and redoubts,
with the whole country, as well mulattoes and negroes, as inha-
bitants in arms, and without being able to procure any material

in-

1762. y/;^ History o///&^ War. 48^

reduced: this is alio a place of no contemptible ftrength ;
and it was apprehended that the refiftance here m(ght be
confiderable, if the ftrength of the garrifon in any degree

cor-

intciligence, that I do not think it prudent to expofe his n.ajefty's
troops until I can eredt batteries to cover them, which we are at
work upon with the utmoft expedition.

However, my lord, I have the pleafure to acquaint you, that
the troops continue healtny, although they have been ncceflarily
expofed to laying on their arms, and are in the higheft fpirits : and
I don't in the leall doubt, but that I fhall be able to execute this
principal objedl of his majefty's commands, of which I Ihall give
your lordfhip the earlieft notice.

It gives me great pleafure to icquaint your lordlhip, how
much I am indebted to admiral Rodney y for the affiftance received
from the fleet under his command: the'utmofl: harmony has fub-
fiiled hitherto, and I am perfuaded will continue to do fo.

This will be delivered to your loid/hip by captain IValftnghamy
who takes home the admiral's difpafches.

/ hwve the honour to be, i^c.

ROBERT MONCKTON.

Admiral Rodney's Letter to Mr. Clez-eland.

Cafe Nanjire Bay, Marti nico, "Jan. 19, '762.

SIR,

IDefire you will acquaint their lordfliips, that I arrived at Bar-
badoes on the 22d of November, having parted company with
the fquadron under my command in a hard gale of wind, a few
days after we left the channel.

The Foudroyant, Modejie and Bafilijk, joined me the 27th,
the Nottingham and Thunder the i ft of December, and the Fan-
I'Mrd, with the remainder of the fquadron, on the 9th. The
lemeraire, and Adtson, with the troops from Belleijle, arrived the
14th of December, and major general Mo ckton, v/ith the forces
from North America, on the 24th ; and having remained a few
days to water the (hips, refrefli the men, and make necelTarydif-
pofitions for our enterprize, we arrived off Martinico the 7th of
"January ; and on the 8th we all anchored in St. Anne's bay ; the
iliips I had appointed (under Sir Jame:> Douglas) having filenced
the forts of that coaft ; in performing of which, we had the
misfortune to lofe the Raifonable, as aic was leading in for one^

I;'.

p p 3

484 77?/? History ^///^^ War. 1762.1

torrefponded with that of the fortifications, and with thr
natural advantages of the country. Our troops therefore!

•■ ■ . -■ \vire

of the enemy's batteries, owin;2; to the pilot's being ignorant of ;i
little reef oi roclco, which tooK her up. We have laved all hcrj
people, all her ibores, ona 1 hope foon to get all her guns.

Having by thu motion or' tlic fleet and army, taken pofleilloni
of an excellent harbour, and fecured a landin ; on the WLatlnr-l
moft part of the illand, which mi^ht be made tenable at ;in)
time, as likewile thereby greatly alarming the enemy.

At general Monckton's rcqueft, I difpatched commodore 6'zt;,7«-l
ton, v/iih a fquadron of fhips, and two brigades, to the bnvof
Petite Ance, in order to take poll there. Captain Her<vey of tlioj
Dragon having lilenced the battery of the Grand Ance, landed hi
marinec and Teamen, who attacked it alfo from the fliore, and taokl
polleilion of the fort; and, on the 14th, I followed with tho!
v/hole fleet and army, after deflroying the enemy's batteries at I
iit.Ai:re's, bay, when (having reconnoitred the coaft with the s;e-j
neral) we cdme to a refolution, to make an attempt between F'jiiu
Negroe Pnd the Cas de Pilotte, which I ordere*.' to be attacked on j
the 1 6th ; and having very fuccefsfully, and with little lois liienccd
the; batteries, 1 laiuied general Monckton with the greatefl: part of j
his force*-, by fun-lei ; and the whole army was on fhorc a little \
afteidav iight next morning, without the lofs of a man (the boats
being commanded by commodore Snvanton in the centre, capt.
ahuiJhti/n ow the right wing, and capt. Her'vey on the left) with
fuch neccffaries as they were moft immediately in want of, and
had all the Ihips and tranfports anchored as nmch in fafety, as
this joall will admit.

I alio landed two battalions of marines, confiftingof 450 men
each.

The army are now carrying on their approaches to the heights
of Mount Grenie and Mount Tortenfon, which the enemy have
made as llrong as art can do, and from whence the general pro-
pofes to lav fiege to Port Royal.

\ have the happinefs to add, that the army and navy continue
in perfedl: health j and carry on the fervice with the greatefl fpiiit
and harmony.

General Monckton's fecond Letter to the Earl of Egremont.

Fort Royal in Martinico, Feb. 9, 1 762.

My Lordy

Had the honour of writing to your lordfliip the 20th of 'Janu-
ary , when I acquainted you that I i rterided to attach the ene-
my

1762. "The History of the War. 485

were ftill under fome anxiety for the final fucccfs of their
work, and feareil, if not dilappointmcnt, at Icaft delay.
But the redu6lion of Fort Royul had fo greatly abated the

enemy's

\\\yf in the ftrong ports they occupied on the oppofite heights, and
itie Morne Tuitettjnn, leading to ton Royal, as loon as I had erect-
ed batteries (which were thought necelFary) to aflirt us in the
palling a very deep and wide ravine*, or gully, which feparated
us from thcni.

My difpofition for the attack being made on the 24th of Ja'
nuuiy, at break of day the troops advanced under a briflt fire of
our batteries. The grenadiers under brigadier Grant, firll: falling
in with the enemy's advanced ports, began the attack : brigadier
Rufane on the right, with his brigade, and the marines, was to
advance and attack the redoubts along the coart; 1000 feamen
in the flat-bottomed boats, rowed us as he advanced: Lord Rol/o's
brigade fupported the grenadiers : Brigadier M'^aljb with his bri-
gade, (fupporting the light infantry under lieutenant colonel Scott)
to attack the left of a plantation, and to endeavour to get round
the enemy. The light infantry effected their attempt, and while
the grenadiers were driving the enemy from port to port, they
got upon their left, which h; ped to complete the event of the
day. The enemy's works were now fuccefllvely attacked with the
moft irrefiftible impetuofity, fo that at nine o'clock we were in
the entire poiTeflion of all their works, and the ftrong ground of
Morne Tartenforiy confifting of many redoubts mounted with can-
non, and advantage'ouHy fituated to aiTirt the natural rtrength of
the country. The enemy retired in the greateft confufion, to the
town of Fort Royal, and to Morne Gamier (a rtill higher hill than
the Morne Tartenfon, and feparated from it by a deep ravine, co-
vered with a very thick brufh, and a rivulet ai zhf^. bottom) from
whence they thought they were never to be diflodgea, both froia

. ,, -, . iti

* A large holloiu made hetiueen tivo hills, occa [toned by a Jud~
den current of luater, ivhich is <very frequent and rapid at the
time of the Equinox. It is of a confiderahle depth, and not
Icfs dtJJJcidt to get into, than to afcend, as it is tufted nuith
trees, brulh-ivood on every fide, and in many places co'uered o'ver.
Theje the French lined luith infantry ; hut our forces, refolute, and
determined to carry the butteries on the other ftde, let each other
d'jivn, fir ft flinging their mufkets ; luhen they got to the other fidey
clambered up as faji as pojjible, formed, and carried all before them,
lome lusre let donvn precipitately, by the banks gi'uing tvay, but
theyfoon recovered themfel'ves and joined their corps.

I i:.

?• *.

486 T*/'** History ^/ //v War. i'jfypj

enemy's confulcncc, lli.il the militia ilefpaired oF miikiinr
any elledual tielenee. 'The |>l;inter.s alfo, lulii itoii:-. lor ihcii
fori lines, were ai"iMelK'nlJve ol hivisig their elhues iiiinul

I'V

its niitural (lreii<^';th. aiul the works ami batteries they h;ul on It
The IpiiiC of the grcimdieis in this attack was Inch, that tome ol
them e\en piirlueti the eneiny to ihe hriJge t)!" the town, ;iml
bioui;ht utl piiloners I'loju theneo.

VV Ivile this was doino; on this liiie, hrii'^ulier //.;t/A/«,/ wiih Iiis
hriijade, two hatialioos of ///(;/>A//;,/i7«, a"il a eorps ol' liolu in-
lantiy (which 1 had loiineil fiom the I'eveial regiments amlj^ivcn
the eoimnaiul olto mnjor l.vl.niil) hadonlei.s (liom the rcpoitnl
pradicahihiy of the palfajije) to crofs the ravine a p;()oil deal to
the leir, ami attack a body of tlie enemy who were polled on
feveial heiuhis oppolite to hint, and to (ry to jret into their Icl't,
and h" that means tlivide their l")ice. Vet, lihhoiijdt tiuy Ik'i',;i'i
their niari h at two o'clock ir the mr)iiiin{^ fiieh was the dilli-
cnlty oi' accei'n, 1 hough I am lonviMtcd every means were tried,
l^iai it wa.s late before they cllViU'd it.

When I louitd that the enemy were ^'.ivinR wav on all fidcs', I
' ordereil lieutenant colonel .SVo//'s li;;ht inlantiy, brigadier //'/////»'■;
biigade, ami a ilivilion of the iMenadic-s, to a planiaiion OKneio
the left, where brivfadier ILrjilanil was to Ivive come ilown.
they ilrove oli lome of the enemy polled there; and tiie jii'jit in-
fantry pollelleil themlelv s of a very advantageous poll oppolite

to ;*/

^nrti(- (i,/i/;ii-f

To I

iilipoit ,liem,

I oril

ered l)rigai|ie

/A;

loa

/rtm/i. eorps (whiclr now hidpillld) to their right : the divil
of ^';renndn,rs under briivuiier draiif, and It'itljt'w bii<nde, kept
poli'elH(».j ot' t!ie upper plantation, and eommunicated with ILivi-
J(j?i(I's corps. The maiines, which 1 ha*! <al<en from hrigiuliir
Riifniw, I polletl to cover rhe roul beiwei.the two plantation:;.
On tlie i<;tli, we beivan to i;re(^l batterieion Mnnie "Iiirfnilhi,
n5»^ain(l the cirrnlel of' l''ii f l\^y,il, l)ui were much annoyed on that,

aii'l tlic lollowmi.' ii,i\ , bv the enemv I tout ivl'imf (niiniit

lilt!

iiijr tli.U it was ab!olui> Iv mieiravv to attack this phue to (he leii,
where the corps of llfjit inlantrv, and brigadier //</f;/<v/;.7's hii-
jaule were polled, I determined immediately to ere(l batteries
no,ainll thele of the enemv which annoyed u;i, aiul wiiieh mi,dit
ullo (Over our palfageol iheraxine.

On the i7ih, abo»it four o'clock In the eveninp;, the enemv,
umler cover of their batteries, nml with the gieatell partof iheii
i'orci'. hail the ti'iiierify ro attack the two corps of li;>,hl inr.mliv,
anil biigadier /A/T/A///f/'s bri^>;ade, in the polls ihev occupied

but

were received wiih fuch Ueiidiiiefa, that iljey vvcie inmieili

lately repulled ; and I
pilfed the lavine wii
I poll there, being rei
ilic ilivilion of greii.i
iicly <ui the att.H'k ha
now come on ; but m
lidit intanliv, and In
w.iivls the enemy '.s rei
poll'ellion of, the eiiei
loners) having abando
ami citadel, and the
ii'dlj/', i>r/%ut and /
the li}>,ht infantry : f<
tioops were \\\ pollel
liit'ly commanded th
jjljrht, that they left
with a ipiantity o\' an
mortar were turned a
Having }>,aim'tl thi:
hil fo much annoyec
Moine 'rortvnffin, c<
tars, vvc opened thvi
was too great, and
not imue than 4cni yi
Idiimj of the town, I
hoth ihefe pl.ices, th
cilier convevance ol 1
with his light infanii
The enemy percei
to themfelves, on tli
iiKule i in confcipici
livcred up to his maj
nine o'clock next mo
1)1" the capitulation
marines, luilitia, an^
were killed and won
kept us much longei
10 have made two o
liine.
in the fc vend utt:

ulelv

17^2.

T'hc History nf the W a r .

487

bv .1 war ^oo \o\\\\ loniimuil, or pcilmps ol lofing all l>y
|i:ilHiij', tiic t»pi>()r(iiiuiy (il a r.U'oniaMo cupitiilalion. I11-
iliiiiu cil \)) lliclc niDtivcs, aiul illlhcaruncii hy the train of

inis-

■,iic

ly ri'iuiirci! ; mill fiirh was the aivioui ol' ilu- troops, tiiat tlicy
liili'i'il tilt' riiviiif wiili ilic riu'iny, Ivi/ftl liu-ir hiiitL-iics, uiui look
|ii)tl ihcif, l)i-ii>^\ rciiiloicHil hv hriinulii-r ll'nljh's In i^^mif, aiiii
ilic liivilioa ol jficiiavliiis iiiuIit in i(;ailiiM (it.int, who imiiicili-
iiifly «)ii iIk" att.K k hail mart, lu'ti to luppoi t tlniii. Nij^lit wai
I now come on ; hut iiiiijor /.»•/.///</ moving on t«) the iolt with his
j^lit inl'anliv, :ukI ruuliii;*, no oppolition, iOMliniu'U hi-i rout to-
waivls the (. iicmy'.s icdouhl f, which he loon c iino up to, anil took
poiri'llion ot, the enemy (except a lew }>,ienat|icrs, who were pri-
ioiu'i.s) having ahamloned them, 'i'hcii (loops ictireil iiitotho town
aiui citadel, and the militia iliiperleil in the country. IhiirailierH
[//■/////', (I'r/ftit and ILiviLiiiil, inimediauly moveil up to lupport
ilio li>>Jit infantry : to that at nine o'clock ai night hii majeily'.i
troops were in poUellion ol thi.s very llrong poll, which cn-
liicly conunanded the citadel. So precipitate was the cnemy'8
llijdit, that they Icl't a mortar lo;\deil, and M or 9 guns unl'pikeil,
with a ipinntity of nnununition anil provilions. 'i'hc cannon aiul
mortar were turned againll the citadel in the morning.

Having }',ninetl this advanta;.',i'ous poll, liom which the enemy
I'-'il To much atuioyed us, and having completed two hatierieK on
Mnrnr 'rordn/'on, condlling of loui teen giins anvl thr.e mor-
mr.s, wc openeil th-MU on the \oi\\ ; hut lindin;.', that the dillancc
wa.s too j', rear, and having now Mm )i<: (.'<//■//< /'///i' in our power,
not more than 4(»(> yartis dillanl liom the lorl, as well as the pol-
li'llion ol' the town, 1 immciliately relolwd to cred batteries at
l)i)th thel'e places, tin- luoner to rctin e the citailel ; hut for the
t.ilier convevance of our cannon hy water, I ordered major J.d.niJ,
wid\ his light inl'anirv, to take poll on tlu- livi'r Moti/ifur.

'Iheetiemv perceivini.>, oiu' deligns, and lor realonH hell kiu)Wii

iluinlelves, on the cvcninj.^ ot' the jd inllar.t, heat the cha

in;n

le ; in conleipience ol" which, the ^nite of the litailel was de-
livered up ti) his majelly'H tioops the evening of the ^ih, and at
nine o'clock next morninfi; the j^arrilon marcheil out, on the terini
of the capitulation. It conlilled ol'ahout Kno men, grenailiers,
nmrines, un"litia, and iVee-hooters. Ahout 1 1^0 ol" the garrilon
were killed ami wounded in the liege The enemy might have
ktpt us nnich longer, as it wouhl have heen ahl'olulely necell'ury
10 have made two or three breaches, which mull have taken fomc

titne.

In thefevoral attacks, I nm credibly inronucd, thai ihc enemy

1?' .

t\h.\

488 TV:?^ History o/ ^//f War. 1762.

misfortunes which had attended the French arm£ here and
in all other parts of the world, they refolved to hold out

had not lefs than 1000 men killed, woumled, and taken prifoners;
an\ong the latter, feveral of their principal officers of the militia
taken the 24th. Our iofs your Jordfhip will fee by the return.
You have alfo, my lord, a return of the artillery and ilores taken
from the enemy on the 24th and 27th of January ; and in the
citadel at its furrendcr on the qth inftant.

I cannot find words, my lord, to render that ample juftice due
to the true valour and perfevering ardour of his majeity's troops,
which I have the honour to command. The difficulties they had
to encounter in the attack of an enemy, pofleiTed of every ad-
vantage that art or nature could give them, were great. Their
perfevcrance, in furmounting thefe obttacles, furniffies a noble
example of BritiJIj fpirit.

The brigadiers Ha'viland, Grajit, Rufane^ Lord /?o//o, and
lVtI/h,9.nd all the officers in general, deferve the highell applaul'e
for their animated and foldierlike conduct.

The grenadiers of the army, in three divifions, headed by the
lieutenant colonels Fletcher, MaJJy and Vaughan, and the light
infantry and rangers, in three boilies, conuiianded by lieutenant
colonel Scott, major Leland, and captain Kennedy, particularly di-
ftinguifhed themfelves, the warinell part of the lervice having
fallen to their lot.

M. la Tourhe, the governor general, after leaving a garrifon in
Fort Royal, retired with the remains of his grenadier;;, and is now,
as I am informed, at St. I'ierre. We have not as yet had the lead
correfpondence together, nor has he fo much as fent to enquire
after his killed,, wounded, and prifoner.s.

Immediately upon the fort furrendering, the admiral and I re-
ceived a deputation from moil of the (juarters of the ifland, de-
llri;i<>- likewife to capitulate, M. Ln Touche liavino- refufed them to
enter into any terms. On the 7th niltant we agreed upon the ca-
pitulations, to which we have every day fome of the other quar-
ters ot the ifland acceding. St. Pierre, and the neighbouring quar-
ters, are the only ones which hold out, owing tp the prelence of
of M. La Touche \ but fliould they not coiuc in, in a day or two,
which I am told I may exptdt every hour, [ pur pole moving that
way, and tlo not the kail doubt but that 1 fliall fuon reduce
them to reafon.

On the 7th inflant, Vidgeon Ijlaml, one of the defences of this
harbour, furrendered by fumnions on the fame terms of the citadel,
(cannon excepted.)

' Your

Rear Admiral h

1762. ^he History of the W\r. 48^

no longer; and general Monckton, juft as he was
ready to cmhark Tor the redu<5lion of St. Pierre, Feb. 12.
was fortunately prevented by the arrival of depu-
ties

Your lordlliip may look upon the capitulation for the ifland as
fixed, the admiral and myfelf being refolved not to make the lead
alteration. The other quarters muft accede to it.

We hope both the capitulations will receive his majefty's ap-
probation, as it has been ourearneft ftudy to obtain, on our part,
every advantage to the nation, that could accrue from the con-
queftof this ifland.

The day after th affair of the 27th, learning from one of my

j parties that M. Nadau Detruily late the French governor of the

the ifland of Guadnloupe^ was at a houfe about two leagues from

my quarters, I thought it necefl*ary to fend, and bring him in,

I and he is now with me a prifoner. I purpofe fending him to

hance by fome opportunity that may offer hereafter. The French

troops are all aboard, and will loon fail for France according to

I the capitulation.

I have given orders for the repair of the citadel, and for every

Ineceflary work. The inhabitants, who had all quitted their

I houfes, and retired to the heights, are now returning to them ;

andasfoon as I have fixed the inhabitants '»f St. Pierre^ I fliall

purfue the other parts of his majefty's inftruftions,

I niuft repeat to your Iprdfliipthe harmony that fubfifls betwecji
the fleet and army, and the cordial afliflance we have received
from admiral Rodney, in every part of the operations where his
aid could be ufeful.

This will be delivered to your lordfliip by major Gates, one of
my aid-de-carnps, who will inform your lofdfliip of any particu-
lars you may defire to know. I muft beg leave to recommend him
to his majefty's favour, a? a very defetving officer, and who has
DOW ferved upwards of twelve years in America with much
cref^it.

/ hai'e the honour to be, ^V.

R. MONCKTON.

f I

{• i

Rear Admiral Rodney^ sjecond Letter to Mr. CJevland.

Fort Royal Bay, Martinico, February \o, lySz.

SINCE my letter of the 19th of January, fi nt exprefs by
captnin lf^aljifj^ha,m, acquainting their lordfhiijs with my
atrival and landing the army at Cafe Navire ; I have the honour

CLq q t»

490 ^he History of the War. 1*^52

ties, who came to capitulate for the furrender of that place
and of the whole ifland. .

The furrender of Martinico, which was the feat of the!

fuperioi

to congratulate them on the furrender of the mod important ci-
tadel of Fort Royaiy and Pidgeon Ifland ; which has given hiJ
majefty's forces pofleflion of the nobleft and beft harbour in thefei
parts of the Weft Indies.

The almofl infurmountable difficulties the troops had to ftrug-l
gle with, and the furprifing ftrength of ^he coimtry, improved byl
all that art could add, will be beft expl' n ed by general Monckton^
But this I muft fay, in juftice to thofe I have the honour to com-
mand, that the intrepidity and gallant behaviour of the officers!
and troops employed on this expedition, could be equalled onlyl
by the eager and chearful aftivity of the officers and feamen ; whoj
contributed every thing in their power towards the redu6tion of
the place, and made no difficulties in tranfporting numbers of
the heaviefl mortars and Ihips cannon, up the (leepefl mountains,!
s»t a very confiderable diftance from the fea, and acrofs the enemy'j
line of Hre.

I have the pleafure to acquaint their Iord(hips, that we have!
taken, in this port, fourteen of the enemy's beft privateers; and|
many more, which are in the other ports of the ifland, will be im-
mediately delivered into my hands, agreeable to the capitulation!
of the inhabitants: and for all further particulars, I muft referl
their lordfhips to captain Darby ^ who is cha(ged with thefe dif-i
patches.

It gives me the fmcereft fatisfaftion, that I can afTure their!
lordfhips, the moft perfeft harmony has fubfifted between thenav/|
and army, each vying (in the moft friendly manner) which fhouldj
ferve his majefty and their country beft.

General Monckion's third Letter; dated^ St. Peter's^ Martinico,\

February 27, 1762.

My Lord,

I Had the honour of writing to your Lordfliip the 9th inft. from!
Fort Royaly which went by my Aid-de-Camp, Major Grt^f;,!
who failed from thence in his Majefty's fhip Nightingale^ onthcj
loth inft. a duplicate of that letter I now inclofe.

Juft when I was about to embark for the redudion of St. Pr/;r's, I
two deputies arrived at Fort Royal on the 1 2th inft. offering terms
of capitulation for the whole ifland, on the part of M.i>/^/i^rj
Delatouche, the Governor-General on the 13th. They received

the

1762, ^he History of the War." 491

fuperior government, the principal mart of trade, and the

j centre of all the French force in the Caribbees, naturally

drew on the furrender of all the dependent iilands. Gra*

nada.

the Admiral's and my anfwers, to their propofals, which they car-

I [ied to St. Peter'% ; and on the 1 4th returned with the capitulation

I ligned. In confequence of which, I left Fort Royal on the 1 5th,
with the grenadiers of the army, and the 2d brigade; and on the
following day tock poffeffion of this large and opulent town, with

i all the pods in the neighbourhood. The enemy marched out about

1 320 grenadiers, who are embarked, and will fail immediately for

Vhance. M. Le VaJJor Delatvuche^ the Governor-General, M.

\huilley Lieutenant Governor., and the ftafF will fhortly fol-

llow.
Inclofed I fend y^r Lcrdfhip a copy of the capitulation for the

I illand, which we h^aably hone will meet with his Majefty's ap-
probation. Commodore Snvanton is now off the Grenades with a
fquadron of men of war ; and 1 propofe fending immediately Brig.
Gen. lValfi!> with the 5th brigade, and the corps of light infantry

I under Lieut. Col. 5fo//,inorder to reduce that'and the other iflands.
I have undoubted intelligence, that the number of white men in

I the Grenades do not exceed 500 ; and in the other iflands not quite

I fo many.

I fhould have proceeded upon this fervice myfelf, had I not
thought it of more confequence, for his Majefty's fervice, my
remaining here at this critical time, when, by what we can learn,
a rupture with Sfain may be daily expected ; and here I am alfo

! It hand to fettle many material affairs relative to the fecurity of
this conqueft.

Indeed, I have good reafon to believe, that Brig. fTnl/h will
meet with very little obftruftion in his operations. However,
Ihould he not immediately fucceed, I (hall move that way with a

[larger force, and make no doubt to compel them to a fpeedy fur-
lender.

It was not my intention to have fent home an exprefs until I
could have informed your Lordfliipof the reduction of the other

[iOands mentioned in his Majefty's inftrudlions. But as

this ifland is now completely reduced to his Majefty's obedience, I
was apprehenfive that a delay, in.fignifying this interefting event,
might be attended with fome bad confequences at this critical
juncture. I therefore fend this by my Aid-de-Camp, Captain
Ricaut, who can inform your Lordfliip of any particulars you may
defire to know ; and I beg leave to recommend him to your Lord-
fliip's countenance, as a very deferving and good officer.

Q^q q Z A«

492 T*/;*? History o/ //^^ War. j-^g^j

nada, a fertile ifland, and poflefled of fome good harbours,
was given up without oppofition. St. Lucia, and St. Vin-
cent> the right to which had fo long been objefts of con-
tention!

As it was neceflary for his Majefty's fervice, immediately to fill
fome civil employments here, I have, accordingly, appointed
proper perfons to aft until his Majefty's pleafuie be known.

Your Lordlhip has, herewith, a return of the artillery, and
warlike (lores, found in the town, the Reduity and the other di-j
ferent ports.

/ hwue the honour to he ^c.

' ROB. MONCKTON.

Admiral Rodney's third Letter ^ da ted ^ St. Pierre's Road, Marlitiico,]

February 28, 1762.

SINCE my difpatches (if the loth inftant, by Capt. Darby, ac-
quainting their Lord fliips with the furrender of i^or/ /Joy,// I
and the capitulation of thij greateft part of the inhabitants, I ha\ej
the additional pleafure to congratulate their Lordfliips on the con-
qaeft of the whole ifland of Martinico ; M. Delatouche having |
thought proper to fend his brother on board the Marlborough, I
with articles of capitulation, jufl in time to fave the town of St.
Pierre from deftruftion j a copy of which capitulation I have the
honour to inclofe.

As this great ifland is now entirely fubjefted to his Majefty's
obedience, I can only repeat, in this pubh'c manner, my entire
appiobation of the conduft of all the officers and feamen of that
part of his Majefty's fleet, which I have the honour to command,
all having exerted themfelves in their proper ftations, with an or-
der and refolution becoming Britifli feamen.

Immediately on the furrender of St. Pierre's, I difpatched Com-
modore Sivanten, with a fquadron of his Majefty's fliips co join
thofe already before the ifland of Granada, and block up that
port as clofe as poflible : The iflands of St. Fincent and St. Lucia
arc Hkewife very clofely blockaded ; and I make not the leall
doubt, but that all the Caribhee iflands will, in a very fliort time,
be fubjeded to his Majefty,

On the 4th inftant, Capt. Ourry, of his Majefty's fliip the
Adteon, cruizing off Tobago, fell in with and took a large Spanijh
regiiter fliip, laden with cannon, powder, fmall arms, and ordi-
nance ftorcs, bound to Laquirn.

... - , ,. AJmiral

Admiral Rodney's fc

1762. 'J'he History 0/ 7^^? War. "^ 493

tention between the two nations, followed its example. The
EngUfli were now the fole and undiflurbeu poircfTois of all
the Caribbees, and held that chain of innumerable iflands
which forms an immenfe bow, extending from the eaflern
point of Hifpaniola almofl to the continent of South Ame-
rica. And though fome of thefe illands are barren, none
of them very large, and not many of them well inhabited,
they boaft mc/e trade than falls to the lot of many refpe6t-
able kingdoms.

The time, in which Martinico was reduced, was a cir-
cumftance of almofl: as much confequence as the redu6lion
itfelf ; for the war againfl Spain having been declared in the
beginning of the year, it became advifeable to flrike early
fuch an effeftive blow againfl: that nation as might incline
them to a fpeedy peace, or might influence the fortune
of the whole war, if, contrary to our wi flies, the war
fliould continue. It was, on this plan, neceflTary to employ'
a very great force, and, of courfe, to call away a very co.n-
fiderable part of that which had been employed at Mar-
tinico, whilfl: the feafon permitted them to a£t.

When the Britifli adminiftration determined to trans-
fer the war into the Spanifli Wefl: Indies, with great
judgment they fixed their eyes at once upon the capital
oh]tdi(a)'. and refolved to commence their operations

■ . . i where

Admiral Rodney s fourth Letter ^ dated, St. PkrrtsRoad, Martin -cj^

March i, 1762.

Have this moment received an exprefs from Captain Hert'ry,
that the ifland of St. Lucia is furrcndered at difcietion.

(a) As the merit of proje&ing this expedition has hccn <variouJly
related, the follonuing particulars may not be improperly qimen here.

Admiral KnonvUs on his return fromjamaica in \ 7 56, tooh an

ipportunity of<vifttinjr the Ha=uiinna, andinfpediug its fortifications^
of ivhich he made plans , and other material ohfcr-vations ; tbe'c at
the requcfl of the duke of Cumberland, ivire laid before hi;n for his
itjfpcflion, ivho knouoing the merit of the admiral as an engineery
confulted him on the mojl probable means of putting them into executi-
on J thefe his royal highnefs formed into a regular plan for execu-
tion, tvhich hefent to the minijfry, ivbo held them under conft dera-
tion for fom<: time} ho'we'ver^ this plan tvas dij approved of by lord

Anfony

494 ^^^ History of the War. \^^z.

where others of lefs ability would have chofen to conclude
them. In an attack upon fubordinate places, the conqueft
would not have been much more certain ; when obtained
it would be far from decifive ; and a failure would have
been fatal, as it would include a lofs of reputation. The
failure of a>i armament in a fubordinate attack is a bad pre-
parative for a greater attempt. The plan, therefore, of the
war of 1 740 in the Spanifli Indies, in which we began
with Porto Bello, and fo proceeded to Carthagena, &c.
was mean, becaufe the fuccefs in one of thefe attempts
did nothing towards infuring fuccefs in the other; and if
we had fucceedcd in both attempts, our advantage would
have had but little influence on a third. But the plain of
the war, juft now concluded, was great and jurt:; becaufe
we began with the Havannah, in which the whole trade
and navigation of the Spaniih Weft Indies center, and
without which it cannot be carried on. If we fhould ac-
quiefce in this conqueft, this conqueft alone would ahnoft
have finiftied the war ; becaufe it wouid have utterly in-,
terccpted the enemy's refources. If we chofe to' purfue our
advantage, it expofed the whole Spanifh America.

Anfotiy tbenfirjl lord of the Admiralty, ivho formed another, tjohich
nvas carried into execution ; hut as his royal highnefs hud lery
early interefied himfelf in the expedition^ the appointing of a com-
mander of the land force 'was left to him^ ivhich naturally fell on
the earl of Albemarle ^ ivhom he had in a manner tutored from
his earlieji years.

CHAP.

l7^2.

'The History of the War.

CHAP. VHI.

495

Commanders in the expedition againji the Havannab. Fleet
faih from Portfmoutb. Pajfage through the old freights
of Bahama. Town and harbour of the Havannah defcribed.
Troops land, Difpofttion of the troops. Siege of Fort Mo-
ro. Captain Harvey cannonades the Moro. Englijb batte-
ry fired. Dijirefs of the Englijb forces. Succvurs arrive
from North America. Afally. The fort formed. Ope-
rations againf the town. The Havannah furrenders. Ad-
vantages of this acquifttion,

IT being determined to commence with this enterprize,
fuch commanders were to be chofen, as could be fafely
intruded with the conduct of an undertaking fo weighty,
and on the fuccefs of which fo much depended. Lord Al-
bemarle, the friend and difciple of the duke of Cumberland,
commanded the land forces. Admiral Pococke, who having
contributed by his valour towards that fovereignty which
his country had ob<;ained in the Elaft Indies, was now chofen
to extend its empire and its honour in the Weft.

They failed from Portfmouth on the 5th of March, the
day on which the Grenades were furrendered. A fleet had
failed from Martinico under the command of that fpirited
and intelligent officer, Sir James Douglas, in order to rein-
force them. The fquadrons verv happily met, without de-
lay or difperfion, at Cape Nichola, the north-weil point of
Hifpaniola, on the 27th of May. After this junction, the
armament amounted to nineteen Ihips of the line ; eighteen
fmall veflels of war ; and near one hundred and fifty tran-
fports, which conveyed about ten thoufand land forces. A
fapply of four thoufand had been ordered from New York,
and was expe6J:ed to join them very near as early as they
could be fuppofed able to commence their operations.

There were two choices before the admiral for hiscourfe
to the Havannah. The firft and moft obvious was the com-
mon way, to keep to the fouth of Cuba, and fall into the
track of the galleons. But this, though by much the fafeft,
would prove by far the moft tedious paflage ; and delays,
above all things, were to be avoided, as the fuccefs of the
whole enterprize would probably depend upon its being in
forwardnw'fs before the hurricane feafon came on. He there-
fore

•', !

H •

49^ y^^'^ History of the War. \^^^

fore rcTolvctI to run along the northern (hore of that ifland,
piirfiiing hi:; cargcr from call: to wcfl: through a narrow paf-
fagc, not lefs than fevcn hund-'cd miles in length, called the
old freights of Bahama.

This palTage, through almo. vhc whole of Its extent, is
bounded on the right and left by the moft dangerous fands
and flioals, which render the navigation fo hazardous, that
it has ufually been avoided by finglc and fmall vefTcls.
There was no pilot in the fleet whofe experience could be
depended on to condu6t them fafely through it. The ad-
miral, however, determined on this paflage ; and being pro-
vided with a good chart of lord Anfon's, he rcfolved to truft
to his own fagacity, conduct, and vigilance, to carry fafely
through thofe ftreights a fleet of near two hundred fail. So
bold an attempt had never been made ; but every precaution
was taken to guard this boldnefs from the imputation of te-
merity. A velTel was fcnt to reconnoitre the paflage, and,
when returned, was ordered to take the- lead ; fome frigates
followed ; floops and boats were ftationed on the right and
left on the fhallows, with v^ell adapted fignals both for the
day and the night. The fleet moved in feven divifions.
And being favoured with pleafant weather, and fecured by
the admirable difpofition* which were made, they, without
the fmalleft Icfs or interruption, got clear thro' this perilous
paflage on the 5th of June, having entered it on the 27th
cf IVlay.

The Havannah, the objeft of their long voyage, and of
fo many anxious hopes and fears, was now before them.
This place is not denominated the capital of Cuba ; St. T'l^Oj
fituatcd at the fouth-caft part of the ifland, has that title:
but the Havannah, though the fecond in rank, is the firfl in
wealth, fizc, and importance. The harbour, upon which it
{lands, is, in every refpeft, one of the befl: in the Weft In-
dies, and perhaps in the world. It is entered by a narrow
paflTage, upwards of half a mile in length, which afterwards
expands into a large bafon, forming three culde facs\ (a)
and is fufficient, in extent and depth, to contain a thoufand
fall of the largefl: fliips, having almoft throughout fix fathom
water, and being perfectly covered from every wind. In
this bay the rich fleets from the fcveral parts of the Spanifli

-T- V ,.....:,; ,, . , . , Well

(a) Deep Bays.

11)62. '^le History of the War. 457

jWeft Indies, called the Galleons and the Flota, afTemble,
jtefore they finally fet out on their voyage for Europe.

I'his circumftance has rendered the Havannah one of
Jihe mod opulent, flourifhing, and populous cities in this
*j)art of the world^ Great care was taken to fortify and fe-
|[ure a place, which, by being the center of fo rich a com-
jsierce, would naturally become the faireft mark for the at-
lempts of an enemy. The narrow entrance into this har-
jbour is fecured on one fide by a very flrong fort, called the
|\Ioro, (C) built upon a projecting point of land : on the

other, it is defended by a fort called the Puntal, (D) which
lioins the town. The town itfejf, which is fituated to the

neftward of the entrance of the harbour, and oppofite to
line Mo ro fort, is furrounded by a good rampart, (A A)
Ifianked with baftions, and covered with a ditch.
The Sparuards, who had been for fome time preparing

ir war, had formed a confiderable navy in the Weft Indies :
Itliis fleet, (q) which was near twenty fail, moftly of the line.
Iky at tliis time in the bafonof the Havannah ; but they had
Lt, when our armament appeared before the port, received,
lit feems, any authentic account from their court concerning
lihe commencement of hoftilities between the two nations.

Whether the Spaniards were rendered inaftive by the
Iffant of inftruclions, whether all their fhips were not in
[lighting condition, o,r whatever elfe was the caufe, this

' ;t lay quiet in the harbour. If fome of the above rea-
Ifons did not oppofe, it may be very rationally fuppofed,
jihat their beft part would have been to come out, and fight
lour fquadron. They were not very far from an equality ;
land though the iflue of a battle might have proved unfa-
Irourable to them, yet a battle tolerably maintained would
Ihave much difabled our armament, and perhaps have been
la means of preventing the fuccefs of the whole enterprize,
iThe lofs of their fleet in this way might poflTibly have faved
Itheclty ; but, the city, once taken, nothing could poflibly
Ifave the fleet. It is true, they much trufted, and not wholly
jwithout reafon, to the ftrength of the place, and to thofe
laftonifliing diflSculties which attend any military operation,

that is drawn out to length in t' 3 unhealthy climate. In

other refpefts, they were very far from being deficient in

proper meafures for their defence. They made a ftrong
jhoom (p) acrofs the mouth of the harbour ; and alraoft the

R r r only

'. -'ni

49^ fhe History of the War. 1762. 1

only ufe they made of their (hipping, in the defence of the]
place, was to fink three of them (n) hehind this bocm.

When all things were in readinefs for landing, the admi
ral, with a great part of the fleet, bore away to the weft-j
ward, (s) in order to draw the enemy's attention from thel
true objeO:, and made a feint, as if he intended to land un-j
on that fide"; while commodore Keppel and captain Har-|
vey, commanding a detachment of the fquadron, approach-
ed the fliore to the eaftward (t) of the harbour^
June 7. and efFe6:ed a landing there in the utmofl: order,!
_ , ' ' without any oppofition, having previoufly filencedj
a rniall fort, (F) which might have given fome diftur-
bance.

The principal body of the army was deftined to a61: uponl
this fide. It was divided into two corps ; one of which wasj
advanced a confiderable way in the country, towards thel
fouth-eafl: of the harbour, in order to cover the fiege, andl
to fecure our parties employed in watering and procuringl
provifions. This corps was commanded by general Elliot.
The other was immediately occupied in the attack on Fort I
Moro, (w) to the redu£lion of which the efforts of the En-
glifli were principally dire6ted, as the Moro commandedj
the town, and the entrance of the harbour. This attackj
was conduced by general Keppel. To make a diverfion inl
favour of this grand operation, a detachment, under colonel]
How, was encamped to the weftward of the town. This!
body cut off the communication between the town and thel
country, and kept the enemy's attention divided. Such was!
the difpofition, and it was impofllble to make a better, ofj
the land forces during the whole fiege. (a)

Thei

(a) Explanation of the Plan of the fiege of the Havannah,|
drawn by an officer on the fpot, Auguji 1 5, 1762.

A A Extent of the nuall. ^ '

B T^he Land Gate.

C Moor Cajile. r'; vsM'

D Puntal Fort. ■•'ifi ii.i .

E The Fort, orGo'verner^s Hou/e.

F Fort Cojimar. . . ,,,

G Fort Chorera.

H The Cajile of Bocanoa.

References /oMfPLAN.
a IV he re his majejiy^s troops fit f.\

landed^ June 7, 1762.
b The march of the army inime-\

diately after landing.
C His majejiys fljip Dragon\

againji Cojimar.
d Where the army j\rfl encamfei I

e Whert\

The

'LAN.

psjirjl]

Dragoni

"""'"« """:'■'"""""" Z«m

'Mf '

'^■. .

■l

■7^W-

mat

APlan of the SiEGBbftlie Havana

DrawRla»)ran OFPICEK. .l^^^Augufl 176*4

Ar^^

1762. The I

The hardfhips ^
rying on the fiege
the earth was evei
difficulty they cov
There was. no fpr
to bring water fro
fcanty was this fu[
courfe to water frt
were to be cut thrc
dragged for a vaft
dropped down de?
fuch was the rerd
perfefl unanimity
fea fervices, that i
a moment the op(
and well defended
difficulties, raifed s
which this fort fta
deeper into the hi
molefting our appr

The enemy's fi
long time pretty n
with great viva'^it
tort communicated

e IVhere the cannon

•were landed.
f The batteries again
g 7he Dragon, Camt

Marlborough, agai

ro.
h The bombs againjl
i His mnjejlys jhi^

ogainjl Chorera foi
k The batteries on th

ogainjl the Punt a I
1 The batteries on the

hill.
m The hotrtzers again

ping.
n The Neptune of yc

64, and Europa oj

1762. T'i'^ History o///;^ War. 499

The hardftiips which the Englifharmy fuftained, in car-
rying on the fiege of the Moro, are almoft inexpreflible :
the earth was every where fo thin, that it was with great
difficulty they could cover themfelves in their approaches.
There was. no fpring or river near them ; it was ncceflary
to bring water from a great diftance ; and fo precarious and
fcanty was this fupply, that they were obliged to have re-
courfe to water from the (hips. Roads for communication
were to be cut through thick woods ; the artillery was to be
dragged for a vaft way over a rough rocky fhore. Several
dropped down dead with heat, thirft, and fatigue. But
fuch was the refolution of our people, fuch the happy and
perfe6l unanimity which fuMifled between the land and the
fea fervices, that no difficulties, no hardfliips, flackened for
a moment the operations againft this important, ftrong,
and well defended place. Batteries were, in fpite of all
difficulties, raifed againil the Moro, and along the hill upon
which this fort (lands, in order to drive the enemy's rtiips
deeper into the harbour, and thus to prevent them from
molefting our approaches.

The enemy's fire, and that of the befiegers, was for a
long time pretty near on an equality, and it was kept up
with great viva'^ity on both fides. The Spaniards in the
tort communicated with the town, from which they were

R r r 2 recruited

'■}'■' ''

'.t 1 I- ' .1

e Where the cannon and ftores

'were landed.
f The batteries againft the Moro.
g The Dragon^ Cambridge, and

Marlborough, againft the Mo-
ro.
h The bombs againft the Puntal.
i His majeftys jhip Belleifte

offainft Chorera fort,
k The batteries on the nueft-ftde

againft the Puntal.
i The batteries on the Ca'vannes

hill.
Ill The hoetzers againft theftjifi-

ping.
a The Neptune of 70, /Ifta of

64, and Europa of 60 guns^

funk at the entrance vf the

harbour.
o One Company* s Ihip over fet .
p' The chain and bomb.
q The 8 panift} Admiral and fleet.
X Tiuofhips on the flocks.
s Sir George Pocock, ivith the

men of ivar and tranjports .
t Commodore Kef pel, -with the

men ofnuar and tyanfports.
u Camp at the nvater-milli.
w The befleging camps.
X Fortified boufes.
y Hend ijuarfurs.
7. A merchant fl)ip ftrutk ivith

lightning, •njhich blew up.

y ■

500 The History of the War. lyg^

recruited and fupplied ; they did not rely foleh
June 29. on their works ; they made a fally with fufficientl
refolulion, and a confiderable force, hut with lit-1
tie fuccefs. They were obliged to retire, with a lofs of|
two or three hundred men left dead on the fpot.

Whilfl: thefe works were thus vigoroufly pufhed oni
fhore, the navy, not contented with the great affiftancc'
which they had before lent to every part of the land fervice, j
refolved to try fomething further, and which was more di-
reftly within their own province, towards the reduciion of
the Moro. Accordingly, the day the batteries on (here
were opened, three of their grcatefl: fhips, (g) the Dragon,
the Cambridge, and the Marlborough, under the conduft

of capt. Harvey, laid their broadfides againfl: the!
July I. fort, and began a terrible fire, which was returned

with great obflinacy. This firing, one of the warm-
eft ever fcen, continued for feven hours without interni;f-i
fion. But in this cannonade the Moro, which was fituated
upon a very high and fteep rock, had great advantages over
the fhips, and was proof againft all their efforts. Befides,
the fire from the oppofite fort of Puntal, and the batteries
of the town, galled them extremely. (Infomuch that, in or-
der to fave the fliips from abfolute deftrn6tion, they were
obliged at length, tho' unwilling, to bring them all off.
Even this retreat was not effeftcd without difficulty, as the
fhips were very much fliattered in this long and unequal
conteft. They had one hundred and fifty men killed and
wounded ; and one of the captains, captain Gooftrey of the
Marlborough, a brave and experienced officer, was aifo
killed. The captains Harvey and Burnett gained, with bet-
ter fortune, an equal honour, by thfeir firm and intrepid be-
haviour throughout the whole operation.

This bold attempt, though it had very little cffc^l upon
the works on that fide cf the fort which the ffiips attacked,
was neverthelefs of confiderable fervice. The enemy's at-
tention being diverted to that fide, the other was a good
deal negle6ted : our fire was poured in the mean time with
redoubled fury from the batteries; it became much fiiperi-
or to that of the enemy, and did no fmall damage to their
works. But the moment the Sp.iniards were rcleafed from
their attention to our men of war, "^thcy returned again to
the eaftward face of the fort : their defence was revived
with as <nuch vigour as before j on both fides a ccMillant un-
remitted

1762. The History of the War. 501

remitted fire wa's kept up, with a fierce emulation, for fevc-
ral days. It now became evident, that the redu6tion of
this fortrefs was to be a work of time. Never, from the
beginning of the war, had the Knglifli valour been fo well
matched. Here was at length an adverfary worthy of our
arms, and our whole military Ikill and fpirit was put to the
fevercft trial.

In the midft of this fliarp and doubtful contention, the
capital battery againft the fort unfortunately took
fire ; and being chiefly conftruftcd of timber and July 3.
fafcines dried by the intenfe heats and continual
cannonade, the flames foon got a-head, and became too
powerful for oppofition. The battery w^.g almoft wholly
confumed. The labour of fix hundred men, for fcven-
teen days, was dcftroyed in a moment '; and all was to be-
gin anew.

This was a mortifying firoke. It was felt the more fcr-
verely, becaufe the other hardfliip. of the ficf^e were be-
come by this time almoll infupportahlc. 7'hc ficknefs,
fomething of which the troops h:id brought with them from
Martinico, and which increakd infinitely in this unwhote-
fome country and rigorous fcrvicc, h;id reduced the army
to half its number, at the fimc lime that it doubled the fa-
tigue of thofe few who ftill prcicrved fome remains of
ftrength. I'lve thoufiind foldicrs were at one time down
in various difiempers ; no lels than three thoufand of the
feamen were in the fame miferal^le condition. A total want
of good provifions cxafperated the difcafe, and retarded the
recovery. The deficiency of water was of all their grievan-
ces the greateft, and extremely aggravated all the refl of
their fufferlngs. The procuring from a diftante this v. retch-
ed fupply, fo unequal to their wants, exhaullcd all their
force. Befides, as the feafon atlvanced, the prol'pect ol fuc-
ceeding grew fainter. The hearts of the nioil fanguine
funk within them, uhilfi they beheld this gallant army
wafilngaway by difeafcs ; and they could not avoid trem-
bling for that noble fleet, v. hicii had rid fo long on an open
fliore,aiid which inuft. to all a]>pearance, be expofed to in-
evitable ruin, if the hurricane fealbn Ihould come on before
the reduction of the place. A tliouland languilhing and
impatient looks were cad out for the reintorcemcnt from
N(.rth y\merica. None howk-ver as yul .ippcue-d ; and t!ie
exhaul.k'd army wjis left to its own enJcavouis. Many fell

initf

>;i

am*

502 ^f-><: History of the War. 1^6^

into dcfpair, and died, overcome with fatigue, anguilh
difappointment.

But in the midd of thefe cruel delays and diftrefTes, the
ftcadinefs of the commanders infufed life and a6tivity into
their troops, and roufed them to incredible exertions. The
rich pri/.e, which was before them; the fhame of returnin'^
home baffled ; and even the flrenuous refinance which was
made by the enemy ; all thefe motives called loudly on their
intcrcft, their honour, and their pride, and obliged them to
the exertion of every nerve. Nobody could imagine that
it was this reduced and flender army, by which thefe afto-
nifliing efforts were made, and this extenfive fphere of duty
fo perfectly filled. New batteries arofc in the place of the

old ; the fire foon became equal, and then fupe-
July 20. rior to that of the enemy. They by degrees fi-

Icnced the cannon of the fort, beat to pieces all the
upper works, and made at lcnn;th a lodgment in the covered
way. Their hopes were now become more lively. Sonic
^ . days before tliey had gained this grand advantage,

July 1 2. jjjg Jamaica fleet appeared in its paflage to Europe,
with fevcral conveniencies for the ficge. Not many days
^ . p after this they received a confiderable part of the
J" y ^ • New York reinforcement. Some of the tranfporfs
in their pa'^age thro' the oil Bahama Strciglus were loil,
but the men were {\\itd< on the adjacent iflands.

Thefe favourable events infufed double life into their ope-
rations, in this advanced ftate of the fiege ; but a new and
grand difficulty appeared, jufl: at the feeming accomplifh-
ment of their work. An imrnenfe ditch yawned before
them, for the greater part cut in the folid rock, eighty feet
deep, and forty feet wide. To fill it up by any means appeared
impoflible. Difficult as the work of mining was in thofe cir-
cumftancesjit wasthe only expedient. It might have been an
impracticable one, if fortunately a thin ridge of rock had not
been left, in order to cover the ditch towards the fca. On this
, . narrow ridge, the miners wholly uncovered, but

July 20. ^^j^j^ ^^,j.y jj^.^|^ j^^|-^^ pafled the ditch, and foon

buried themfelves in the wall.

It now became vifible to the governor of the Ilavannah,
that the fort mufl: be fpee>lily reduced if left to its own
ftrength. At all events fomething mud be done in this ex-
igence

1762. The History of the War. 503

igence for its immediate relief. Accordingly be-
fore break of day a body of twelve hurdred men, July 22.
moftlycompofedof the country militia, Mulattoes
and Negroes, were tranfported acrofs the harbour, climbed
the hills, and made three attacks upon our pofts. But the
ordinary guards, though furprifed, defended themfelves fo
refolutely, that the Spaniards made little impreflion, and
were not able to ruin any part of the approaches. The
ports attacked were fpeedily reinforced, and the enemy,
who were little better than a diforderly rabble, and not con-
dudilcd by proper officers, fell into terror and confufion.
They were driven precipitately down the hill with great
flaughter ; fome gained their boats, others were drowned,
and they loft in this well imagined, but ill executed fally,
upwards of four hundred men.

This was thelaft effort for the relief of the Moro ; which,
abandoned as it was by the city, and while an enemy was
undermining its walls, held out with a fullen refolution,
and made no fort of propofal to capitulate. The
mines at length didthei*- bufmefs. A part of the July 30.
wall was blown up, and fell into the ditch; leaving
a breach, which tho' very narrow and difficult, the general
and engineer judged practicable. The En^lifh troops, who
were commanded on this moft dangerous of all fcrvices, re-
joiced that it was to be the end of labours much more
grievous to them. They mounted the breach, entered the
fort, and formed themfelves with fo much celerity, and
with fuch a fpiritcd coolncfs of refolution, that the enemy,
who were drawn up to receive them, and who might have
made the aflault an affair of p^reat bloodlhed, aftoniftied at
their countenance, fled on all hands. About four hundred
were (laughtered on the fpot, or ran to the water where
they periftied. Four hundred more threw down their arms,
and obtained quarter. The fecond in comm:uid, the mar-
quis de Gonfales, fell whilft he was makinr; brave, but in-
effeftual efforts to animate and rally his people. Don Lewis
de Velafco, the governor, who had hitherto defended the
fort with fuch obftinate bravery, feemed relolved in this
extremity to fhare the fame fate with it. He collc6lcd an
hundred men in an entrenchment he had made round his
colours. But feeing that all his cDmpanions were fled from
him, or flaughtered about I'.im, dildaining to retire «>r call
for quarter, he received a mortal wounri, and fell, offering

i'f

vi ^^K

■i

504 The Hi^TOKY of the Wkk. 1^52.

his fword to his conquerors. The Engiifh wept with pity
and admiration over that untortnnate valour, which had oc-
calioned them To many toilfome hours, and coft them fo
many Uves.

Thus the Moro came into our pofleflion after a' vigorous
ilruggle, forty-four days from the time the firfl operations
had been begun ugainlt it. No time was loll to profit of
this great advantage, notwithflanding that the ficknefs ilill
raged hke a peftilencc, and that many new and great works
were to be undertaken. Not only the fire of the fort was
turned againfl rhe town, but a Hne of batteries (1) was erect-
ed along the hill of the Cavannos, on the extremity of which
the fort fl^rnds. By thefe batteries, which mounted three
and '"^rty pieces of cannon, and twelve mortars, almoft the
whc ' . ..'(I 1 fide of the cit ^ was commanded from one end
to th.. i^htv. '^reparations for an attack were alfo made,
and batteries c; ■ .3ted to the wellward of the town, which on

that fide had hitherto been only w?4tched. Some
Aug. 2. time before a part of the fecond.divifion of the

troops from North America had Tirrived. A part
had been taken by a fquadron of French men of war ; but
thofe who efcaped, came very feafonably, and were of fig-
nal fervice.

When thofe preparations were perfefkly ready
Aug. 10. to takeefFed, lord Albemarle by a mefTage repre-

fented to the governor the irrefiftible force of the
attack, which he was ready to make upon the town, but
which, in order to avoid unneceflary effufion of blood, he
was willing to fufpend, that the Spaniards might have lei-
fure to capitulate. The governor in a refolute, but civil
manner returned, that he would defend the place committed
to him to the laft extremity, and began inftantly to fire.

To convince the governor that the menaces employed
were not an empty boaft, lord Albemarle the very next
morning ordered a general fire from the batteries, which
was poured from all fides, with fuch continued and irrefifti-
ble fury, that in fix hours almofl: all the enemy's guns were
fdenced. To the inexpreflible joy of the fleet and army,
flags of truce appeared from every quarter of the town. A
capitulation enfued, in which the eftablifhed religion, the
former laws, and private property were fecured to the inha-
bitants. 'I'he garrifcn, which was reduced to about feven
hundred men had the honours of war, and were to be con-
veyed

1762. TJbe History of the Wak. 505

veyed to Spain. A diftri61. of an hundred anc! eighty miles
weftward of the Havannah was yielded niong with theiown.
The Spaniards flruggled a long time to lave the men of war;
but this wat; a ciii)Ital point, and uliolly imdmiflibltw rh< y
ulibmadc fom*" attempts to have the harbour declared neu-
tral during the war ; but this was no lef'' efTential to the
completencfs of ihe conrjiieft, and was fteadily refufed.
After two days altercation, tliev gave up thefe points, and
the B'nglifh troops were put in poirefTi in of the Havannah
on the 14th of Auguft, when they had been before it two
months and eight days.

Although we have not purfued in exa£l order all the de-
tail of the more minute operations of this memorable fiege,
we have dwelt on it a longer time, than we have on our
plan generally allowed to fuch tranfa£tions ; becaufe it was,
without queuion, in itfelf the mod confiderable, and in its
confequences the mod d.icifive conqueft we have made fmce
the beginning of the war ; and becaufe in no operation - :re
the courage, fteadinefs, and perfeverance of the Bti:ifi^
troops, gnd the conduft of their leaders more confpi' lous
The acqnifition of this place unitedMn itfelf all the advan-
tages which can be acquired in war. It was a military ad-
vantage of the higheft clafs ; it was equal to the greateft
naval viftory, by its efFe6l on the enemy's marine and in
the plunder it equaled the produce of a national fubfidy.
Nine fail of the enemy's (hips of the line, fome of the fineft
veflfels in the world, were taken, with four frigates. Three
of their capital (hips liad been, as already mentioned,, funk
by themfelves at the beginning of the fiege ; two more were
in forwardnefs oti the (locks, and thefe were deftroyed by
the Englifli. The enemy, on this occafion, loft a whole
fleet. In ready money, in the tobacco collcfted at the H'^-
vannah on account of the king of Spain, and m other valu*
able merchandizes, the plunder did pot perhaps fall fliort oi'
three millions fterling^tf^.

. , I If ,;.,,. Spain

(a) Letter from the Earl of Albemarle to the Earl of Egreinontj
iiated head quarters near the Havannah ^ Augufl ai, 1762.

My Lord,
HAVE the honour of informing your Lordfliip, that the town
of the Havannah^ with all its dependencies, and the men of war

S f f io

! ,

5o6 '77r History of the War. \")^^.

•Spain now began very fenlibly to feel the inconveniencies
and miltrics Ihe had voluntarily drawn on herfelf, by enter-
ing into a war lo fatal to her. No fooncr had the nows of
/ ' , •• • thu

1762. 7^

this important ci
dcjctlion appcart
towering hopes th

in the harbour, furrcndered to his majefty's arms by capitulation
on the 1 3th inilaiit.

Inclofcd is a copy of the capitulation, various returns, and tke
chief engineer's continuation of the journal of the fiege ot the
Mora fort, which was taken by ftoriu on the 30th of lait month,
fo much to the honour und credit of his majcily's troops, and to
major general Kt-ppcl^ who connnanded the attack, that I flioiild
do them injuftice if i diil not mention them in a particular man-
ner to your lordfhip. Our mines were fprung about one o'clock,
and a breach maiie jull pratticnbie for a file of men in front. The
enemy was drawn up on the top of it, in force, with a feeming de-
toruunation to liefend it : The attack was fo vigorous and impetu-
ous, that the enemy was inltantaneoully drove from the breach,
and his majeUy's llandard planted upon the bailion.

I did not lend u particular exprcls with this good nev^s to your
lordfliip, becaufe I Haittred myfelf, that what has happened would
foon be the confcquence of our fucccfs at Fort Moro.
, On the 1 1 th in the morning, by a fignal from the fort, we
opened our batteries again!!: the town, and Punta fort: The gun;
'and mortars were i"o well fcrved by the artillery and failors, and
their cffed fo great, that in lefs than fix hours all the guns in the
fort and north ballion were fdenced. The governor hung out the
white flag, and heat a parley ; und at the fame time fent out an
otticer to propofe a celfation of arms for twenty-four hours in order
to prepare the articles of capitulation.

I fent on board the Namur to the Admiral, to inform him of
the governor's propofals.

Sir George Focock immediately came to my quarters, and we

.agreed to a fufpenfion of hollilities to the 13th at twelve o'clock.

I lummoned the governor on the loth. His anfwer was very

civil and proper ; at the fame time faid he would defend his town

to the laft extremity.

The difHculties the otVicersand foldiers have met with, and the
fatigues they have fo chearfully and refolutcly gone through (ince
the army tirll huuled on this illand, arc not to bedefcribed. They
deferve from me tlie greatell commendations ; and I nuift intreat
your lordlhip to take the lirfl: opportunity of informing his majefty
how mucli i think niylelf obliged to lieut. general Elliot^ and the
reft of the general oriicerg under my command ; to every officer
and folUier in the anuy i and to the uiHcers and failors of his ma-

jcfty's fleet, for the 2
the fervice, and for
Happy we fliall all
majefty's approbatii

Sir George Pocock
felves in a nioft p
that there never v
hardjony anil /cal
fiiccefs of it.

Calptaln Nugent,
"of delivering you r
pftTticulars you arc
attive.and prefent
iTip 'landing of the
letbifniiiend him to
(istk-He!? with hfm th

Colonel Carleton
the army, had th(
Jut^y 'm\Qn the'eiii
>Vay of doing well.

i think it but jul
Camp, to fay, that
thought it would b
jktyi^.hj one of his

.•i liaslxj' .iHt>-j t.

• iriT.o lij'tt8''-r'5 Ij!:s

letter from Sir Ge(
River, near

SIR,

! i

IDedre you wfl
greateft pleafui
of his majefty's am
dependencies.

The Moro fort '
afttr a fi^g* of tv
iX)ft iibove a thoufi

1762. The History of the W\R. 507

this important capture reached Madrit!, than an nnivcrfal
dcjetiion appeared in every countenance, and the hifi;h-
towering hopes they had foniTcd at the l)eginuing ot the war

. ; /a. <i;i "Ji*: : jtT > • entirely

jcfty's fleet, for thiff zealous manner with which they have carried on
the lervice, and for the great afhilancc I have received from them.
Happy we fhall all think ourftlves, If our conduQ meets with his
niajeliy's approhation.

Sir George Pocoik and commodore Keppel have exerted thcm-
feives fn a mofl; particular manner : And I may venture to (ay,
that there never was a joint undertaking carried on with more
hiiriiiony and zeal on both htles, which greatly contributed to the
fuccefs of it.

Ca;ptaln Nugent, one of my Aid-dc-Camps, who has the honour
"of delivering you my dilpatckes, can inform your lordfliip of any
plirticulars you arc pleafed to learn from him. He has Ijcen very
attive, and prefent at every material affair that has happened fmce
ihpiaiiding of the troopS;. I luuft beg through your lordfliip to
tetbirnrtienu him to his maJQlly ai a very deftrving young man. He
cai"HcS with him the Spanijf) enflgn taken at the Mora.

Colonel Carletotiy who has afted as brigadier fmce lord Rrjilo left
the army, had the misftirtuni of being woijnded on the zz^\ of
"^11!^, ^tmcn the enemy made a fortie : rje is at prcfcnt in a fair
\Vay of doing well.

1 think it but juftice to major Fuller, who is my cider Ald-de-
Canip, to fay, that I fhould have fent him to Fr^/f/ml, if I had not
thought it v;ould be more agreeable to his majclly to receive the
iewihr one of his own femnts.
. , . . ■ ■> i. - 1 •' <"", ccc. ,;

,3na .nqi.^:i e-j;» ^e li^nl muu^-n, f»\ ;' AL R E M A R I.E. *
Mtiri') \\i\i^Aybiia Tttmnoz* . <>!*i >»*» f'^i^ '

letter fi am Sir George Pocock, to Mr. Clevland, iluteJ oif Cliocca
' kiver, near the Havannah, the x^th 0/ Augull, 1762.}- ^f.

SI R,

ii.i

IDefire you wfll acquaint their Lordflilps, that it is witli the
greateft pleafure I now congratulate thcui on the great t'ucccii
of his majefty's arms, in the reduction of the llavaniiali with all iti
dependencies.

The Moro fort was taken by ftorm on the 30th of \a\\ month,
afttr a fu-ge of twenty-nine t'ays j during vvMdh time the enemy
bll above a thoufand men, and a brave o-faer ia Don Leivis <le

S f f 2 tyalnjiu,

11'

' t !♦:

'.I,!,.

■ .t

' 'f ... i

/;o8 7'hf Hi &TOVLY of the Wa^. 1762.

cntirel" vaniflied: Tlic prodigious advantagfs they had vain-
ly e pefted to flow from t\\i: fanuly compnfly were now ren-
dered abortive, and grief and defpair were the melancholy
offspring ot injuftice and raftinefs.

Falafco, captain of one of their men of war, and governor In the
Moro^ mortally wounded in defending the colours fword in hand
in the ftorm : And, on the nth inftant, the^overnor of the Hn-
<vannah defired to capitulate for the town, which was granted, the
articles agreed to, and figned, (a copy of which I indole) and we
were put m pofTefllon of the Punta and land gate the i4ih. With
this great and important acquifition to his majclly, have alfo
fallen twelve men of war of the line, as per lift, three of which
were funk, with a company's fhip, in the entrance of the harbour j
nine are fit for fea, and two on the flocks j a blow that I hope
will prove the more capital to the enemy, as they receive it fo
early in the war ; and, I may venture to fay, will leave all their
fett'emcnts, In this part of the world, expofed to any attempts that
may be thought proper to be made on them. But however trivial,
with the pofleflion of the Havannah y \t may appear, yet I cannot
help mentioning the difcovery anjd poflefling of the harbour of
Mariel, about feven leagues to the leeward of this, and which we
had made ourfelves mafters of, though the enemy had endeavour-
ed to ruin it by (inking fliips in the entrance : and we had lately
fenr near one hundred tranfports with fome men of war there, for
fecuriry again ll the feafoh, ^n which we are already advanced.
■ ' It will be as needlefs, as almoft impoOlble, for me to exprefs or
defcribe that; pjrfedl harmony that has uninterruptedly fubfifted
betsveeii the fject and army, from our firft fetting out. Indeed it
is doing injuftice to -both, to mention them as two corps, fince
each hao endeavoured, with the moft conftant and chearful emu-
lation, to render it but one ; uniting in the fame principles of ho-
nour and glory for their King and Country's (ervice. I am glad,
on this occafion, to do juftice to the diftingulfli'ed merit of Com-
modore Keppel, who executed the fervice, under his direfticn, on
the Cox<.mar fide, with the greateft Ipirit, activity and diligence ;
and I muft repeat that the zeal of his majefty's fea officers rnd fea-
men exerted in carrying on the fervices allotted to them, is highly
to be commended.

I fliall uDw beg leave to refer their Lordfhips to captain Hari'ey
for all further particulars, who I fend with this letter, and who
has approved hiuifelf a brave and deferving ofBcer in this expedi-
tion;

1762-

fhe History of the War.

509

Grea^ Bnt:.m. on the contrary, hs pn'diPt in tb » enjny-
mcnr rf vir.o'^y, as l,ra\c '.n p^ai'-'o^it, (ectncc! r**} !■. clitcd
writh her good tortuiic, as to make h^i indu'gv in thv i!:\"!-.

tiiiUS

^tion; therefore ^hink inyfelf Dbliged to defire theii .lor.i.'Kii, \ ill
; recommend him to his niajefly.

,, • j>4 Tour moji obedient humllc /.r^T'int^
'''^^' G. POeO^K.

K i^Z./^ ofthejbips of 'war that loere in the harbour of the Havannah,
% under the command of the Marquis del Real Tranfporte, commo-
dore and commander in chief of all his Catholic Majejiys Jhips in
AmerlcA,andfurrenderedivith the city the 1 2th of Augud, 1762.

\^: ^;, ':: ^p.; Guns.

! _ , Guns.

Tigre '— ^ '— 70

♦Europa — — — 60

Reyna — — — 70

Conqueftado — — — 60

Soverano — — — 70

fSanGenaro — — — 60

[nfante — — — 70

fSan Antonio — — — 60

•Neptuno — — 70 ,

Frigates.

Aquilon — — •— 70

tVinganaza — — — 24

♦Afia — . — — 64

§Thetis — — — 24

America — — —60

jMarte — — — — 18

♦ Sunk at the en >.ince of the harbour, f Neiv fbips. X Taken
\\ff the Defiance. § By the Alamain.

N. .8. There are two (hips of war on the (locks, and feveral
I merchants fhips in the harbour.

\Letter from Sir George Pocock tp Mr. Clevland, dtr^ed off
Chorera /?;«r;fr, the 16/^ of Aug. 1762, inclofed in the fore-
going of the \()th. *

ON the 28th ofjuly the Intrepi.'le armed, with 1 1 fail of tran-
fports, with troops from Nenv fork. They failed from
Itheuce the 1 1 th of fune : The CheJIerfeU and four tranfports ruo
on Cayo Comfite, the entrance of the Btibnma Streij^his on the
\Cnha fide, the 24. h of July, an hour before day light, and wi.re
ilrandoc^, but loft no feamen or foldiers. The Jntrepide met the
Vkkhmmd the day .ifter, who was looking out for the convoy.
Capt. Klphinflon returned with the three tranfports which were
cleared, in order to bring away the feamen and troops who were
I on Ihore j and, to make all poffible difpatch, I fent away the Ech^,,

Cygnet,

w/\

''i

5IO '//je HisTonv of t/je War. 1762,

rious lap of indolence, but determined by fbe profecution o\\
the war in the fame able and vigorous manner, to compil
her enemies to lue tor that peace tiiey iiad, when oH'cred,
haughtily reliiftd.

To cfi'cCi i'o great, fo dcfirable a work, it was thoiipjit
the reduOion ol the Philippine Iflands wo»dd not a liitlo
contrd)ute ; that enterpri/.e was theretore lormed, and en-
trulU d to tlie execution ol two great men, who had on many
ocralions before, fignali/cd thcmfclves in the fervicc of then
country, antl approved themfolves ecpial to the greatcit
things: thefo were General Drajwr, and Admiral (.\)rni(b.
'f'hc troops allotted for the fervicc, wcc the 791b le^inicnf,
and a company of the royal artillery, 30 of the artillrpy
iurniflicd by the gentlemen uf Madrais, 600 .teapoys, a tom-

Cycrnet, and Thuptrler bomb, to meet ihcRichmntnl, and to tnkc tlip
men out of her ; and udt jd CKptain Elphtnjion to take the ('yf^nct
with him, and proteedup the Streights to meet the fccond divifiun
of tranfports.

The 2d inflant, tlie Erho and bomb returned with the fcrond
divifion, confifling of eleven liiil of tranfport.s, which failed froju
Nenv 7'ork the 30th of June- The Richmnml, Uzaril, lin/etfir'^c,
Cyjrticf, and Porcn/>infuooj^t arrived the RtTi, bringing with them
all the fcamen and foldicrs from the fhips that were wrecked.
Captain Pftnks informed me, that, on the zifFof Ju/y^ at tlirpc
o'clock in the afternoon, being near the palFage bciwccn Mayu
Gununn, and the A'orfb Oiicos, he difcovcred two French (h\p$ bi
the line, three frigates, and fix fail of brrgantlne rtnd Hoops ; that
the men of war rind fiii^ntcs gave chnce to tho convoy ; and th.ir
five of the tranlports were taken with 350 regulars of Jftjfmthtr'n
Tcginicnt, and i |;o provincial troops on boanl of them. AH thv jc^.
of the troops arrived and landed in pcrfert hejijih.

I have thought it neceffary fo order the Suif<rr/iit}J u\(\ nm-rt xn
be fitted as flags of truce, taking out theii Tower tier of guijH in
order to arcommodate the late Sf>atitf> commodore, the j^uvcrniv
of the /fai'finna/.', the viceroyof Peru, and the }j;ov(:rnoj of r.Vj;//'/? -
gena^Xo OU Spain, and then return to Enf^IiinJ. TianfporK aie
getting ready for the S/>(?nf/h fohlicrs and Hiilor.";, agrocahio to tho
capitulation, which I hope we flr.dl be abl'" to'dilj^acch in a few
ilays.

f have not been able to collet an account of the Idl'eJ and
wounded feunien belonging t.) the diihrrnt fliips fuirf^.thc hcgiii-
ninr of the ficgc, who were employed at th: batteries on Hiotc,
but it (liall go by tl.e firll opportunity.

naluin, it was

1762. TT'f History^/ //;<; War. 511

pany of Caflfrecs, one of Topa/es, and one of Pioneers ; to
which were added, the precarious afTillancc of two compa-
nies of Frenchmen, enhlled in their fervice, with fomc hiin-
<!rei.'s of unarmed l/afcars, for the ufe of the engineers, and
park of artillery. This little fupply of men was farther re-
inforced with a fine hattaiion of 550 ftamen and 270 g(x«l
marines; fo that the whole force amounted to 2;<)0 men,
who, with the necefiary flores, were eml)arked on hoaril of
hen W g ^^^ majefty'i, fquadron, and two India fhips employed as
iranfports.

As it may appear furpri/ing fo important a concpu. Il fliould
be attempted with fo fmall a forte, when a grcah r miuht
i)c employed, it may not he amifs to obferve, that if more
were drawn tron» the coalls the lettlements woulil he in dan-
t'cr ; and thcrctore, it may he thought ailvifal)li', rither lo
.it tempt with a lew l)i.ive men, a place that was unprepared
(is imagined) for fuch a vifil, than l.y employing a r!;rcater
torte to fid)jcit our own colonies to hodile attctnpls, and,
jierhaps, to give the enemy time to he aware of 4.ur defigns.
On the firll of Ai!p-Ji(l the ft)rces fet fad, the Sealiorfc,
Capt. Grant, having hicn previoully difpatc hed through the
freights of Malacca, to the entrance of the China fea, to
ftop all velVels that mij.ht he hounil to Manila, or fent from
any of the neighbouring feltlement"J to give the S|>aniards
intelligence of the dcfign. On the 2n\ of the following
month they ani horeil in Manila hay, and fouiul tluit tluir
viiit was unexpciJleil, and the eni'my unpnpircvl. To in-
creale as much as pollihie their <ird)le confulion and conller-
nation, it was deu rmined to lole no time in tlu- attack of the
port of Cavite, as at fn(^ determineil, hut proceed dire^tlv
to the grand ohje^), the city of Manila, the ^jcneral and
admital rightly judgiii's:, that their coiuiueft of that impor-
tant place would of cour'e oc^al'ion and draw after it the lall
of Cavite,

in confequince of this rcfohuion, a finnmons
was fcnt lo the governor to iurrcndtr the town, Sept. 24.
jjiit it had no elVetl on him ; wherefore the admi-
ral anil Ibme other i)rincipal officers exair.inLi! the coafl, in
order to fix upon a proper Ipot for landing the troop>, ar-
tdlery, and ftores. About two i^ilcstothe liuilh of Manila
a convenient place was found. Atcorvlingly all the Ix.ats
were prepared, and the frigates fent in very near the fliore,
lo cover the dcfccnt. 1 hcfc lailcr kept up a very briJk

fire

f ', I

1 i -j'A
.if

i '

■• 1 J

I P

512 TJbe History of the Wa^, 1^62 j

fire to the right and left, to^ protcft the flanks, and Hifpcrfc!
the enemy who Avereaffembled in ^reat numbers, !>oth horfel
and foot, to oppofe a defcent. Ir had the defired eflcd.j
The Spaniards retired, and left a clear coaft ; but a violent
furf arifmg, many boats were da(hed to pieces, the arms and
ammunition much damaged, but provldevtially, no lives
were loft. The troops then formed upo?) iIh beach, march-
ed, and took poflfcflion of the Malatta, fixed their out-polts,|
and paflcd the whole night under arms. The Spaniards in
the mean time, were employed in burning of their fuburbs.i
The next day a fort, na.ied the Polvcrifta,
Sept. 25. which the enemy had abandoned was feized,!
which proved a moll excellent place of arms for
covering the landing of the (lores, and lecuring a commu-
nication with the fquadron. Colonel Monfon, who had
been detached by the general with 200 men to view the
roads and approaches to Manila, occupied the Hermita
church, which was large and commodious, and about 900
yards from the city. Orders were then fcnt to major Moore
to march up with the 79th regiment, to fecure and maintain
that port, which was performed with great a6livity and good
conduct. Foflefllon was then taken of St. Jago's church,
near the fea, it being looked on as a place of infinite impor-
tance towards the carrying on their operations.

On the 26th, the admiral fent on (hore the battalions of
feamen under the command of the captains Collins, of the
Weymouth, Pitchford of the America, and George Ourry
from the Panther. The reft of the company's troops of all
forts were likewife landed, and put under cover. The Spa-
niards advanced out of the garrifon, under the command at
the chevalier Fayct, with 400 men, and two (itld pieces, and
from a church ?,bout 200 yards to the right of St. Jago s
church, began a cannonade upon the right flank of the
troops ported there. Some feapoys, under cnfign Carry,
were fent to (kirmifti with them, fupported by three picqu( i.s
of the 79th regiment, and 100 feanKn, all unlcr tiie com-
mand of colonel Monfon, who foon drove the enemy back
into the town.

The fuperior flcill and bravery of the Fnglifti troops were
fo evident from this aiVair, that it occalioped a fecond fum- ,
monn n> the t7;overnor, bur H) no purpofc ^ the anfwer wab
much Jiioic fpinicd iK.ui tlieir condu<5l !»ad been. The
church from whence the Spani.;ids had been driven, colonel

Monfon

1762. The History of the War. 513

Monfon had orders to keep poirelTion of, if he found it tena-
ble, from the top of which a pcrfcfk view was had of the
enemy's works. Tlie front they were obHged to attack,
was defended by the baflions of St. Diego and St. Andrew,
with orillons and retired flanks ; a ravehn which covered
the royal gate, a wci- ditch, covered way, and glacis ; but all
thefe works were out of repair, except the baflions, which
were in excellent order, and lined with a great number of
fine brafs cannon. It became abfolutely neceffary to found
the ditch, and which might have proved a very perilous en-
terprise, had the iSpaniards been careful in porting centrics
on the covered way, but their omiflion and negligence made
it the more eafy. It was therefore undertaken and effected
by a fmall party of the 79th regiment under captain Fletcher,
with the lofs only of three men.

The city of Manila being of great extent, and the num-
ber of men employed to reduce it very fmall, it became
impolTible to invert it on every rtde ; two fides therefore
were conrtantiy open to the enemy to introduce fupplies of
men and provifjons, and carry out their cffe6ts. The gar-
rifon confirted of 800 men of the royal regiment under the
command of the marcpiis of Villa Mediana, brigadier gene-
ral, which was farther reinforced by a body of 10,000 In-
dians. It is evident from hence, that the disadvantages un-
der whic h the F.nglifh forces laboured could not be remedied,
nor could there be any reafonahle ground for fuccefs, but in
the prudence and wifdom of the general, and the matchlefs
intrepidity of the troops.

The city continued thus inverted, and was cannonaded
both by the batteries ere8ed, and the frigates, which were
brought up till the 2d of O^lober, when a battery for twen-
tv-four pounders was completed, and i mortar battery for
the heavy rtiells of tin and twelve inc hes, which made a
Euud parallel, and communicati(»n fioin the church to the
gun battery, and crtablirtied a fpacious place of arms on the
left of it, near the fea. Thefe were greatly facilitated by
the roaring of the waves, it being very tempeftuous we.ither,
and which prevented the Spaniards from hearing the noife
of the workmen, who }T;uc no fort of interruption, but
kerned to tiurt enlirelv to the elements. In the mean time,
the gcwernor, who was an arthbirtiop, gave out, that an
Anirel from the I.ord was gone forth to dertroy tb^ F.nglifh,
i kc the hort of Senacherih. In the afl<;rnooii the teamen,

T t t with

'.(4}

'■

514 ^^^ History of the Wajr:. \']^i,

with great aftivity r?,nd indefa igable I ibcur haa
Oft. 2. brought up and mounted all the gunp "^n wh- bat-

tery, which were mafked.
A fally was made the 4th by 1000 of the Wianj, ,vho
attacked the cantonment of the Teamen ; but ' v)oi> tiic aK-^jni
colonel Monfon and captain Fletcher, with the pin:juet$,
being difpatched to their afliftance, the enemy was repulfed,
and forced to fly, with the lofs of 300 men. Had the (kill
and weapons of thefe Indians, who are a wild and barbaroui
people from the province of Pampanga, been equal to ineir
(Irength and ferocity, the difperfion of them might nc*^ have
been fo eafy ; for though armed chiefly with bows, x rows,
and lances, they advanced up to the very muzzles of their
enemy's pieces? repeated their afl^aults, and died like wild
beafts, gnawing the bayonets. In this flcirmifli, captain
Porter, a brave and experienced Tea orficer wasflain. Scarce
were the Indians thus routed, when another body of them,
with part of the Spanifli garrifon, attacked the church, and
forced the feapoys from their polt in it, neareft the town,
took poflefllon of the top, from whence they killed and
wounded several of the Engliih, v-'ho were entirely expofed
to ail their v/eapons. Notwithftanding their diT.. .^vanuge-
ous fituation, the F.uropean foldiers maintained ^heir port
behind the church with great patience and tirmaefs, and at
laft diflodgtf^ the enemy, with the lofs of captain Strahan, of
the 79th regiment, and 40 private men wounded or killed.
The Spaniards left 70 dead behind them in isid about the
church. This was their lad ettbrt. All their Indians, ex-
cepting 1800, difcouraged by the lofs, returned l>onie, and
the fire of the befiegcrs continuing with unremitted fury, the
next day k breach ap( f . i\.d practicable, and it was thought
^hf; Sp!\niards, fenfiblt heir danger, would think of giv-
ing up the town: but fhey wereobllinate without bravery,
or any generous refoluticn of defentiing the breach.

The next day, at four in the morning, in confequeiice of

a refolution formed the preceding night, the
Aug. 6. troops filed off from their quarters in fmall bodies

to give the lefs fufpicion to the eremy, with an in-
tention of ftormmg the town, and by deirrecs, alfembled at
St. jAgo's church, obferving the utmoft fiUncc, and conceal-
ing themfelves in the place of arms, and parallel between
(he church and the battery, while in the mean i\mt a briflc
ifire was kept up upon the* works, and thofc places where the

encm/

17^2. 7

ei * rj! ,- might be
t^"?'/ ot Spaniard
baftion of St. Ar
that were throw
mediate advanta
difchargc of arti
the aflault, undi
upon the town,
lieutenant Rufle
grenadiers of t
pioneers and oth
and make lodgn-
too ftrongly intr
ed. Col, Monf
grand divifions o
ed next, fuftain
and thecompan]
ed the breach wi
the Spaniards \
was given, exce
ries of the lofiv
In the guard h
niards and India
the fword ; an
300 men were
river, which w
principal officer
furrender as pri
g;ood pofture of
and the reft of
foners of war c
the affeftions
ners, were difir
The joy on l^
ed by the lofs o
arrow near the
lamented for h
wounded, and n
eJ. In confeq
the port of Ca
dependent on
jefty, and the
prcfervatJon

IV »

liey
of

1762. The HisTo^v of the War. 51^

ti\*'.my Hiight be lodged or intrenched. Af day break a large
t<'<^/ or Spaniards was difcearncd, forming thcrrfelves on the
baflion of St. Andrew, but uffin the explofion uf fonic Inel'^
that were thrown amor-^ thein, thcj' went off. Taking im-
mediate advantage of this, and by the fignal ci a general
difcharge of artillery and mortars, the troops ruftied on to
the affault, under cover of a thick fmoke thai: blew directly
upon the town. Sixty volunteers of different corps under
lieutenant Ruffe! of the 79th led the way, fupported by the
grenadiers of that regiment. The engineers, with the
pioneers and other workmen, to clear and enlarge the breach,
and make lodgments, in ca'c Jie enemy (houlJ have been
too ftrongly intrenched in the gorge of the baftion, follow-
ed. Col. Monfon and major More were at the head of two
grand divifions of the 79th ; the battalion of feamen advanc-
ed next, mftained by the other two divifions of the 79th ;
and the company's troops clofed the rear. They all mount-
ed the breach with amazing fpirit and rapidity, and difperfed
the Spaniards with the greateft facility. Little refiftance
was given, except at the Royal gate, and from the galle-
ries of the lofiy houffs which furrounded the grand fquare.
In the guard houfe over the Royal gate, 100 of the Spa-
niards and Indians who would not furrender, were put to
the fword ; and according tc the enemy's own account,
300 men were drowned in attempting to elcape over the
river, which was very deep and rapid. The governor and
principal officers retired to the citadel, and were glad to
furrender as prifoners at difcretion, as that place was in no
good pofture of defence ; the marquis of Villa Mediana,
and the reft of the Spanifh officers, were admitted as pri-
foners of war on their paroles of honour, and to conciliate
the affe6\!ons of ^hc natives, all the Indians taken prifo-
ners, were difmiffed in fafcty. •

The joy on tjiking this important place was greatly cloud-
ed by the lofs of major IVtore, who being transfixed with an
arrow near the R'>y?J gate, died immediately, univcvfally
lamented for hifi good qualities. A few oflfici'.rs only were
wounded, and no more than 3c private men killed or wound-
ej. In confequencc of the terms given to the Spaniardi,
the port of Cavite, and the clt.idcl, with the iflands and forts
dependent on Manili, were given up to bin Britannic ma-
jefty, and they were to pay four millions of dollars for the
prcfeivatJon of the town and their effcds.

T t t a Such

■!!

*m- *

^r^^l'k::^\''i^

^ilv:-^

,>' '"'- .'»■

5i6 77v Hi&TORY 0/ //^<r War. 1-763,

Such lucrative conquefts as the Havannah and the Philip-
pine Iflaiids, had never before been made (a). But thele
immenlc captures though they inriched individuals, contri-
buted nothing tlirc6ily to the public fervice. However,

they

(it J Bri^tiii'.'r Gen. Draper's letter to the Earl of Egicinont,
//rt/f</ Manila, November z, 1762.

My Lord, ;' " ', ' '

I DO inyklf the honour of fencUng lieur. col. Scotty Inte ndjutanr-
gencKil, to inform your I.ordfhip of the liiccels of his MajcOy's
arms in the concjuclt of lUfini/n, the fuinnder of the port of CVi-
I'ite, and the ccHion of the Fhilippim illaiids.

On tiic 6th ot Oi'lohir we took the capital by flor-.n, after 12
days operation, whith iue det:ulc«1 in my lournal. Our !ols upon
this occafion would have been tiifling, but for the de.tih of major
Mere, a valiant i^ood officer ; and it h with particular fatisfadUon
I can alTure youi Lorcifliip, that the firm bravery and perfcveiance
of the troops, could only be equalled by their humanity after vic-
tory. Out of refpeft and deference to Atlmiral Cornijh, wc waited
till he came on iTiore, and beinj^ delirous to favc fo fuic a ci'y
from de(lru(!'tion, we jointly dittated the annexed conditions to the
governor general (the Archbifliop) and the chief magillrates, who
molt readilv embraced them

Confidering their nitical fituation, and vaft opulence, the terms
were as icafonable liir theni as beneHcial to us. Wc allow the
luilia couipany a thinl pait of the ranfuui, the whole of which
amounts to a million fterling ; and, according to my inllrudioiis,
1 have this d.t) delivered up Mani/n, one ot' the richell cities and
iilartls in this part of the wuild, with the port of Cttvitfy to /;..:i;-
fon Drake, Efq; and the other i;t"ntlcmen appointed to recei\ e them
on behalf of the company, with all the arti lery, ammunition, and
wailike lUu.s lound t'leiein, aoreeribje to the inclofc*! inveiitc.iiiv

i have atvpointed major FtU o\' the 7yih rej'jment to be com-
niandant of (he garrifon. which mull confill of all the troops
brought from Mntlnijs, as the great extent of the place, its very
n!!uii ioiis iuhul)itant^, and unfettled country, with the importaiue
oi liv Cuiiti, demand at leall, thl^ tone for an ell'eclual lecuiiiy.

'TIk feafon of the year, and condition ot" the fvjuadion, ohiige
U& to o'<*fer the taking poflVilion of the fuboidinale places ceded to
tlte crown, until tlu- fhips have, had a lu'Hcienl rrpair ; anil I liav;-
the plcafuK to amuaint your l.oidlhip, thai thi large ipiantiiy ot"
n-vul Oorcs taken in the mya! maga/incs at Cavift, fupply nioll

cxcellciir

l.uidfhip's s'oodn^

1762. T^he History of the War. 517

they might he laid to contrihutc fomctliinp; 10 it indirectly ;
by incrcariiig the (lock ol rhc raiiun, and fupplyinii; that
prodigious ihaiii oltrtarurc, which lor fcvcT;;! year, had heen

jiiad*

excellent materials for this purpofc, in which the Admiral is inde-
fatigable, whofe zeal \\n his majelly'.s fcrvice, great cordiality, and
conltant attention to us during the whole coiirle of the expedi-
tion, and fatiguing progrcis of the ficge, arc beyond all praife.
The other officers of the fleet exerted themfelves to the utnioft
upon every occaflon. As a Iniall acknowleilgment of our many
obligations to Mr. Ktfnj't^nfelt, the Admiral's captain, 1 begged his
acceptance of the government of the citadel and port of (.'ai'ife,
till it was given up to the company ; his prudent and excellent rc-
j>ulations there were oi infmite utility to the public fervice.

The captains Collins, Piichflrd, and Ceorj^e Ourry, who com-
manded the battalion of feamcn, behaved with great fpirit and con-
duct, and capt. 'Jocetyn, who was entruflcd with the care of the
difembarkations, gave us all the afliflance that could be wifhcd or
expedted from a diligent good ofhcer. The marine ofliccra and
corps were of great fervice, and the feamcn afloniflifd us with
moll extraordinary proofs of activity and valour, particularly thofe
who allifted at our batteries.

The reduction o^ Manila has been fo much owing to the con-
fummate (kill and braveiy of Col. Monfon, that I 'car my faint rc-
prcP-'ntntioiis cannot do niliice to his merit; and \ moll hinnbly
beg leave, throu;.',h your l.nulfhip, to rctoinuKiul him to hir Ma-
jcliy, together Vvitii the following oilicers, \iz. Lieut. Col. Siottj
fv'lnjor Unr/er, vvIiO commanded f)Ur ailillcry; i<^:\\sX. Fletcher^
Major of Hrigadc} the en^iineers, Claptriin-s-S'/r'/'/v^/ow, and Cofs/ord^
anil L'nfign Hm ivn il -, the (. iiptaiiis Morn t and Ptmhlny aido-derarnp,
who have ail ackd in ilicir feverfd dcpui tmcnid with extraoidinary
mciit, and greatly facilitated my good fortune. Rr.th the royal
and the company's a:ti!leiy, with their oilier troops, behaved very
well. In the lall place, may I prelmne to point out the Cervices
of the 79t.h regimen', wliicli, lr(,m \'.v: goc-d condufl of their for-
mer and prefeiit lielil-oHkerH, hf.? the peculiar merit of having fuft
ftoppetl the piogrtfs of the Ftnuh in Inrliay and not a little con-
tributed to tin- huppini-fs and de'M'fion of that war under Col. Coote,
and has lince e\t» ndtd the t-'Jory of his Majcllv's arms to th' it-
moft verge o\' .Ifin. Twtnty-thrrc officers, wiih upward.s of 800
men h:ive fallen in the caufe oi theii countrv, luice the rer.iment
left Eni'l.iitJ . \uiiilv rs of the fuivivors are wounded. Your
L.oidlldps uuodni;ls eiJ^ouf"-ges mt to mention tlicia as objofta of

( uu)puiliou

5i8 fhe History of the War. j^gj

made from this kingdom for foreien fubfidies, and for the
maintenance of armies abroad. Ifit had not been for fuch
pecuniary fupplies, with which the uncommon fuccefles of

this

compainon and protedlion. Captain Fletcher has nine colours to
lay at his Majefty's feet.

/ batje the honour to be, t^c.

WILLIAM DRAPER
Brigadier Genrral, and Commander in Chief.

Letter from yic$-A(lmiraJ Cornifh, to Mr. Clevland, dated in the
Bay of Manila, the ^xfi of Oftober, 1762.

IT is with the* greateft pleafure I have the honour to acquaint
their l^rdftiips with the fuccefs of his majefty's arms in the re-
dudion of the city of Manila, which was taken by ftorm on the
morning of the 9th inftant. In my letters of the 23d and 31ft of
July, I acquainted their lordfliips with my proceedings to that
time } after which I ufcd every pofllble means at Madrafs for dif-
patch ; the decline of the S. W. monfoon making it of the utmoft
importance. To promote this end, I compleated the Elizaheth,
Grafton, Lenox, IVeymouth and ylr^o, with fuch of the troops, and
military ftorcs, as they were to take on board, and on the 29th 'irnt
them away under the command of Commodore Tiddeman, to pro-
ceed to Malacca, with a view that they might compleat their wa-
ter there by the time I ftiould arrive with the remainder of the
fquadron.

Having accompHftied the embarkation of every thing defigned
for the expedition, with a difpatch much beyond my expedlations,
as we had from the whole time of my being there a violent furf to
contend with, I failed the firll of Augtift with the (hips undermen-
tioned, viz. A'or/o/^, Panther, America^ Seaford, South-Sea Cajlle
ftore (hips, Admiral Steven's ftore-fhip, OJterly Company's (hip,
leaving the Falmouth, at the rcqueft of the prefident and council,
to convoy the Effex India (hip, who was not ready to fail, having
the treafiire to take on board for the China cargoes, and to bring
to Manila fuch of the company's fcrvants, as were to be put in
po(re(lion of that government, if the expedition fucceeded.

The 19th, I arrived at M<a///if /I, andwasdifappointed in not find-
ing Mr. Viddeman there, who did not join me till the 2ii1:, having
met with long calms : the difficulty of watering the fquadron at this
place made it the 27th before I could leave the road.

On the 2d oi September I arrived qffPulo Timean, and was join-
ed

1762. The History of the War. 519

this war were attended, it never could have been maintain-
ed in the extent to which it was carried, notwithdanding
the increafe of trade, which has been uniformly progrefllvc

for

ed by captain Grants in the Seahorfe, whom I had detached, upon
my Brll arrival at Maiirafs, to cruize between this ifland and the
ftraits of <^/flca/0rf , to (lop any veifels he might fufpefl going to
Manila.

On the 19th I made the coad of Luconiay but was drove off
again by a Ilrong N. E. wind, which feparated fome of the fqua-
dron. The zzd the gale broke up, and the wind Shifting to the
S. W, the 23d we recovered the land again ; the next day entered
the bay of Manila^ and in the clofe of the evening anchored off the
port of Cu'vilt with the whole fquadron, except the South-Sea
CaJlUy and Admiral Stevens ^ the Falmouth and Ejjifx having joined
me off the coad. In the night I fent the mailers to found about
the fortifications of Cni'i/r, and, by their report found that it might
be attacked by (hips.

The 25th in the morning, the wind not being favourable to at-
tack the CaH^ite, I took two of the frigates, and with general
Draper, and fome other officers, reconnoitred the (hore about Ma-
nilay and obferved fome churches and other buildings to (land near
the works on the fouth-fide of the town, particularly towards the
S, W. ba(}ion. We had lome defign of attacking Canjite firft, to
have had the conveniency of that port for the (hipping, but cond-
dered that though the attack (hould be attended with all the fuccefs
we could hope, yet it would caufe a delay at lead of two days be-
fore we could land at Manila, which time would afford opportunity
to the enemy to demolilh thofe buildings near their works, and to
prepare many obdacles to our landing, and perhaps recover from
that condernation our unexpc6ted arrival had thrown them 1 1 ; and
further, Manila being the capital, if that fell, Cai/ite w mid in
conCequence.

From thefe confiderations, I joined in opinion with the general to
take advantage of circumllances, fo favourable for a defcent, and
land the troops with all difpatch, and endeavour to get polTefTion
of fome pods near their works, which, if etfeded, would greatly
facilitate the reduction of the city.

In confequence of thefe rcfolutions, I immediately made the
fignal on board the Seahor/e for the fquadron to join mi;, and for the
troops to prepare to land. About feven in the evening :he 79th re-
giment, with the marines in the boats, under the direfUon of the
captains Parker, Kempenfelt, and Brereton, puihed for the (hore (
tnd under the (ire of the three frigates, eiFe£tcd the landine at a

church

5?.o I'he History ojtbe War. 1^62.

for the lail three years. It has in a loofe way been com-
puted, that the lucccfs of our arms in the Kaft Indies, indc-
dcpcndcntly of the great increafc of valuable merchandi/e,

(which

chur( h culled the Momtt/i, about a mile ami half from the walli.
We hud no oppofition tVoni the enemy, but fouie difficulty from
the furf, which ran high, and bilged all the long boats, but hap-
pily lolt no ui'ju.

The next morning the general took an advanced port aboi.: zoo
yards from the glacis, and there, under cover of a blind, intenda?
his battery agaiiill the face of the S. W. balb'on. The number of
troops being fmall, I landed a battalion of feamen, confilting of
about 7C0 men, under t!ie command of the Captains Collins,
Pitch ford, and George Ourry.

The 25th I ilifpatched three armed boats after a galley, coming
up the bay to Manila ; they came up with her, refolutely boarded
her, and took her, notwithllanding (he kept up a fmart fue with
patteraroes and nmflicts ; fl:e mounted two carriage and fevcnteen
brafs fwivcl guns, and '^r* t-ighty men. By letters luunil in her,
we difcovered flie war. dil'patclicil from the galleon A7. Fhilippina,
from Jcapitlco, and whom flie I' id left the lOth oi' S:/<hm/fer, at
Cajayas^an, betv.een the EithociiJira and Cape Spirilu Santa. Up-
on this difcovery, I came to a rclnhuion to (end the Panther and
Ar^o in qucil of her, but It wai tise 4rh of Odober before the wea-
ther permitted ili^ir failing.

The 28th oi' Si'f>r>'>'ibey the General acqinioted me, that he was
begiiming to work on the battery, and that it ibme rtiips could get
near enough to throw flh t on :he works of the town oppofite to it.
It might take ofFlome of the enemy's fire and attention, and there
by facilitate its conilruCtion. In confcquence of this, I ordered
C oumiodore 'Titlutiuun, vurh the Eliznbeih and Falmouth, towaiil
tiic town, a^ near as :he depth ol' water would permit, and to plice
the fhips in liich a pofition a"; woiiLl I. 1 aniwer the purpofc in-
tended, which was accordingly done the next day, and tlicir tiie
had a very good i tfe6l.

On the lOth, the South-Sea Cajile arriyed with ftores, wImcH
were much wanted, particularly the entrenching tool.s, lor w;uit
of which the armv had been fo j^reatlv dilliefleil, that I was ol)lio-
cd to employ all the forge.H in makin fp ies, pickaxes, &c. fur
them. I'he full of Odoher it bega.i to blow frelh, and in the
niij,ht increafe«l to a hard gale, which drove the South-Sea Ca/l/e
nfhore near the Pu/verijla, a little to the I'outhward ofourcanif).
'i hi:< accident, however, had fome confidernble advaiilagesattend-
in;5 it, a^ r'le titiiuiiun Ihe lay in made her cannon a protcdionlbr

the

1762. ^be History of the War. 521

(which ufed to be formerly the fole produce and advantage
of the Eail India commerce,) has brought into England dur-
ing the wafj near fix millions in treafure and jewels.

The

the rear of our camp : it was likewife the means that all her mili-
tary (lores were got on board with fafety and difpatch, and the
army fupplied with the proviiions (he had on board, both of which
were articles they flood in immediate need of, and which could
not have been fupplied by bocts, as it continued blowing weather
I for feveral days after, and the Turf breaking very high on the beach.
This gale was from the W. S. W. direClly on the (hore, which
gave me much concern for the fafety of the fquadron, particularly
I tor the Elizabeth and Falmouth^ who were only in four fathom wa-
ter, and, as I have been flnce informed, ftruck ; but the bottom
being mud, and foft to a confiderable depth, they received no
I damage. On the 4th in the morning, the General opened the
j battery, which was fo well managed, and feconded by the (hips
before the town that in four hours the defences were taken off, and
jthe next day in the evening the breach was made practicable.

On the 6th, at day-light in the morning, the general's regiment,
Iwith the fea battalion, mounted the breach, made the attack, and
foon got pofTeiTionof all the baflions, which completed the con-
quefl. I immediately went on fhore, and with the General, had a
meeting with the Spanifh Governor, and fome of the principal
officers, when a capitulation was agreed on, that the town and
port of Cavite, with the iflands and forts dependent on Manila,
Ihould be given up to his Britannic Majefly, and that they fhould
! pay four millions of dollars for the prefervation of the town and
i their effedls, (a copy of which capitulation I have enclofed.)

On the loth, I fent Captain Kempenfe'.t in the Norfolk^ with the
^taford and Seahorfe^ to take poffeflion of Cn'vite, agreeable to the
jcapitulation ; by this acquiiition we are in poffeffion of a very large
quantity of naval flores ; and befide the advantage of almoft every
[convenience for refitting a fquadron, the people are fupplied with
jfrelh meat and vegetables in great plenty.

The fiege, though fhort, was attended with many difHculties ami

[great fatigue, in which both the officers and men exerted themfelves

|vyith the utmofl chearfulnefs. We had conftantly frefh gales, a lee

[Ihore, and confequently a high furf to conter .; with, which made it

always difficult, frequently hazardous, and foinetiines impoffible to

I land with boats. The rains fell very heavy, and our little army

[Were furrounded and harralTed by numerous bodies of Indians,

U'bo, though undifciplined, and armed only with lances, bows and

^ „, U u u , ... arrows.

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23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80

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^ZZ the History of the War. i^^z.

The capture of the Spanifti regifter (hip, the
May 21. Hermione, which happened foon after the com-
mencement of the war with Spain, and juft as fhe
ivas on the point of entering one of the ports of Old Spain,

and

arrows, yet by a daring refolution and contempt of death, they be-
came not only troublefome but formidable. I have the fatisfaftion
of acquainting their lordfhips, that throughout the whole expedi-
tion, the moft perfect harmony and unanimity have fubdfted between
his Majefty's land and Tea forces.

You will receive with this, an account of the number of officers
and^ men, both feamen and marines, that were landed from the
fquadron, as likewife of the killed and wounded in each corps. It
is with concern, I acquaint their lordftips with the iofs of com-
modore TidJeman, who, in attempting to enter the river in his
barge, the morning after the reduction of Manila^ was drowned
with five of his people, by which unhappy accident, his Majefty
has loft a brave and experienced officer.

Captain Kempenfelt^ by whom I fend this (and will prefent to
you for thuir lordmips a plan of the town of Maniluy and the port
of Cavite) has been of the greateft afliftance to me during the
courfe of this enterprize ; he is very capable of furnifhing their
lordfhips with many particulars necefTary for their information ; and
his great merit makes it my duty to recommend him as a very
able and good officer.

I am, &c.

S. CORNISH.

tttUr from Vice-Admiral Cornifh to Mr. Clevland, dated in the
Bay of Manila, Nov. lO, 176*.

IN my letter of the 3 1 ft of OSohery I acquainted you of my hav-
ing fent Captain Parker with the Panther and Argo^ in queft
of the galleon St. Philippinay from Acapulco, bound to Manila.

The 7th inftant Captain King in the Argo, returned with a letter
from Captain Parker ^ acquainting me, that, in confequence of my
orders, having the 30th of Odoier got the length of the ifland
Capuly near the entrance into the Enwocadera^ m purfuit of the
St; Philippina^ where the Argo had come to an anchor (and which
lie intended to do for that night) juft as the day clofed faw a fail,
and ftanding to the northward ; at eight in the evening he got fight
of the chace, about two leagues to leeward, but unluckily by the
rapidity of a counter current, to what the chace was in, drove

among

1762. The History of tbe War. 523

and that of the Santifllmo Trinidad, a Manila (hip, muft be
added to thefe refources. The firft of thefe was worth lit-
tle lefs than a million flerling, and the other at lead three
millions of dollars. The taking of thefe (hips is not altoge-
ther unworthy a place in hiftory ; becaufe it had no fmall
influence on the affairs of the Bourbon alliance, and conft-

derably

among the Narrango's in the utmoil danger of being loft, and
obliged to anchor ; the frigate having efcaped the danger, got up
with the chace, and engaged her near two hours ; but was fo
roughly handled, that Capt. King was obliged to bring too to re-
pair his damages. By this time the current flackened, which en-
abled Capt. Parker to get under fail with the chace in fight :
about nine the next morning he came up with her, and after oat-
tering her two hours within half mufket fhot, fhe ftruck. The
enemy made but little refiftance, trufting to the immenfe thicknefs
of the fides of their ihip, which the Panther's (hot was not able to
penetrate, except her upper works. Capt. Parker was no lefs dif-
appointed than furprized, when the general came on board, to
find, that inftead of the Saint Philippinay he had engaged and
taken the SantiJJimo trinadady who departed from Manila the firft
o'i Auguft for Acapulcoy and had got three hundred league* to the
eaftward of the Embocadero ; but meeting with a hard gale of
wind, was difmafted and put back to refit. She had eight hundre4
men on board, and pierced for fixty guns, but when Capt. King
engaged her, had only fix mounted, and but thirteen when taken :
(he draws thirty-three feet water, and is a much larger fliip than
the Panther. I cannot afcertain the value of the cargo, but there
is to the amount of one million and a half of dollars regiftered,
and (he is reputed to be worth three millions.

Capt. King left the Panther with her prize at anchor about
three leagues fouth of the CorrigedoiVy at the mouth of this bay ;
and as I have fent a reinforcement of men with launches and warps,
I hope very foon to have her in fafety. I am, &c.

/_ . S. CORNISH.

Qfficers killed and wounded, &c. belonging to the Norfolk^ Lieut.
Peter Porter y and Mr, White y furgeon's fecond mate, killed. • f
UnoXy Thotnas Spearing, fecond lieutenant of marines, wounded.

Total officers, feamen and marines landed, 1017. Killed, 17.
Wounded, 17. '

N. B. The furgeons, armourers, and other artificers, arc not
included in the above account.

}Jorfolky off Cn<vitay S. CORNISH.

Od. 31, 176*. U u u a

. ' ii

524 7*-^^ History o//^<r War. 1762.

dcrably funk thofe refources of money, which were the
principal objcfts to France, when fhe formed that famous
treaty. All thefe advantages were without any confiderable
allay on the fide of Great Britain ; they would have ferved
to ballance any pofllble fuccefs, which the enemy might have
had in Portugal. But their fuccefs in that quarter, where
they had entertained the mofl: fanguine hopes, was by no
means confiderable, and very far from tending to any thing
decifive. Thefe confiderations helped to difpofe the Bour-
bon courts to peace, almoft as foon as they had jointly en-
tered into the war ; and F-urope, after having been deceived
in the hopes of tranquillity, which were entertained from
the late negotiation, and plunged apparently deeper than
ever into war, was in reality approaching fad to peace, and
the public repofe was preparing, when it feemed to be at the
grcateft dillance. , - ,, ,.;,

"M r\X rtnvv

CHAP. IX.

,1 i'V-'y

Propofdls for peace. State of the minifiry and parties.
Dukes of Bedford and Nivernois employed in the negotia-
tion. Newfoundland taken and retaken. War in Ger-
many. Hereditary Prince defeated at lobannijherg. French
repulfed. Ca[fel invefied. Remarkable cannonade at
Bucker Muhl. French take Amonebourg. Caffel furren-
dered to the allies. PVar in IVeflphalia concluded.

WHEN France had found experimentally, that the
prefent at leafl: was not the favourable time for
drawing from her alliance all thofe advantages with which
Ihc flattered herfelf, Ihe inclined in good earned to peace.
The fincerity of her procedure in the former negotiation
might be juftlyqueftioned; becaufc flic had prepared an af-
ter game in cafe of its breaking off. And flic fo much re-
lied on it, that it is very pofllble the negotiation itfelf was
but a feint made to cover and to prepare tliat projcft. But
finding that Great Britain was neither intimidated by the
threats of that formidable alliance, nor at all likely to be re-
duced by the exertion of its forces ; fhe came in good ear-
nefl: into thefe pacific fentiments> which formerly fhe had
only counterfeited. The flow progrefs of the Bourbon troops
in Portugal, the retrograde motion of the French army in

Germany,

Germany, the tr
and the imminen
nah, all confpirc(
of the Bourbon n

On the fide of
peace becam.e n
iefs intoxicated
come familiar to
marks of public
were become mi
at the beginning
Befides the natio
trade had been g
example favoura
we have feen, v
of money, great :
pences. The fu
furnifli the waft(
miniflied, and tl
difficulty, and at
war, when every
felvrs in carrying
our hands to anf
peftations ; and
nations greatly v
the difiiculty on
fhould retain. 1
choice of acquifi
ciples, a great de
to every fentime

All thefe were
things operated ;
the Britifh minil
put an end to it.

The whole co
Mr. Pitt, in his
war againft Spa
lent, and they d
retired from pul
more freely, ani
them. But he '
that the remain
principles fo ver
no means likely

1762. The History of ihf W An. 525

Germany, the taking of Martinico and its dependencies,
and the imminent danger in which they beheld the Havan-
rah, all confpircd to humble the pride, and dafh the hopes
of the Bourbon alliance.

On the fide of Great Britain likcwife, the difpofitions to
peace became much more cordial. No people were ever
lefs intoxicated with their iuccefl'cs. Viflories were be-
come familiar to us, and made but little impreflion. The
marks of public joy on the moll confiderable conquefls,
were become much flighter and colder, than were fliewed
at the beginning of th** war, upon very trivial advantages.
Befidcs the nation had occafion for peace. Though her
trade had been greatly augmented, a circumflance without
example favourable, and though many of her conquefts, as
we have feen, were very far from unlucrative, her fupplies
of money, great as they were, did not keep pace with herex-
pences. The fupply of men too, which was neceflary to
furnifli the wafle of fo extenfive a war, became fcnfibly di-
minifhed, and the troops were not recruited but with fome
difficulty, and at a heavy charge. It was time to clofe the
war, when every end, we could rationally propofe to our-
felvrs in carrying it on, was anfwered ; we had enough in
our hands to anfwer all our demands, and almoft all our ex-
peftations ; and as it is grown into a fort of maxim, that
nations greatly victorious, muft cede fomething on a peace,
the difficulty on our fide was only what, and how much we
(hould retain. Not that there was a doubt, but whatever
choice of acquifition could be "^de upon any rational prin-
ciples, a great deal would ftill remain to give the fullefl: fcopc
to every fentiment of equity and moderation.

All thefe were fufficient inducements to peace. But other
things operated as caufes. An alteration in the fyftcm of
the Britifli miniftry had begun this war ; another alteration
put an end to it.

The whole council had been almoft unanimous to oppofc
Mr. Pitt, in his fcheme for precipitating the declaration of
war againft Spain. They thought his principles too vio-
lent, and they did not perfectly like his perfon. When he
retired from public bufinefs, it feemed as if they breathed
more freely, and had got rid of a burthen that opprefled
them. But he was not long removed, when it appeared
that the remaining part of the fyftem, was framed upon
principles fo very difcordant in themfelves, that it was by
no means likely to fland. The

526 ^^he History of the War. 1762.

The duke of Newcaftle, firft lord of the treafury, by hiai
early zeal in favour of the proteftant fuccefllon. by the libe-
ral and politic ufe he had made of a great fortune, by the ob-
ligations which in a courfc of many years, and in a fuccefTi-
on of great employments, he was enabled to confer on feme
of the moft confiderabic people in the kingdom, had attach-
ed a great number to his fortunes, and formed anintereftin
the parliament and the nation, which it was extremely dif-
ficult to overturn, or even to fhake. He came to be confi-
dered as the head of the whigs ; and he was in reality well
qualified in many refpefts for the chief of a party, from his
unbounded liberality, from his affability, magnificence, and
perfonal difintereftcdnefs. Even the defe&s and faults, which
might have appeared in his charafler, were rather of fervice
to him, as they often tended to foften refentments,and help-
ed to give that great power, of which he was poffefled, an
appearance lels formidable.

During a great part of the late king's reign, his family
hi d direflcd all things without controul. On the acceflion
of his prefent majefty, his fituation feemed more doubtful.
But in a little time he appeared outwardly as well eftabliflied
as ever, not only in his former high employments, but in
that fhare of influence which is commonly fuppofed to at-
tend it. There was, however, very little reality in this fpe-
cious appearance ; for he did not poflefs the royal confi-
dence, upon which all the eflential of power depends. Nei-
ther his age, nor his fituation in the former reign, had al-
lowed him the opportunity of cultivating an intereft with the
prefent king. Another noble perfon (a) had been in an em-
ployment near hi.s perfon ; and having formed his mind with
much attention and fuccefs to thofe virtues which adorn his
ftation, deferved and obtained a very uncommon Iharc of
his confidence.

This nobleman was firft groom of the ftole : afterwards,
takiing a more open (hare in the conduct of affairs, he accept-
ed the feal? as fecretary of ftate. On the removal of Mr.
Pitt, who preferved a fort of union in the adminiftration by
their common dread of him, the only competition was be-
tween the duke of Newcaftle and lord Bute. The former
could not well endure that decay of influence, which, on a
thoufand occafions, he mufl have fenfibly felt, and which

tl)C

(a) The Earl of Bute.

1762. ThehhsroKY of the War. 527

the great rank he held muft have rendered only more pain-
ful. Lord Bute, on the other hand, could not bear to ice
the treafury board, which, under whatever limitations, was
attended with fomuch power, in the hands of his rival. It
is indeed a department, the entire condufl of which is abfo-
lutely eflential to the perfon who has any pretenfions to be
it the head of the Britiih adminiftration.

Thefe principles foon produced their natural effeO:. In
a Ihort time the duke of Newcaftle thought him-
felf obliged to refign, and lord Bute became firft May 26.
commiflloner of the treafury. This refignation
was followed by that of others of great confideration for
their rank and influence. No one was furprifed at the ferment
which enfued ; in which perfonai refentment, party violence,
and national, or rather local prejudices, were all united, to
throw every thing into confufion.

In this condition of parties, a number of thofe called
Whigs, who had loft their places, being highly irritated at
the late changes, iind even many of thofe who ftill continu-
ed in employments, being fuppofed attached to the intereft
of the duke of Newcaftle, and th refore not to be depended
on by the new adminiilration, it became necefTary to have
recourfe to thofe called Tories, or country gentlemen.

From the beginning of this reign it had been profefled,
v'ith the general applaufe of all good men, to abolilh thofe
odious party diflin£tions, and to extend the royal favour and
prote&ion equally to all his majefty's fubjefls. The per-
fons called Tories had, befides, been before a£tive in fup-
port of fome of thofe, who now clamoured at the very mea-
sures which they had themfelves, more than once, adopt-
ed. However, occafion was taken from thence to endea-
vour at the revival of this almoft exploded diftin6lion. There
were great heats, which were blown into a combuftion by
every art, and every inftrument of party, that had ever
proved effeftual m^on fimilar occafions.

Whilft the nation was thus diftraOied, the condu£l of a
war became difficult ; its continuance unfafe ; and its fup-
plies uncertain. If the adminiftration failed, their failure
would be conftrued into incapacity ; if they fucceeded, their
fuccefs would be converted into an argument for fuch terms
of peace, as it would be impoflible for them to procure.
Above all, the antient and known conne6tion between the
chiefs of the moneyed intereft and the principal perfons in
'- - the

rfi/i*'

i" i i

w^\ li

528 ^heUistoKY of theV^hiSL. 17^3,

the oppofition, muft have been a lubjedl of great anxiety to
the adminiftration.

Thefe caufes co-operated to render the intentiotis of the
Britifh miniftry towards peace altogether cordhl and fin-
cere ; and they thought themfelves abundantly juftified in
their wiflies for it at this juncture, both from the fuccefles
and the burthens of the nation ; from the flourifhing (late
of fome of their allies, and the doubtful ftate of others ;
and in general, from thofe arguments of humanity, which
made it high time that Europe fliould enjoy fome interval
of repofe.

Both courts thus concurring in the fame point, all diffi-
culties were fpeedily fmoothed. It is faid, that the firft over-
tures were made under the mediation of his Sardinian ma-
jefty. As foon as terms were propofed, in order to give a
pledge to each other of their mutual fmcerity, it was agfeed
that this treaty fhould not be negotiated, as the former
had been, by fubordinate perfons ; but that the two courts
ihould reciprocally fend to London and Verfaillcs a perfon
of the firft confequence and diftim^lion in either kingdom.
Accordingly the duke of Bedford was fent to negotiate on
the part of England, and the duke de Nivernois on that of
France ; the great outlines of the treaty were very foon ex-
plained and adjufted. The detail of fome articles lookup
more time.

During this mixed Interval of war and treaty, the French
obtained a temporary advantage ; but which neither fuf-
pended nor influenced the negotiation. It was the laft of-
fenfive effort, which they made ; and though this enter-
prize was attended with a temporary fuccefs in the execu-
tion, it was In the defign not fupcrior to any of thofe that
had failed. Monfieur de Ternay, with a fquadron of four
men of war and a bomb ketch, and M. d' Haulbnville, with
a proportionable number of land forces, arrived the 24th of
June at the bay of Bulls in Newfoundland, and finding the
ifland little prepared to refill: them, took without difficulty,
the forts of St. John, Trmity, and Carbonear, deftroyed the
two lafl, and likewife the ftages and implements of the fifh-
ery, to a confiderable value. The immenfe extent of our
military operations, rendered it little wonderful or blame-
able, that this particular part was found weak.

The French pre fumed by far too much on the fupine-
nefs of the nation, when they hoped fuch an advantage

could

1762. ^he History of the War. 529

could have any great efFe£l on the negotiation. In fa£i, as
foon as the news arrived in England, a force was fitted out
to retake thofe places. But fuch was the vigilance and rea-
dinefs of general Amherft, our commander in America,
that it fuperfeded the neceflity of this armament. He de-
tached colonel Amherft with a body of forces, and Lord
Colville with a fmall, but fufficient fquadron, to recover
this valuable ifland. The land forces attacked fome detach-
ments of the French, advantageoufly ported in the neigh-
bourhood of St. John's, an<i prepared to attack St. John's
itfelf, with fo much vigour and afliivity, that M. d'Haufon-
ville, who had remained there as governor, thought pro-
per to deliver up that place, and furrendered him-
fe!f an<l garrifon prifoners of war (a), before Sept. i8.
. ■ , ' \ * lord

■y

(a) Colonel Amherft'' s Letter to the Earl of Egremonty datedy St.
John's, Nexifoundlandf Sept. 20, 1762.

.. - , ■, •■ •■ •■ .,- i

My Lordy

According to the orders I received from Sir Jeffery Amherji
at Neiu Torky of which your Lordihip have been informed,
I proceeded from Netv Tork to Halifax with the tranfports, to
taice up there the troops deftined for the expedition. I goc
into the harbour the 26th of Augufi ; and finding Ld. Colville
had failed, determined to embark the troops there, and at Louif-
bourgy as expeditioufly as poflible, and proceed after his Lordfliip.

The men of war being failed, who were to have taken part of
the troops on boaid, I was obliged to take up (hipping to the
amount of 400 tons.

I had every ;hing embarked, ready to fail the 29th, but con-
trary winds It ^pt us in the harbour till the i ft of September, when
we got out, and arrived at Louifhourg on the 5th. The next day
the troops were embarked, and we failed out of the harbour the
7th in the morning,

I had the good fortune to join Lord Cohille's fleet ori the 1 1 th,
a few leagues to the fouthward of St. John's j and by the intelli-
gence his Lordfliip had received, I was obliged to change my re-
folution of landing the troops at Kitty ntty, a narrow entrance,
clofe ro the harbour of St. John's, the enemy having entirely flop-
ped up the palfa^e, by finking ihallops in the channel.

From the bed information I could get, it appeared that Torhay,
about three leagues to the northward of St. John's, was the place
to land the troops at, within .hatdiftrid. .^.„^ , ,^ ir^ int.-

X X X " ' V "." Lord

530 7*/;? History o/ //j^ War.'- j^g^.

lord Colville could arrive from the place where the troops

had been landed, toco-operate with them. M. de Ternay

tfcaped with the fleet, partly by having gained a confidcra-

-- ■' ble

Lord Colnjille fent the Syren man of war into Torhay with the
tranfports ; and it was late at night on the 12th, before they all
came to an anchor. Capt. Douglas of his Majefly's fliip Syren,
went with me to view the Bay, and we found a very good Beach
to land on. It blew hard in the night, and one of the tranfports,
with the Provincial Light Infantry corps on board, was driven
out to fea,

I landed the troops early the next morning, at the bottom of
the Bay, from whence a path led to St. John's : a party of the
enemy fired fome fliots at the boats as they rowed in. The Light
Infantry of the Regulars landed firft, gave the enemy one fire,
and drove them towards St. John's. The battalions landed, and
we marched on. The path for four miles very narrow, through
a thick wood, and over very bad ground.

Capt. McDonnell's Light Infantry corps in front came up with
fome of the party we drove from the Landing Place : They had
concealed themfelves in the wood, fired upon us, and wounded
three men. A part of M'Donnell's corps rufhed in upon them,
took thiee prifoners, and drove the reft off.

The country opened afterwards, and we marched to the left
of Kitty Fifty : It was neceflary to take poffeffion of this pafs, to
open a communication for the landing of artillery and ftores, it be-
ing impradticable to get them up the way we came.

As foon as our right was clofe to Kitty Vitty river, the enemy
fired upon us from a hill on the oppofite fide. I fent a party up a
rock, which commanded the paffage over, and under cover of
their fire, the Light Infantry companies of the Royal and Mont-
gomery z, fupported by the grenadiers of the Royal, paffed, drove
the enemy up the hill, and purfued them on that fide towards St.
'John's, : when I perceived a body of the enemy coming to their
fupport,, I immediately ordered over Major Sutherland, with
the remainder of the firft battalion, upon which they thought
proper to retreat j and we had juft time, before dark, to take
poft.

Capt. Mackenzie, v/ho commanded Montgomery's Light Infan-
try, was dangeroufly wounded. We took ten prifoners ; the troops
lay this night on their armv-.

The next morning, the 14th, we opened the channel, where
the enemy had funk the fhallops: they had a breaft-work which
cgmmanded the entrance, and a battery not quite finifhed.

Lieut.

1762. T'y&i? History o///;? War. 531

ble diftance, before tl y were difcovcred, by means of a
thick, fog ; and partly becaufe lord Colvillc, after their hav-
ing been difcovered, did not apprehend that they really
were the enemy's fhips.

\',

is, to

enemy
up a
ver of
Mont-
drove
rds St.
their
with
lought
take

Infan-
troops

where
which

Lieut.

Lieut. Col. Tul/ikin, who had met with an accident by a fall,
and was left on board, joined me this day ; and Capt. Fergttfon
commanding the artillery, brought round fonie light artillery and
ftores from T'orbay in the fhallops.

The enemy had pofreffion of two very high and fteep hills, one
in the front of our advanced pofts, and the other nearer to St.
John Sy which two hills appeared to command the whole ground
from Kitty Fitty to St. John's. It was neceflary that we (hould
proceed on this fide, to fecure effeftualiy the landing at the Kitty
Vitty^ from the firft hill the enemy fired upon our pofts.

On the I 5th, juft before day-break, I ordered Capt. McDon-
nell's corps of Light Infantry, and the Provincial Light Infantry»
fupported by our advanced pofts, to march to furprife the enemy
on this hill. Capt. M'Donneli paiTed th Ir fentrics and advanced
guards, and was firft difcovered by their main body on the hill,
as he came climbing up the rocks near the fummit, which he
gained, receiving the enemy's fire. He threw in his fire, and the
enemy gave way.

Capt. M'Donneli was wounded j Lieut. Schuyler of his compa-
ny killed, with three or four men, and eighteen wounded.

The enemy had three companies of grenadiers and two picqucts
at this poft, commanded by Lieut. Col. Belcombey fecond in com-
mand, who was wounded ; a Captain of Grenadiers wounded
and taken prifoner ; his Lieut, killed, feveral men killed and
wounded, and 13 taken prifonera. :..,j^, i,k,''['o:.. 1 itr; .

The enemy had one mortar here, with which they threw fome
ibells at us in the night; a fix-pounder not mounted, and two
wall pieces.

This hill, with one adjoining, commands the harbour.

The 1 6th, we advanced to the hill nearer St. "John's, which
the enemy had quitted. Twenty-nine Ihallops came in to day
with artillery and ftores, provifion and camp equipage from Tor-
bay, which we unloaded. I moved the remainder of the troops
forward, leaving a poft to guard the pafs of Kitty Fitty, on the
other fide. Laft night the enemy's fleet got out of the harbour.
This night we lay on our arms.

The 17th, a mortar battery wascompleated, and a battery be-
gun for four 24-pounders, and two 12-pounders, about 500 yards

X X X z from

f 1" ,

53Z 97;^ History o//;^<? War. 1762.

It was in Germany that the greateft efforts were made.

Even after the negotiations had been confiderably advanced,

the military operations were in that country no way flack-

. . encd.

I
I

1762. f

cned. The bo
being (Ireightei
comparable jud

from the fort, made the road from the landing for the artillery,
and at night opened the mortar battery, with one eight inch mor-
tar, and feven cohorns, and fix royals. The enemy fired pretty
briflcly from the fort, and threw (ome Ihells.

The 1 8th, in the morning, I received a letter from Count r/f
Haujfoti'vii/e, of which Idomyfelf the honour to inclofe to your
Lordfliip a copy, as alfo of my anfwer ; with copies of other let-
ters that paiTed, and of the capitulation.

As Lord Colville, at this time, was fome diftance off the conft,
•nd the wind not permitting his Lordfhip to ftand in, to honour
me with his concurrence in the terms to be given to the garrifon, {
thought no time fhould be loft in fo advanced a feafon, and there-
fore took upon me to determine it, hoping to meet with his Lord-
fliip's approbation ; and he has given me the greateil pleafure, by
entirely approving of every thing I have done.

I muft beg leave to fay, my Lord, that every afllftance we
could poHibly defire from the fleet, has been given us. Lord
Col'ville upon the fliort notice he had of our joining him, having
laboured to get together all the fhallops he could, and with which
we were fo amply fupplied, was a meafure of eflential fervice;
and without which our operations muft have been confiderably re-
tarded.

The indefatigable labour and perfevering ardour of the troops
I have the honour to command, fo neceffary towards compleating
the conqueft, before the bad feafon fet in, did indeed exceed
what I could have expedled. Lieut. Col. Tullikitt feconded me in
every thing as I could wifli.

Capt. M'Donnell, of Col, Frazer's regiment, having Sir Jeffe-
ry AmherjV^ leave to go to England^ was to have delivered this
to your Lordfliip j but his leg is broken by the wound he receiv-
ed ; which keeps him here. May I humbly prefuine, my Lord,
to recommend this gentleman to your Lordfliip's protedlicn, as a
real, brave and good officer.

Lord Col'ville intends fending his Majefty's fliip Syren immedi-
ately to England. I fend Capt. Campbell ^ of the 2 2d regiment,
with thefe difpatches, who will inform your Lordfliip of any par-
ticulars you may defire to know.

I domyfelf the honour to tranfmit to your Lordfliip fuch returns

as I can poflibly
troops and garrif

,1 . Tour

Capt. Campheh
were hoifted on t

Lord Col'ville's L
J

S I R,

I Had the hono
until the i8th
tin for England i
majefty's fliips th
and the King Geo
Bay. On the 251
her clofe to the h
teer, taken by th
was manned wit
Vaijfeau.

The enemy hi
John^s, men, wc
provifions to carr
. and a fchooner,
Irijhmen that wer
marines of the fq
the ifle of Boys.
the bay of Bulls,
and enter on boai
I ftaid in that ba
that remained tl
and 'tis poflible t
cominor.

Mr. Garland ^

1762. I'he History of the War. 533

cned. The body under themarfhals d'Kflrecs and Souhifc,
being flreightened, in the manner we have feen, by the in-
comparable judgment of prince Ferdinand's meafiires, had

been

as I can poflibly get in time, to fhew the true ftatc o( i\\{: French
troops and gar ri Ton here.

1 anty luith the mojl profound rcfpeii , my Lord ^

Tour Lordjhifs tnoji humble, and moji obedient Servant,

:i-' :~ fr„ -' • >.. WILLIAM AMH2RST.

Capt, Campbell has brought with hiin the French colours which
were hoilled on the fort of St. John's.

Lord Cohille's Letter to Mr. Cle'vland, dated, St. John's^ New
foundland, September 20, 1 762.

SIR, ^ ■ . ' .:: v.. A. ■::;:;•, _

I Had the honour of fending you an account of my proceed ingt
until the i8th of Aitguji, by a vefTei which failed from Placen-
tia for England at that time ; and on the 22d I failed with hia
niajefty's Ihips the Northumberland, Antelope, Go/port, and Syren,
and the King George, belonging to the province of Majfachufetf^
Bay. On the 25th; we chafed a fchooner off St, Johns and took
her clofe to the harbour's mouth. She had been an Englijh priva-
teer, taken by the enemy, had eight carriage guns mounted, and
was manned with thirty Frenchmen, commanded by an enfign dt
Vaiffeau.

The enemy had fent away great part of the inhabitants of St.
John's, men, women, and children, by giving them veffels and
provifions to carry them where they pleafed ; two of thefe, a floop
. and a fchooner, we met with on the coaft, and took twenty-three
Irijhmen that were fingle men out of them, to replace in part the
marines of tlie fquadron that were left in garrifon at Placentia and
the ifle of Boys. Thefe Irijhmen faid, that if I would go into
the bay of Bulls, numbers of their countrymen would refort to me
and enter on board the fquadron ; but during two days which
I ftaid in that bay, not a man joined me. The few inhabitants
that remained there, quietly followed their bufinefs of fifliing,
and 'tis poflible the enemy prevented any others at St. John's from
coming.

Mr. Garland and Mr. Davis, two of the principal inhabitants of
■•'iwn. ■ Harbour

\ \ tl

534 '^^"^ History of the War. ' I'jGz

bcin obli}';cil l<> call that under the prince; of Comic from
tlu- 1 .owir Rhine to ihcir afllftance. In order to compltie
their junOion with this corps, the grand army uncovered

Ciirel.

Harbour Grace and Cmhonetn^ \n Conception Bey yha\h\g acquaint-
ed nie thiit a iiuniber otineii in their neighbourhood were willin<>-
to ferve in the fquadron duiing the prefent exigency, 1 fent the
armed Ichooner lor them, and the returned with fifty men, which
t have diftribiitrd among the fliips. And the fame gentlemen re-
prefentlng, that the enemy fometimes fends fmall parties by land
to For 1 14 i^ III Cot' e, which have threatened to moleft them in flml-
lops fi (Mu that place, defired, in behalf of thcmfelves ami all their
nvii'Jibours.that fhe fchooner might be Rationed \nConcef>tion Ihiy,
lor their proteftion and defence, which requeft I complied with

The illuul of Car/'onera, in (Conception Bay^ has had no other
ganifon (ot many years but a fi'W old men of the artillery, td
take care of the guns and ordnance llotes 1 lad fome of the in-
habitants of the adjaccjit coall taken poll here, they might eafily
have defended it again ll any force, except one narrow landing
place, and no fafe road in the neighbourhood for great ihips ; but
the enemy landed in boats, and deftroyed the whole without re-
fillance. And the ille of Bny^, near Ferrylnmi, would probably
have Ihared the fame fate, had it not been poifefled in due lime
by the ^.Vyrfw's marines.

In frequently palling the harbour's mouth of St. Johnf,^ we
could plainly fee that the fort, which fronts the entrance, was
fortifyed all rouml with new works ; and that a redoubt, or feme-
thing like one, was railed at the little harbour of Kitty yitty.
The old battery at the South-fide of the harbour's mouth was re-
paired with additional works, and a new one eretlcd on the fame
iide nearer the entrance. All thefe were to be ff en from the fea ;
and I could not learn that the enemy intendeu any thing more
than the finifliing thefe works.

*)n the Hth o[ September I received, by a floop exprefs fron'.
Ufitijiix, letters from Sir Jeffery Amherfl at Ne<w T'ork, acquaint-
ing me, that he had come to a refolution to fend a body of troops,
in order todillodge the enemy as foon as polfible from St. JoMs -,
and that Lieut. Col. Jmberjl was toconuuand thefe troops, The
fame conveyance brought me letters from Col. y^wAfr//, acquaint-
ing u>e with his arrival at Halifax on the 26th of ////pm//, his
departure from thence on the ill oi' September, and witli his in-
tention to call at Loui/hoiir^ for the troops there, and then proceed
round Cape Race, to join me on this coaft. Upon receipt of thefe
letters, 1 fent the floop which brought them to lookout for Col.

Amher(l

s^ry

J762. T'/jtf History of th' War.

Caflel, tjuitted the banks of the Fultla, and tell I'ai k to ;i
confulerable dirtance. The hereditary prince of llrnnfwlck,
who had attcniled this corps all along, thought at length a

fair

.4mherji and the tranfports off ('tipe Race ; and in order to join
them the fooner, to concert nieafn es for the enfuing operations,
before the enemy could have notice of their arrival, 1 dropped
down with the I'quadron to Cape Broy/t ; but Mr. 6/7/, of St.
John's, who had been fent out of the town in a cartel fchooncr
two dnya before, fending oli' advice from Fenyland, that he was
fure the enemy intended to fail in a very little time, 1 returned
with the fcjuadron to our lliUion otf St. JJ'n'i'.

On the iith we were joined by Col. //w/^«t//, ^\i\\ the troops
in ten tranfport velfels ; and I propoftd Totlmy as the proptrcil
place to land at: It is to the northward of ut. Jo/.'na, about fevou
miles by land, and the roads pretty good, but the bay is not reck-
oned fafe anchorage, being open to tlie eafterly wintls, whicii u(u-
ally begin to prevail at this fcnfon. By one of the tranfpoit;; from
Meav York, I received a duplicate, the original not yet come to
hand, of their Lordlliip's order of the 7th of Juncy diretting me
to repair niyfelf, or fend a fulHcicnt I'orce to enable C';»pt. (Jruves
of the Antelope^ to defeat the defigns of the fipiadron commanded
by M. r/f Tertwy.

On the 1 2th we proceeded to Tnrhny. \ fent Capt. Dotifflns in
the Syren to anchor with the tranlports, accompanied by the bnnts
of the fcpiadrou, uml a nund)er of lliallops, or fdhingboat;;, which
I had colleftcd from difierent parts ibr the kinp's fervice. With
the reil of the fliips I returned to my (lation clofe to Si. Johji'%
harbour. Next morning Col. .7////'r>y/ landed with the troop:; i)i
the head of the bay, having only four men wounded from ii dil-
tant bulh-liriiit^ of the enemy, f le uuirched direftly to Kitty P i//j,
and made hinilelf mailer ol' that important poll in tlic eveniig,
without having a man kiileii, and only two or three Wviunded.
Every thing belonging to the army was carried fiom 'I'jr/uty to
Kitty yitty in fliallop.s, efcorted by boats from the fcjuadron. And
this fervice was conducted with tliiigence ami care, by Mr. Diif^'
diiley my firll I .ieiitenant, Captain Doufi^lta having joined the
fquadron again. The enemy's fleet was to have f\iled the morn-
injT I paffeil tlie harbour with the tranfports ; and 300 men only
were to be left in St. John'w for (he winter ; but, upon feeing us,
they Iniuled their grenadiers again.

'I'he I 5th it blew flrong from \\. to E. S. E. witli thick rainv
weather. In the evening the wind fliifted to the wellwatd, light
breezes, and thick fog. At fix nt.xt morning, it b^ing calm, with

A great

1 i

^^6 ^he History of the War. 1752,

fair opportunity had occurred of ftriking a decifive

Aug. 30. blow againft it. With this aid he attacked, with
his ufual vivacity, that part of the French army,

which

ft great fwell, we faw from the maft-head, but could bring thera
down no lower than half way the topmaft fhrouds, four fail, bear-
ing S, S. E. diftant feven leagues ; the mouth of St. Johri% har-
bour at the fame time bore W. four leagues. We loft fight of
them about feven, though very clear j and fome time after, a
fmall breeze fpringing up in the S. W. quarter, I ftood in tov\?ards
Torbay, in order to cover the Ihallops that might be going from
thence to Kitty Fitty.

In the afternoon I received a note from Col. Atnherjly acquaint-
ing me that the French fleet got out laft night. Thus, after being
blocked up in St. Johti's harbour for three weeks by a fquadron of
equal number, but fmailer fhips, with fewer guns and men, did
yi.Ternay make his efcape in he night by a Ihameful flight. I
beg leave to obferve, th»t n' a man in the fquadron imagined
the four fail, when we faw tLi were the enemy ; and the pi-
lots were of opinion, that the muft have had the wind much
llronger than with us, to overcome thewefterly fwell in the har-
bour's mouth. I fent the King George round Cape Race, as far
as trepajfy^ to bring me intelligence if the enemy fliould fteer to-
wards Placentia ; and I diredled Capt. Douglas of the Syren to get
the tranfports moved from Torbay^ as a very unfafe road to the
bay of Bulls f

A bomb battery was opened againft the fort, in the night of the
1 7th, and next day it capitulated, before any other battery begaa
to play.

The fquadron got into the harbour yefterday morning ; and in
rhe evening I received their Lordfliips order of the 3d of Augufi^
fent me by Capt. Pallifer of the Shreuojluryy who, with the Su-
ferbey Bedford y and Miners ay had juft arrived on the coaft. I
have directed Capt. Pallifery with the other fliips, to come into
the harbour, as foon as a convenient opportunity offers for fo
doing.

We have about eight hundred prifoners, grenadiers, picquets,
and fome marines, being a very fine body of men, and nearly equal
in number to the regulars of our army. I am now preparing tranf-
ports to carry them to Breji.

The enemy did not intend to leave fo great a part of their force
here ; their grenadiers were ready for embarking, but M. de Ter-
ttay feemed determined at all events to grafp an opportunity,
which, if once loft, might never be regained j therefore, in the

utmoft

762-

The History of the War.

537

which was ported at a place called the heights of Johan-
nifberg, near the banks of the Wetter. At firft his fuccefs
was anfwerable to his own expectations, and the courage

utmoft coufufion, he left behind his grenadiers, anchors, and
turned his boats adrift when they had towed him out. The fog
was fo thick that Lieut. Col. Tullikin, who was ported on an
eminence in the narroweft part of the harbour's mouth, could hear
their noife, but could not difcern any of their fliips. The fog
even altered the direction ofthe found, which feemed to come from
another part of the harbour, whilft they muft have been directly
under him.

There is a confiderable quantity of provifions and other goods at
this place, collected and tumbled piomifcuoufly into different
ftorehoufes by the enemy. Many of the hijh fervants have alfo
been robbing and plundering their mafters. To afcertain proper-
ty, in order to make reftitution as far as can be, and to reflore re-
gularity to a country, fo long diftradted by being in the enemy's
poflefllon, will be the particular care of governor Gro^i'es, who,
in my opinion, is well qualified for fuch an office ; and as he will
j ftay here, he will be able, in a great meafure, to reftore the affairs
j of this country.

Capt. Douglas ofthe Syren has behaved with fpiritand aftivity,

land exerted every talent of a good officer during this expedition ;

and (without adding any more officers to the corps) I am happy in

the opportunity of fending him to wait on their lordfhips. ^

if he folloiving Letters ha'ving fomctbing in them i'e>y particular y
•wejhallfubjoin them here, leaving our ReaJers to make fuch ob-
fernjations as may occur. . . » ,

, s I R, , .: -

I Now being under fome doubt of Sr. John's and Plarentia \n
Neivfoundlatit/ this rummer, as the fijuadron from 5r(/7is fail-
Itd, I read in the news-papers whithei cnn they go but to AVw-
Ifound/anJ, and as a loyal fubjeft to his niaiefty, and a great friend
lio trade, In which I have fuffcred much by being too enterprlzlng ;
lido therefore mod humbly offer my thoughts for the good of my
Iking and country ; that is, I really think from my heart that fald
lEreJf fquadfon is gone to Neivfour.dlafif/, many of our NeivfounJ-
\md fhips being taken the lall year. The common enemy nuill
iknow theflender force of our Neivfounliland convoy in thofe parts ;
land, was a fmall fquadron of his majefty's fliips to go foon to
Vleiufoundland, and return again after examining into the fafety
I Y y y of

m k

i
11

.■rA'

538 The 'HisroKY of the War. 1762.

of his troops. He drove the enemy intirely from the high
grounds into the plain ; but whilft he purfued his advantage,
the body he attacked was reinforced by the main army.
The aftion, which began fo favourable for the allies, ended

i in a defeat. They loft above three thoufand men in killed,
wounded, and prifoners. The hereditary prince, who had,
through the whole aftion, made the moft powerful efforts,'
and expofed himfelf to the grenteft dangers, received a
wound from a mufket-ball in his hip-bone, from which his

■ life was a long time doubtful, and his recovery lingering
and tedious. Whilft his life continued in danger, the con- I
cern was unufual, and common to botn armies ; both taking
an intereft in the prefervation of a prince, as much endear-
ed by his humanity, as admired for his valour and military
genius. "*

A vi6tory of the greateft importance could not have more
fully difplayed the fuperiority of prince Ferdinand's capaci-
ty, in the conduct of a war, than his meafures after this de-
feat. The French were not fuflfered to derive the fmalleft |

, v advan-

of that valuable ifland and trade, may likely fave many of his ma-
jefty's fubje£ts from ruin, and prevent the common enemy a foot-
ing in the Neivfoundland fifhery.

* You will pleafe to communicate thefe my thoughts to theirj
lordfhips, which, I humbly think with fubminion, is worthy at
this time of their confideration.

* I have, by long experience, fomejudgment in fea affairs; aa
alfo a willingnefs to ferve my king and country, thefe will pleat
an excufe in my behalf to their lordfhips for this trouble.

To John Cle'vltindy Efq;

/ fl«, ^c

'' i . , - Anfwtr.

I ^ ':■ Admiralty-Office y June n/A, 1762.

SIR,

* T Have received and communicated to my lords commifllonerj

J[ of the admirahy your letter of the 8th inftant, with refpetj

to the apprehenfion you are under, that the Brejl fleet is gone fol

IJrwfQundland,

Tour very humble Servant ^

J. CLEVLAND.

1762. ^he History of the War. 5^9

advantage from their viftory ; nor did the allies lofe a foot
of ground. The communication with Caflel was ftill at the
mercy of the allies. The French, in their retreat, had
thrown a garrifon of ten thoufand men into that place ; and
the prince made immediate and vigorous preparations to
befiege it.

When the prince had adjufted his army to cover the
fiege, the French took advantage of his movement for that
purpofe, to repafs the Lahne near Gieffen, and advanced
towards Marpurg. But as they advanced, the prince drew
his army from the fiege, and made fuch difpofitions as ena-
bled him to fall at once upon their flank and rear,
drove them from all their pofls, and obliged them Sept. ^6.
once more to fly with precipitation behind the
Lahne.

After this fuccefsful affair, the body of the army refumed
their preparations for the fiege of Caflel, which was now be-
come the grand obje£t of the campaign ; and the great pur-
pofe of the endeavours of both armies was, of the one to
open the communication with Caffel, of the other to cut
it off.

A number of ikirmiflies happened in thefe movements.
The mofl: remarkable among them was the af-
fair of Bucker Muhl, not fo much for the confe- Sept. 30.
quences, which were not extraordinary, but for
the uncommon fteadinefs of the two parties engaged. It
was a pofl: of fome moment, the forcing of which would fa-
cilitate to the French the reduflion of Amonebourg, a
fmall fortrefs, but of importance, as it commanded a pafs
which led into the country which they propofed to enter.
This poll was nothing more than a bridge over the Ohme,
defended by a flight redoubt on one fide, and by a mill on
the other. The allies had no cover, except the redoubt ;
nor the French, except the mill. The engagement began
at firfl: between two fmall bodies, and an artillery proporti-
onably fmall ; but as the afition warmed, the artillery was
gradually augmented, until it amounted to about five and
twenty heavy cannon on each fide. The allies had originally
but one hundred men in this pofl: ; but before the bufinefs
ended, feventeen complete battalions were engaged, who
fucceffively relieved each other, after each detachment had
made fixty difcharges. The artillery fired at a diftance of
three hundred paces, and the mufquetryat thirty. Befides,

Y y y 2 /the

540 ^'he History of the War. 1762.

the allied troops, as they pafled to and from the redoub' ,
were, for a length of four hundred paces, expofed to all the
enemy's cannon loaded with grape fhot.

The fituation of the French was nearly the fame. /^
dreadful fire was fupportcd between thefc refolute bodies,
without a moment's intermifllon, or the leafl: flackening on
one fide or the other, for near fifteen hours, from the dawn
of day to dark night. Neither fide gave way ; and this moft
bloody conteft for a moft trifling obje£t in the end left the
allies in the poflefllon of their redoubt, and the French of
their mill. The whole compafs of military hiftory furnilhti,
no inftance of fo obftinate a difpute. The allies loft fix hun-
dred men in killed and wounded ; towards the clofe of the
the day, the dead bodies ferved to raife a parapet for the
redoubt, in the place of that which had been beat to pieces
by the cannonade.

The French are thought to have fuffered more in this
aftion than the allies. However, though they did not fuc-
cccd i ' their attack upon the bridge, they battered at the
fame time the caftle of Amonebourg with fo much fury, that
in a ftiort time they effefted a breach, and obliged the gar-
rifon to furrender. By this advantage they gained a good
deal of ground, and even got on the rear of the allied army.
But with this advantage, coniiderable as it was, they were
able to do nothing decifive : they were able neither to raife,
nor materially to difturb the fiege of Caflel, which went on
without interruption ; nor were they able to throw the leaft
relief into this place, where their garrifon already began to
fuff^er for want of provifions.

This capital of an unfortunate principality, which has fo
often been taken and retaken during the courfe of this war,
defpairing of relief, at length furrendered to the
Nov. I. vi6torious arms of the allies, after a fiege of fif-
teen days open trendies. The garrifon made an
honourable capitulation. And now prince Ferdinand might
confider himfelf as mafter of Hefle, no place of ftrength in
that country remaining in the enemy's hands, except Zie-
genhayn. Advanced as the feafon was, the prince prepared
to lay fiege to that fortrefs ; and as he was now able to draw
down his whole army into that (;Marter, there was no quef-
tion but he would have made himfelf mafter of the place

without

'tu)

1762. ^h(! History of the War. 541

without :\\y difficulty. But the figuingof the pre-
liminaries of peace, at this lime notified in the Nov. 15.
two armies, put an happy concUifion to i\ll miUta-
ry operatif'ns. ■ -' ■■,

Thcfe preliminaries had very little to do towards com-
pleting the relief of our allies; except that they fct the Teal
on their good fortune, and prevented their being expofed
any longer to the chances of war. I'his campaijrn, though
it was not diftinguilhed by any great decifive vi*5tory, was
not the lefs honourable to the commander or the troops. A
conneQied feries of judicious anil fpiritcd operations produced
all the effects, which could be propofed from a Tingle and
brilliant ftroke. At this period, the French, after having
for fix years exerted almoll the whole undivided rtrength of
their monarchy upon this fingle objett, were, ij, the end,
very little more advanced than they were the d.iy they firfl:
fet their foot in Germany. The poflelTion of three or four
poor unmiportant places was all they had purchalcd by ma-
n) millions of treafure expended, and poflibly near two hun-
dred thoufand lives thrown away.

The whole body of the allies acquired great and jufi; glo-
ry in this war ; but "he Knglifh had all along the port of ho-
nour, and obtained the iiigheft reputation. As to their com-
mander, the duke of Brunfwick, having begun his operati-
ons almofl: without an army, having continued the war with
an army always inferior in numbers, having experienced
every variety ot fortune, his capacity and his firmnefs carri-
ed him with credit througli all v and enabled him to con-
clude the war with a triumphant fuperiority. He may now
enjoy, in the honourable repofc which his exploits have
purchafed for himfclf and his country, the befl of rewards,
the confcioufnefs of public fervicc. Poflerity will confider
him as the Deliverer of Germany.

The Englifli troops, after fo many fatigues and dangers,
at length enjoyed the profpefl: of a fpeedy return to their
country ; but a general damp was cafl: fuddenly on their
joy by the illnefs of lord Granby ; who was attacked bv a
very dangerous and long continued fcver.(^^j It is impoiTi-

(a) The Marquis of Granby's Letter of Thanks to the Britijh Forces
?■« Germany, ^rt/e^ Munder, Jan. 1, 1763.

((

LORD Granby hoped to have had it in his power to have
feen and taken his leave of the troops, before their einbar-

m r 1

1 'i '

:' ii ■

kation

542 The History of the War. 1763.

ble to exprefb the concern of the whole army daring this
anxious interval, cr the joy which enlivened every breaft
on his recovery. No commander had ever been more dif-
tinguifhed for an cnterprinng and generous courage ; and
rone half fo rnucii for an unlimited benevolence. The fick
and wounded foldier, the officer whofe income was unequal
to his rank or his necefllties, in him found a never failing
and never burthenfome refource. Whatever could be done
to animate the foldiery, to make them chearful in the fer-
vice, to alleviate the hardfhips of war, was exerted beyond
"what could be thought pofTible in the limits of a private for-
tune ; and the fatisfaftion of the giver went always be-
yond the aftual benefit, bccaufe, in his greateft liberality,
it was evident that he wilhed to do a thoufand times more.
By his whole conduct he infpired foreigners with a favoura-
ble idea of the Englifh nobility. His character is, indeed,
fuch as we arc apt, in romantic ideas, fondly to conceive of
our old Englilli barons. It is with pleafure we attempt,

^ however

kation for England j but a fevere illnefs having detained him at
Warburg, and his prefent Hate of health obliging him to take an-
other route, he could not leave this country without this public
teftimony of his entire approbation of their conduct fince he has
had the honour of commanding them,

•* Thefe fentiments nrturally call for his utmoft acknov/ledg-
ments ; he therefore retiuns his warmeft thanks to the generals,
officers, and private men, compofmg the whole Britifh corps, for
the bravery, zeal, difcipline, and good conduft he has cnftantly
experienced from every individual ; and his moft particular and
perfonal thanks are due to them for their ready obedience, upon
all occafions to fuch orders as his ftation obliged him to give.

" His befl endeavours have always been direfted to their good,
by every means in his power ; and he has the fatisfaftion to think
he has fome reafon to flatter himfelfof their being convinced, if
not of the efficacy, at lealt of the fincerity of his intentions, if he
may judge by the noble return their behaviour has made him; a
behaviour, that while it fills him with gratitude, has endeared them
to their King and country, and has covered them with ploiy and
honour.

" Highly fenfible of their merit, he fliall continue, while he lives,
to look upon it as much his duty, as it will for ever be his inclina-
tions, to give them every poilible proof of his afFedion and efteem ;
which he fliould be happy to make as apparent as their valour has
been, and will be confpicuous and exemplary to after-ages."

1762. ''The History of the War. 543

howe*. er feebly, to do juftice to the merit of thofe men,
living or dead, who, in this memorable var, have contri-
buted to raife this country to a pitch of glory, in v/hich it
has not been exceeded by any other in antient or modern
times. Future hiftory will pay them a reward more ade^
quate to their merits.

CHAP. X.

Siege and fiirrender of Schtveidnilz. IVar transferred to
Saxony. Aufrions defeated at Freyherg. Prujfians ra-
vage the Empire. Preliminaries of peace between Great
Britain and Frnnce. Dlfpu^'>s concerning them. Mr. Fox
comes Into admlnljlratlon. i rdhnliuirlcs approved by par-
liament. Peace of Hubcrtjbourg between At'Jlrlu and
Pruffa. Conclvfton.

"XT 7" HI L S T the courts of London and Verfallle^ were
VV maki.ng fo confiderable u progrefs tov/ards peace,
thofe of Vienna and Berlin feemcd to remit nothing of their
antient animofity. The king of Pruflia, deprived of the af-
fillance, but at the fame time freed from the hoftiHties of
the Ruffians, direfted his whole force and attention towards
the fingle object of driving the Auftriansout of Silefia.

Prince Henry, who commanded in Saxony, coijtented
himfelf with aQ;ing upon the defenfive. The king in per-
fon carried on the fiege of Scnweidnit/,, almofl: in the pre-
fence of marihal Daun, who fcarce made any attempt to re-
Ueve it. But whatever deficiency there might have been
in the fpirit of the grand army of the Auflrians, it was am-
ply compenfated by the obftinate bravery of the garrifon,
which refifted all the attacks of the Prullians for near two
months from the opening of the trenches. It is faid that
the attack was conduced, a 'd the defence made, by two en-
gineers, who had written on the fubject of the Attack and
Defence of Places ; and they were now practically engaged
to prove the fuperiority of their feveral fyftems.

However this may be, Schweidnitz coft the king of Pruf-
fia a great deal of time, many laborious efforts, and a num-
ber of men. The brave garrifon, to the number
of eight thoufand men, were at length obliged to 061. 9.
furrender prifoners of war. Their ill fortune pur-
fued them every whert. A great pari of this body of gal-

> . lant

544 ^^^'' I^'i STORY of I he War. 1^62.

lant prifoncis were drowned nr the mouth of the Oder, on
their pnlfigc to their intended confinement at Koniglbcrg :
only nine men of the w' ole nitmher efcaped.

TheKinL';()r PrnfTi.. "ow mullcr of Schwcidnit/,, and
confef|iientlyof Silefia, » d his attention to Saxony, where
be confiderahly reinion cd his brotlier's army, and made
preparations wlTuh indicated a dcfign of laying fiege to
Drcfdcn.

Tn Saxony alfo the Audrians began fo exert thcmfelvcs
with I'Tcat ipirit ; and made fome progrefs under the gene-
rals Sl«Mberg and lladdick. 'I'Jiey ol.Uained confiderable
advantages, in fevcral encounters, over the army of prince
Henry ; and even puHicd them back to Freyberg ; the pof-
fefllon of which place they prepared to difputc with the
Prufl'ians.

But here fortune, which has feldom proved long confliant
to their arms, entirely forfook them. The united
00. 29. ai my of Impcrlalifls and Auflrians was attacked by
prituc I trnry, (who took advantage of the abfencc
of general lladdick,) in the neighbourhood of Freyberg, and
totally routed. Great numbers were flain. The Pruifians
took near fix tboufa;^l j)rifoner.s, among whom were about
fwo hundred and fo.ry oflicevs of all ranks, thirty pieces of
cannon, and fcveral [tandnrds. The victory was complete,
and, as far as regarded the event of the campaign, decifjvc.
- The y\uflrians attributed this defeat to the treachery of
one of their fupcrioi" ofTiccrs, who v.-as foon after taken in-
to cullodv. ])ut v/iiiKl- they were inquiring into the caiife
of their difallcr, and preparing to piiniih the author ot it,
the Pruffians were puihing the advantages which their vic-
tory afTorded them with all imaginable alacrity. And this
they were enabled to do with the greatefF efFccI, by means
of a partial cclTationof hoflilities, which the Auftrians were
fo imprudent as to conclude with the king of PrufTia for
Silefui and the cIcfAoral Saxony only, without forcfecing the
danger, or providing for the fafety, either of their own im-
mediate dominions, or of thofe members of the Empire,
which were tlic mod: attached to their interefts, and which
were now expofed to the attempts of a bold, rapacious,
and exafperated enemy.

One body of the Prufllan army broke into Bohemia,
pnflicd on almolT: to the gates of Prague, and dcftroyed a
capital magaAine. Another fell upon the fame country on

another

1762.

y/^^ History of the War.

545

another quarter, and laid the town of Egra almofl in afhes,
by a bombardment and a cannonade of red hot bullets.
Some extended themfelves all over Saxony ; others pene-
trated into the furthed parts of Franconia, and even as
far as Suaoia, ravaging the country, exa6ting the moft ex-
orbitant contributions, and fpreading difmay and confu-
fion upon every fide. The diet of the Empire fitting at
Katifbon did not think themfelves in fafety ; but were be-
ginning to fly and preparing to remove their records.

The free city of Nuremberg, fo famous for the inge-
nious induftry, and pacific difpofition of its inhabitants,
fuffered themofl by this invafion; having been obliged to
pay contribution to the amount of two hundred thoufand
pounds of our money. It has been fuppofed, that in this
expedition the Pruffians raifed a fum equal to the annual
fubfidy, which had formerly been paid by Great Britain to
their Sovereign. Many of the dates found themfelves ob-
liged to fign a neutrality, in order to fave their territories
from further ravages.

And now a great part of the Empire being already in-
cluded in the peace between Great Britain and France,
and the reftv tied down by this neutrality, entirely dif-
abled by the late defeat, or exhauftcd by the fubfequent in-
curfions, were no longer in a condition to furnifli an army
under the imperial name and authority. After the whole
liance had been thus gradually diffolved, the affair was, at
length, left to be decided as it was begun, by the fingle arms of
Auftria and Pruflla ; fo that there was great reafon to hope,
I as the war in Germany had fuccccdcd immediately to the
■ rupture between Great Britain and France, the peace be-
tween thefe powers would alfo lead to the fpcady pacifica-
tion of the Empire.

The preliminaries had been figned by the Britifh and
French minifters at Fountainbleau, on the third of No-
vember, and it is neceflary for the completion of our defign,
that we fhould here give fome accourt of the definitive
treaty which was built upon them.

The reader will rccolle£t, that, in the negotiation of
1 76 1 , it was laid down as a principal by the two courts, that
their refpeftive propofitions, in cafe the treaty fliould by
any accident be broken oft, were to be confidered as re-
tra6ted or never made. At that time we remarked, that
thefe propofitions would probably have their inlluence, not-

Z X L with-

54^ Tbg HisroKY of the 'Wak. ij6z.

withftancling this provifion ; becaufe, as we then obferved,
things once fettled and agreed to, unavoidably ftamp their
own impreffion upon any future negotiation relative to the
fame fubjeQ:. It happened very nearly, as was then fore-
feen ; for, as far as we can judge, the negotiation did not
fet out upon any new or peculiar principle of its own, but
feemed to affume as a bafis thofe points, which were near-
eft to an adjuftment in the preceding treaty ; and to com-
mence where that tranfaftion concluded.

The fpiritof the two negotiations, fo far as regarded the
peculiar intereft of Great Britain, feems to have been per-
feftly fimilar. There was fcarcely any other difference,
than that Great Britain, in confequence of her fucccfles
fince that time, acquired more than Ihe then demanded ;
but ftill the general idea, on which (he acquired, was near-
ly or altogether the fame. But with regard to fome of our
allies, the principle was greatly varied ; and we imagine
that this change was fafficiently juftified by the alteration,
which happened in the affairs of Germany, during the in-
terval between the two treaties. Thofe who condu6ted the
negotiation in 1761, were fteady in rejecting every propo-
fition, in which they were not left at liberty to aid the
king of Pruffia, with the whole force of Great Britain;
thofe, who concluded the peace in 1762, paid lefs attention
to the interefts, though they did not wholly negle£t the
fafety of that monarch. At the beginning of the year, and
before they had entered into this negotiation, they refufed
to renew that article of the annual treaty, by which our
court had engaged to conclude no peace without the king
of Pruffia ; though at the fame time they declared themfelves
willing to affift him with the ufual fubfidy. He on his part re-
fufed thefubfidy unconnected with that article. Some cold-
nefs grew between the two courts from this time forward.

The adjuftment of affairs in the Empire, feemed to form
no material impediment to the progrefs of the treaty.
Both parties readily agreed to withdraw themfelves totally
from the German war. They thought, and rightly, that
nothing could tend fo much to give peace to their refpe6live
allies, as mutually to withdraw their affiftance from them ;
and to ftop that current of Englifh and French money,
which, as long as it ran into Germany,would be fure to
feed a perpetual war in that country.

Circumftanced as affairs then were, this condu£l on our

. nde

17^2. The History of the War. 547

fide was as defenfible as the conduft which we held in
1 761. At that time the affairs of the king of Pruflla were
at the loweft ebb j he was overpowered by the whole weight
of Auftria, of Sweden, of the Empire, and of Ruffia, as
determined as ever, in her enmity, and then fuccefsful ; to
fay nothing of France. Neither generofity, nor perhaps
found policy, ought to have permitted us to defert him in
that (ituation. But when the laft treaty was made, the con-
dition of his affairs was abfolutely reverfed. He had got
rid of the mod powerful, and one of the moft implacable
of his enemies. He had concluded a peace with Sweden.
The treaty itfelf freed him from all apprehenfions of France.
He had then none to contend with, but a nominal army of
the Empire, and one of Auftria, which, though fomething
more than nominal, was wholly unable to oppofe his pro-
grefs. His fituation, from being pitiable, was become formi-
dable. It was good policy to prevent the ballance of Ger-
many from being overturned to uis prejudice. It would have
been the worft in the world to overturn it in his favour.

Thefe principles fufficiently explain and jollify the dif-
ferent conduft of this nation, at thefe two periods, towards
the king of Pruflla. The demand of the evacuation of
Wefel, Qeves, and Gueldres, which had been made ia
the firft negotiation, was then juftly excepted to, becaufe
we refufed to put an end to the German war. In this laft
the French agreed to it, and with reafon, becaufe we agreed
in common with them to be neutral in the difputes of the
Empire. And on thefe principles, the peace of Germany,
fo far as it depended on Great Britain and France, was re-
ftored. The reft of Europe was pacified by the ftipulation
for the evacuation of Portugal. This was, indeed, with
regard to the contrafting courts, the primary objeft.

What remained after the concerns of the allies were
provided for, was the adjuftment of what related to the fet-
tlements and commerce of Great Britain and the Bourbon
courts. The difficulty, which prevented this adjuftment
in the preceding negotiation, was the intervention of the
claims of Spain. The attempt of the Bourbon powers to
intermix and confound their affairs in the preceding nego-
tiation, had a ftiare in making the war more general ; on
this occafion it had a contrary effeft. As the whole was
negotiated together, it facilitated the peace, by affording
eafier methods of adjufting the fyftem of compenfation, and

Z z z 2 fur-

r*'

548 y/?^ History o/ /yf/^ War; 1762.

furnifhing more largely to the general fund of equivalents.

The great objeft, and the original caufe of the war, had
been the fettlement of limits in America. This was therefore
the firft obje£t to be attended to in the treaty. And it mufl
be obferved, that this point was much more accurately, as
well as beneficially, fettled, than it promifed to be in the
negotiation of the foregoing year. For the French, not
having afcertained the bounds between their own feveral
poffeffions with greater exa^lnefs, than they had thofe be-
tween their poflelTions and ours, it was not clear in ceding
Canada, how much they ceded to us. Difputes might
have arifen, and did indeed immediately arife upon this
fubjeft. Befides, the weftern limits of our fouthern conti-
nental colonies, were not mentioned. And thofe limits
were extremely obfcure and fubje6i to many difcuflions.
Such difcuflions contained in them the feeds of a new war.
In the laft treaty it was agreed, that a line drawn along the
the middle of the river Miflifippi, from its fource to the ri-
ver Iberville, (a fmall but navigable branch of the MifTifip-
pi,) and thence along the. middle of this river, and the lakes
of Maurepas and Pontchartrain, (which lakes communicate
with both rivers) to the fea, Ihould be the bounds of the
two nations in North America.

Nothing could be more diftinO: than this boundary. It
gave us, in addition to what was properly Canada, a very
large traft of territory, which the French ufed to include
under the name of Louifiana ; to which our claims were
never clearly afcertained, and much lefs eftabliflied by any
pofleflion. The French have had for a long time forts and
fettlcments in that country ; whereas the Englifh never had
either the one or the other ; and this is a confideration of
no fmall moment in a conteft concerning'rights in a country
fuch as America.

What added alfo to the rounding of our territories, and
cutting off the occafions of limitary difputes, was the cef-
fion of Florida on the part of Spain. This country indeed
makes no great figure in the commercial world j and cannot
be therefore put in competition with the other conqueils.
But from the fituationof itsharoburs of Penfacola and Mo-
bile, it affords fome advantages in time of peace, and very
confiderable ones in time of war; by connecting our fu-
ture fettlements on the Miflifippi with thofe upon the At-
lantic ocean, and by enabling us greatly to diflrefs, if not

, . , -- wholly

762.

7V^^ History of the War.

549

wholly to tleftroy the trade of the Spaniards in cafe of a
rupture with them. The navigation of the Mifllfippi was
made common to both nations.

By the treaty of Utrecht, which fettled our northern
limits, and by this treaty which afcertained thofe to the
weft, our poffeffions in America are as well defined, as the
nature of fuch a country can pofllbly admit. They com-
prehend in their extent the foundation of a vaft empire;
they have many advantages of foil and climate ; and many
of intercourfe and communication, by the number of noble
lakes and navigable rivers, with which that part of the
world abounds. Thefe circumftances afford, though a di-
ftant, a fair profpeft of commerce to Great Britain, when
this immenfe country comes to be fully peopled, and pro-
perly cultivated. Some advantages alfo we derive from this
poffefllon, that are not only confiderable but immediate ;
among the principal of which muft be reckoned, the mono-
poly of the furr and peltry trade of North America, much
the greateft trade of that kind in the world, and which \%
now, we may fay, entirely in our hands. Befides the pof-
fefllon of Canada enlarged the fphere of our fifliery, and
took from the French an opportunity of trade, which fhe
might employ greatly to our detriment.

Such are the advantages fairly, and without any exagge-
ration, for which we are indebted to this part of the treatVt
in which the interefts of Great Britain were well weighed
and folidly provided for. . . u n:.'. : i

The next point we Ihall confider, is the arrangement
made concerning the Newfoundland filhery. This was a
point of infinite importance, and a fubjeQ: of much con-
troverfy. In a commercial view it is certainly of great
eftimation. But it has been confidered as even more ma-
terial in a political light. Every body knows that thefe ex-
tenfive fifheries are the life of many maritime places, which
would otherwife be of no fort of value ; that they are the
great nurferies of feamen, and confequently the great re-
fources of the marine. Scarce any obje£t could be of more
importance to two nations, who contended for a fuperiority
in naval power.

The more clearly therefore it was the intereft of Great
Britain, to acquire theexclufive exercife of this fifliery, the
more ftrongly and evidently it became the intereft of F ranee
to oppofe themfelves to fuch a pretenfion. Not only a large
part of her foreign trade depended on this fifliery, but a

great

i' ■!*

550 The HisTOK'v of the WKti. .17^2.

great part of her domeftic fupply. Befides every hope of
the (Ircngth and almoll of the exiftence of a naval power,
mufl vanifh with the ceflion of this fifhery.

The Englilh adminiftration probably faw, that France
would rather run all the hazards of war, than totally relin-
quifli this obje6:. Since therefore they defpaired of driving
the French entirely from the filhery, they endeavoured as
much as poflible to diminifh its value to them. In this ref-
pe6l they followed the plan of the former negotiation, ex-
cept that fome improvements were added.

In the firft place, that article of the treaty of Utrecht
was cdablifhed, by which the French were admitted to
6fh, and to dry their fifli, on the north-eaft and north-weft
parts of Newfoundland, from Cape Bonavifta to Point Eiche,
and excluded from the reft of this ifland. They were alfo
permitted to fifh within the Gulph of St. Lawrence, but
with this limitation, that they fhall not approach within
three leagues of any of the coafts belonging to England.

This precaution was taken, not only with a view of
abridging the French fifliery of dry cod, but principally in
order to prevent their landing, and on that pretence forming
fettlements on thofe extenfive defarts, which furround the
Gulph of St. Lawrence. Otherwife this privilege might
become a means of exciting new controverfies between the
two nations.

In compenfation for the ceftion of the ifles of Cape
Breton and St. John to England, we agreed to furrender to
France the fmall illands of St. Pierre and Miouelon, fitu-
ated to the fouth of Newfoundland. The ceflion of the
two former illands was, unqueftionably, more than an equi-
valent for the two latter, though the latter are by no means
either incommodioufly fituatedor ill circumftanced for car-
rying on the fiftiery. The French ftipulated to ereft no
fortifications on thefe iftands, nor to keep more than fifty
i'oldiers to enforce the police. In this inftance the plan of
the former negotiation was purfued. The ideas of a refi-
dent commiflary, and the occafional vifitation by a (hip of
war were omitted ; as regulations, which were in truth more
humiliating to France, than in any refpe«5l advantageous to
our intereft.

This fifliery was, as it had been at the treaty of Utrecht,
divided between France and England, but with lefs equali-
ty on this than on that occafion. The French are not

n^ v: .^ e .? aii ■ ^ wholly

17^^.

^he History of the War.

551

wholly deprived of their fhare ; but this fhare is confider-
ably impaired. Their lofs of Cape Breton does not appear
to be fully fupplied by St. Pierre and Miquelon. The con-
fiderable and growing fijfhery, which the French had fettled
at Gafp6 is taken away without hope of recovery. On the
whole, we are thus circumftanced ; wc have advantages in
this fifhery, which we may certainly improve to a great fu-
periority ; but we have ftill a rival, which makes it necef-
fary to exert ourfelves with unremitting induftry in order to
fecure it.

With regard to Spain, fhe entirely J(?/?/?^</ from the right
(he claimed of fifliing on thefe coafts. A more fatisfaflory
expreflion could have been wiflied; if it had been of great
importance, in what terms a right was renounced, which
for a long time had never been exercifed.

When the affairs of the Weft Indies came to be fettled,
though they caufed great difference of opinion among the
public, they do not feem to have raifed any great difficulty
in the negotiation. We had here made great conquefts,
and here alfo we made great conceflions. We ceded the
Havannah, with a confidcrable part of the ifland of Cuba;
the iflands of Martinico ; Guadeloupe ; Mariegalante; De-
Tirade ; and Santa Lucia, We retained in our hands the
iflands of Tobago, Dominica, St. Vincent, and the Gre-
nades. To the three former, of which, (as well as to Santa
Lucia, which we furrendered) we had an old claim. The
laft only was a new acquifition ; and the three others are at
prefent of fmall value.

Many cenfured with great vehemence and afperity this
part of the treaty. •They infifted that in this treaty we had
loft fight of that great fundamental principal, that France
is chiefly, if not folely, to be dreaded by us in the light
of a maritime and commercial power. That therefore
we had, by reftoring to her all her valuable W^eft India if-
lands, and by our conceftions in the Newfoundland fifliery,
left in her hands the means of recovering her prodigioua
lofles, and of becoming once more formidable to us at fea.
That the fifhery trained up an innumerable multitude of
young feamen ; and that the Weft India trade employed
them when they were trained. That France iiad long fince
gained a decided fuperiority over us in this lucrative branch
of commerce, and fupplied almoft all Europe with the rich'
commodities, which are produced only in that part of the

world

$52 7'be History of tbf W AK. ■ - 1762.

world. By this commerce, faid they, flie enriched her
merchants, and augmented her finances ; whilft from a
want of fugar land, which has been long known and fevere*
ly felt by England, we at once loft the foreign trade, and
fufFered all the inconveniencies of a monopoly at home.

That, at the clofe of fo tiTxpenfive a war, we might very
reafonably demand fomething towards our indemnification,
as well as towards our fecurity. It is evident faid they,
that our conquefts in North America, however, they may
provide for the one, are altogether inadequate to the other
cf thefe ends. The ftate of the exifting trade of thefe con-
quefts is extremely low ; the fpeculations of their future
are precarious, and the profpeft, at the very beft, very re-
mote. We ftand in need of fupplies, which will have an
efFeO:, certain, fpeedy, and confiderable. The retaining
both, or even one of the confiderable French iflands, Mar-
tinico, or Guadeloupe, will, and nothing elfe can elfefluaily
anfwer tJiis triple purpofe. The advantage is immediate.
It is a matter not of conjefture but of account. The trade
with thefe conquefts is of the moft lucrative nature, and of
the moft confiderable extent ; the number of fhips employed
by it are a great refource to our maritime power; the mo-
nopoly at home is correfled, and the foreign trade is reco-
vered. And, what is of equal weight, all that we gain on this
fyftem, is made fourfold to us by the lofs which enfues to
France. But'our conquefts in North America, however ad-
vantageous they may prove to us, in the idea of fecurity,
(for in that refpecl alone they are of any moment) are of
very little detriment to the commerce of France. On the
Weft Indian fcheme of acquiHtion, our'gain and her lofs go
hand in hand.

They infifted upon the obvious connexion of this trade,
with that of our colonies in North America, and with our
commerce_to the coaft of Africa. The African trade, faid
they, will be augmented, by the demand for flaves. That
of North America will all center in ourfelves. V^hereas if
the iflands are all reftored, a great part of the benefit of
the northern colony trade muft redound, as it has hitherto
done, to thofe who were lately our enemies, and will always
be our rivals.

They obferved, that there was nothing extravagant or
"overbearing in this demand. That though we iTiould re-
tain cither Martinlco or Guadeloupe, or even both thefe

iflands

1762. 7

iflands, our coni
dant matter lefl
the reft. To f
fifliery ; on the
from all which
had been entirel
fhare of which 1
further concefllc
faw no neceflity]
rica be fomewh;
thing to our con
ty, as we fliall i
whenever a war
whofe refources
Such are conci
principal heads «
upon this fide of
beft writers on ti
That the orig
our colonies upor
thefe colonies wc
danger, the imm*
fued to Great Bri
were, from the 1
ers of the world,
our beft, but ou
ty of the return
that while Franc
from whence flie
ver enjoy any re
cure from being
which we have a
pily emerged. T
in America, or t
limits pofllble, is
can obtain j and
fions. ;

They infifted t
plan, included in
ving us, more
from the neceflTit
giving us an oppc
ering our debt.

I'jSz.

T^e History of i/je War.

B53

iflands, our conquefts were fuch, that there was ftill abun-
dant matter left to difplay our moderation in the ceflion of
the reft. To fay nothing of our many conceflions in the
fiftiery ; on the coaft of Africa ; and in the Eaft Indies ;
from all which great provinces of commerce the French
had been entirely driven this war, and to a confiderable
Ihare of which they were reftored by the treaty. But if
further conceflions muft be made (for which however they
faw no neceflity) let the prodigious demand in North Ame-
rica be fomewhat contra6ted ; by this method we lofe no-
thing to our commerce ; and we do not hazard our fecuri-
ty, as we ihall ftill be infinitely fuperior in ftrength ; and
whenever a war breaks out, that power will be moft fecure,
whofe refources are moft confiderable. - .

Such are concifely, and, we flatter ourfelves, fairly, the
principal heads of argument, brought by the beft writers
upon this fide of the queftion ; they were replied to by the
beft writers on the other, upon the following principals.

That the original obje6: of the war was the fecurity of
our colonies upon the continent ; that the danger to which
thefe colonies were exppfed, and, in confequence of that
danger, the immenfe wafte of blood and treafure which en-
fued to Great Britain, together with the calamities, which
were, from the fame fource, derived upon the four quart-
ers of the world, left no fort of doubt that it was not only
our beft, but our only policy, to guard againft all poflibili-
ty of the return of fuch evils. Experience has fhown us,
that while France poflefies any fingle place in America,
from whence fhe may moleft our fettlcments, they can ne-
ver enjoy any repofe, and of courfe that we are never fe-
cure from being plunged again into thofe calamities, from
which we have at length, and with fo much difficulty, hap-
pily emerged. To remove France from our neighbourhood
in America, or to contra6t her power within the narrowcft
limits poflible, is therefore the moft capital advantage we
can obtain ; and is worth purchafing by almoft any concef-
fions.

They infifted that the abfolute fecurity derived from this
plan, included in itfelf an indemnification. Firft; by fav-
ving us, more efi^e£lually than any other method could,
from the neceflity of another war, and confequently by
giving us an opportunity of incrcafing our trade, and low-
ering our debt. Secondly; by permitting our colonies on

A a a a . the

■'1^
•'\i

' :i«

J54 The History of the War. 1762.

the continent to extend themfelves without danger or mo*
leftation. They fhewed the great increafe of oppulatioa
in thofe colonies within a few years. They Ihewed that
their trade with the mother country had uniformly in-
creafed with this, population. That being now freed
from the moleftation of enemies, and the emulation of
rivals, unlimited in their pofTelTions, and fafe in their
perfons, our American planters would, by the very
courfc of their natural propagation in a very Ihort time,
furnifli out a demand of our manufadlures, as large as
all the working hands of Great Britain could poflibly fupply.
That there was therefore no reafon to dread that want of
trade, which their adverfaries infinuated, fince North Ame-
rica alone would fupply the deficiencies of our trade in eve-
ry other part of the world.

They expatiated on the great variety of climates, which
that country contained, and the vaft refources which would
thence arife to commerce. That the value of our conquefts
thereby ought not to be eftimated by the prefent produce,
but by their probable increafe. Neither ought the value
of any country to be folely tried on its commercial advanta-
ges ; that extent of territory and a number of fubje^ts, arc
matters of as much confideration to a (late attentive to the
fources of real grandeur, as the mere advantages of traffic;
that fuch ideas are rather fuitable to a limited and petty
cbmmonwealth, like JloUand, than to a great, powerful
and warlike nation. That on thefe principles, having made
very large demands in North America, it was neceffary to
relax in other parts. That France would never be brought
to any confiderable cellion in the Weft Indies ; but that
her power and increafe there could never become formida-
ble, becaufe the exiftence of her fettlements depended up-
on ours in North America, (lie not being any longer left a
place from whence they can be fupplied with provifions ;
that in lofmg fomething of the fugar trade, we loft very lit-
tle elf0han a luxury ; as to the other produce of the Weft
Indies, it might be in a great meafure, and in part already
was fupplied by our po(reirions on the continent, which dai-
ly increafed not only in the quantity but in the kind of its
produce.

We do not pretend to pafs any judgment on thc-merits
of the feveral fides of this queftion, which is certainly a ve-
ry difficult one. We relate opinions, as well as fa^s, hif-
toricjiUy. i . . _ The

1762. !^he History of the War. 555

The only point, which remained to be adjufted in the
"Weft Indies, was the logwood trade. Spain confented not
to difturb the Engiifh in their occupation of cutting log-
wood in the bay of I'onduras, and to permit them to occu-
py fuch buildings as may be neceffary for them in this occu-
pation. Great Britain, on her fide, ftipulated to deftroy
the fortifications which had been ereO^ed on that bay *.

By this article" the Englifli acquired a folid right in this
long contefted trade ; out feemed, at the fame time, to lofe
^11 the means of protefting it. It is, however, difficult to
point out a better method of adjufting a claim of fuch a pe-
culiar nature. The right we claimed was not a right to the
territory, nor directly to the produce; but only a privilege
of cutting and taking away this wood by indulgence. To
have infifted on the right of erefting fortifications, would
have been making the ftrongefl. claim to an abfolute, dire6b
and exclufive dominion over the territory itfelf; a point, to
which I do not find that our moft extenfive claims have
ever been carried. - .^ .,.<:. .:

In Africa, Goree was reftored to France, and Senegal
remained to Great Britain f . This regulation feems to
have divided the trade on this river, and the adjacent coafl:,
between the two nations. The Engiifh, as they are now
circumftanced on that part, feem to be the mofl: advanta-
geoufly fituated for the trade in time of peace; and the
French tor carrying away the whole of it in time of war.

With regard to the Eaft Indies, all the French faflories
and fettlements are reftored to that nation in every part
of India % • Although this muft be regarded as a very
great concellion, it docs not however afford all thofe
advantages to France, which might be imagined at the
firft view. Firft, becaufc the fortifications erected at
fuch a vaft expence in all thofe fettlements have been
totally deftroyed ; and it cannot be expefted, in the pre-
fent fituation of the French company, that they can, in
the courfe of many years, if at all, be rell:orP(i(J|o their
former flate, in Bengal, (including, by an explanation an-
nexed to the definitive treaty, the kingdom of Orixa,) they
have engaged to ereft no kind of fortification, nor to keep
any number of foldiers whatfocver. Secondly, they have
agreed to acknowledge the prcfent reigning fubas of Ben-
gal, Decan, and the Carnatick, as the lawful fovereigns of

A a a a 2 thefe

* Def. tr. art. xvii. t Def. tr. art. x. X Def. tr. Srt. xi.

55^ The Hi sroKV of the War. 1762.

thefe countries. Thefe princes are the greatefl on the pen-
infula of India: they are in our intereft, and moft of them
owe either the acquifition, or depend for the prefervation
of their power upon our arms ; by which means our com-
pany is become, in effect, arbiter of the commerce and po-
litics of that great and opulent coaft, extending from the
Ganges to Cape Ccmorin ; and in a great degree alfo of
the other, from the fame cape to the mouth of the Indus.
Thirdly, during the courfe of our fucceffes, the traders
and the manufacturers have removed from the French to
our fettlements, where they will have at lead an equal
market, and a fuperior proteftion ; and it will be difficult,
if not impoflible, to bring them back.

Minorca and Belleifle were to be reftorcd to their former
pofTenbrs II. The fortifications and harbour of Dunkirk
were to be demolifhed agreeable to the ftipulations of former
treaties §.

This is the general outline of the late treaty. The par-
ticulars given here will ferve to point out the fpirit and the
general efFeft of that tranfaflion, which has been the fub-
je6t of fo much heat and controverfy ; and which nothing
but adulation will aflTcrt to be free from defcft, nor nny
thing but faction can deny to be produ6tive of many very
great and elTential advantages to this kingdom.

This treaty, while it remained in agitation, formed a
great crifis, not only in the affairs of the nation, but in the
fortune of the new minillry. Towards the latter end of
the fummer, Mr. Fox was called in, and engaged in their
fupport. Though he continued in his old place of payniaf-
ter, he undertook to conduct the affairs of government in
the houfe of commons. Mr. Grenville, whofe employ-
ment would natunilly have engaged him in that tafk, re-
figned the feals of fecretary of fliate, and was appointed
firft lord of the admiralty. The great experience and known

Earliamentary abilities of Mr. Fox, feemed to give new
fe to the affairs of the adminiftration. A more vigorous
and determined condu6l: was from that time adopted. Ma-
ny of thofe, who were not perfectly attached to the new
fyllem, were immediately removed from their employ-
ments ; and meafurcs were taken to clear every department
of every friend of the Duke of Ncwcaftle.

The fpirit of thefe proceedings feemed to augment th.it

of
!) Def. tr. art. viii- and xii. § Dcf. tr, art. xiih

1762. .- ^be History of the War. ^^*j

of the oppofition. It was apprehended, that the prelimina-
ries would undergo a rigorous fcrutiny, and might poflibly
incur a heavy cenfure from parliament. The terms of peace
were criticiled without mercy. They were declared to be
inglorious, inadequate, and infecure; unequal to the great
fucceffes of the war, and below the iuft expectations of the
jiation; that cur commerce was negletted, and our alliea '
abandoned. Public expeftation was however entirely dif-
eppointed. The preliminaries were approved, without any
qualification, by both houfes ; by the lords with-
out a divifion ; by the commons with a very dif- Dec. 9. •
proportioned majority.

Many caufes concurred to produce this moderate difpofi-
tion. Firft, a very great number, which included almofl:
all the Tories, were engaged in the fupport of the adminif-
tralion. The then chiefs of the oppofition were not well
agreed among themfelves. Mr. Pitt who was confidered as
a party in himfelf, had not joined with the duke of Newcaf-
tle, nor feemed difpofed to a6t with any particuL body.
The fame general plan of peace, which many now in the
oppofition had formerly approved, had been adopted in thefe
prehminaries, and evidently improved. It is true, it had
been obje6led, that our additional fucceffes, fmce that time,
gave us ground to expeft better terms ; but it was anfwer-
ed, that our national burthens, and the extent of the war,
had increafcd in, at leaft, an equal proportion ; and that
peace was become neceflary to the nation.

Thefe arguments, whatever weight they might have In
themfelves, were ftrong againft thefe, upon whom they
were rather retorted, than for the firft time levelled, being
altogether agreeable to the fyftem which many now in op-
pofition had always purfued, and to the fentimcnts many of
them had publicly avowed, and perhaps ftill fecrctly re-
tained. On the whole, it was evident, that, when the
queftion came on, the difcontented party was found not ve-
ry well united, and abfolutely unprovided of any regular
fchemc of oppofition. However, though bafHed en this
occafion, it has fim e begun to revive and to unite ; and
though peace is happily reftored with foreign powers, our
domefiic quiet is ftill far from being fccurely eftablilhed.

With regard to the powers in Germany, the peace be-
tween England and France, and the fapviriorily of the king
of Pruflla at the clofe of the campaign, infpired, at length,

• "^ though

■ %.■■-

558

^he History of the War.

1762.

though unwillingly, a difpofition to peace. Conferences
were opened at Hubertflburg, and a treaty concluded be-
tween his Pruflian majefty and the emprefs queen. As af»
fairs in this treaty were fpeedily adjufted, fo they may be
very concifely related. The fubftance of it was no more
-than that a mutual reftitution and oblivion fhould take
place, and each party fit down at the end of the war in the
fame fituation in which they began it. Thus the king of
Pruffia, after having for fix yeafs contended againft the ef-
forts of almoft all the great powers of Europe, by whofe
enmity he could be afFefted, having ftood proof againrt the
moft terrible blows of fortune, enjoys at length the full re-
ward of his uncommon magnanimity. He retains his do-
minions in their utmoft extent; and having delivered his
country, by his incomparable talents for war, he now en-
joys leifure to recover it by his nolefs admirable talents for
government. Scarcely was the war concluded, when he
began to difplay his attention to domeftic policy, and hii
care for the happinefs of his people. He immediately dif-
tributed lands to his difbanded foldiery ; and gave them the
horfes of. his artillery to aid them in their cultivation.

Europe is now pacified; and fhe begins to refpire, after
a more general and a more bloody war than any the world
had experienced fince that which was concluded by the
peace of Weftphalia. As far as it is fafe to judge concern-
ing a fyftem which is fubjeft to fo great and unforefeen va-
riations, and fometimes from very flight caufes, this peace
promifes a confiderable duration. The king of Pruflia will
hardly again commit his affairs, fo miraculoufly retrieved
to the chances of war. He fees how dearly he has a ferond
time purchafed his conqueft of Silefia, and he will hardly
aim at new acquifitions. The emprefs, fince flie failed to
reduce Silefia, or even to lecover the fmalleft particle of
her loffes, with fuch an ex^ition of her own ftrength, and
with fuch an alliance as never was feen united before, and
with whi'jh fhe can never flatter herfelf again, muft be con-
vinced how vain it is to attempt any change in the prefent
fyftem of Gerrhany.

VVhilft Ruflia remained circumftanced as fhe fecms to be
at prefent, there is a very good profpetl for the tranquillity
of the North.

France has turned her thoughts to a much wanted oeco-
nomy, and the re-eftablifhment of her marine. She has

reduced

1762. I'he History of the War. 559

reduced her land forces by above one half. England, with-
out leflening the ordinary eftablilhment of her navy, has
augmented her military, in confequence of the extent of
her conquefts. Both nations feem fenfible of the neceflity
of being prepared, and yet quiet. The Bourbon courts
are united, but weakened. The mutua, jeaioufy of the
nations, which have been lately at war, continues ; but
their fubjefls of difpute, and occafions of animofity, are
much leflened. This is as good a fituation as could rea-
fonably be expe£ted.

We have thus accompUflied our defign of la) ing before
the public a connected narrative of the events of the
late moil remarkable war, which we have purfued from
its commencement to its conclufion. We have o,mitted no
care to make it as perfect as the nature of fuch an imder-
taking would permit ; and we flatter ourfelves, that it will
be thought as impartial, and fatisfa£tory, as any work of the
kind extant. ,

FINIS.

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[ 247 ] 'I

■' '.'1,-,

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..•!•- it ,'iH , ■

APPENDIX.

SKfTf , ' .. 'I'

o(K)o5oc5ooj^x)5oo5q^^

7he Dejinitive Treaty of Friendjhip and Peace bettxjeen his Britannick
Majefty^ the moji Chrijlian King, and the King of Spain. Concluded
at Parisy the \oth Day of February, 1763. To tubich, the King of
Portugal acceded on the fame Day. "•

In the Name of the Mofl Holy and Undivided Trinity, Father, Son, and

Holy Ghoji. So be it.

iliii-^

BE it known to all thofe to
whom it (hall, or may, in any
manner, belong.

It has pleafed the mofl: High to
diffufe the fpirit of union and con-
cord among the Princes, whofe di-
viiions had fpread troubles in the
four parts of the world, and to in-
fpire them with the inclination to
caufe the comforts of peace to fuc-
ceed to the misfortunes of a long
and bloody war, which, having
arifen between England and France,
durl.ig the reign of the mod ferene
and mod potent Prince, George
the Second, by the Grace of God,
King of Great Britain of glorious
memory, continued under the reign
of the moft ferene and moft poteiit
Prince, George the Third, his
Aicceflbr, and, in its prog/efs,
communicated itfelf to Spain and
Portugal : Confequently, the moft
ferene and moft potent Piince,
George the Third, by the Grace
of God, Kin£ of Great Britain,
France, and Ireland, Duke of
Brunfwick and Lunenbourg, Archr

Treafurer, and Elector, of the
Holy Roman Empire j the moft
ferene and moft potent Prmce,
Lewis the Fifteenth, by the Grace
of God, moft Chriftian King ; and
the moft ferene and moft potent
Prince, Charles the Third, by the
Grace of God, King of Spain and
of the indies, after having laid the
foundations of peace in the preli-
minaries, figned at Fontainbleau
the 3d of November laft j and the
moft ferene and moft potent Prince,
Don Jofeph the Firft, by the Grace
of God, King of Portugal and of
the Algarves, after having acceded
thereto, determined to compleat,
without delay, this great and im-
portant work. For this purpofe,
the high contracting parties hare
named and appointed their refpeft-
ive Ambafl*ador3 Extraordinary and
Minifters Plenipotentiary, viz. bis
Sacred Majefty the King of Great
Britain, the moft Illuftrious and
moft Excellent Lord, John, Duke
and Earl of Bedford, Marquis of
Taviftock, &c, his Minifter of
L \ State,

248 A P P E

State, Lieutenant General of his
Armies, Keeper of his Privy Seal,
Knight of the luoft Noble Order
of the Garter, and his AnibalTador
Extraordinary and Miniller Pleni-
potentiary to his Moft Chriftian
Majefty ; his Sacred Majefty .the
Moft Chriftian Kin^, the Moft
Illuftrious and Moft Excellent Lord
Caefar Gabriel de Choifeul, Duke
of Praflin, Peer of Fiance, Knight
of his Orders, Lieutenant Gene-
ral of his Armies, and of the Pro-
vince of Britanny, Counfellor in
aU his councils, and Minifter and
Secretary of State, and of his Com-
mands and Finances ; his Sacred
Majefty the Catholick King, the
moft Illuftrious and moft Excellent
Lord, Don Jerome Grimaldi,
Marquis de Grimaldi, Knight of
the moft Chr'ftian King's Orders,
Gentleman of his Catholick Ma-
jetty's Bed-chamber in employ-
ment, and his Ambaflador Ex-
traordinary to his moft Chriftian
Majefty ; his Sacred Majefty the
moft Faithful King, the moft Il-
luftrious and moft Excellent Lord,
MartindeMcllo and Caftro, Knight
Profefled of the Order of Chrift,
of his moft Faithful Majefty's
Council, and his Ambaflador and
Minifter Plenipotentiary to his
moft Chriftian Majefty :

Who, after having duly com-
municated to each other their full
powers, In good form, copies
whereof are tranfcribed at the end
of thfi prefent treaty of peace,
have agreed upon the articles,
the tenor of which is as follows.

Article I. There (hall be a
chriftian, univerfal, and perpetu-
al peace, as well by fea as by land,
and a fincere and conftant friend-
fhlp ftiall be re-cftablifhed between
their Britannlck, Moft Chriftian,
Catholick, and Moft Faithful Ma-

K D

jeftics, and between their heirs and
fucceflbrs, kingdoms, dominions,
provinces, countries, fubjecls, and
valfals, of v/hat quality or condi-
tion foever they be, without ex-
ception of places, or ot peifons :
So that the high contracting par-
tics fliall give the greateft attenti-
on to maintain between thcmfclvcs
and their faid dominions and fub-
jetls, this reciprocal friciullhlpand
correfpondcnce, without permit-
ting, on either fule, any kind of
hoitillties, by fea or by land, to be
committed, from henceforth, for
any caufe, or under any pretence
whatfoever, and every thing fliall
be carefully avoided, which might,
hereafter, prejudice the union hap-
pily re-eftablilhed, applying them-
ielves, on the contrary, on every
occalion, to procure for each
other whatever may contribute to
their mutual glory, interefts, and
advantages, without giving any af-
fiftance or proteftion, diredlly or
Indiredlly, to thofe who would
caufe any prejudice to either of the
High Contrading Parties: there
fhall be a general oblivion of every
thing that may have been done or
committed before, or fince the
commencement of the war, which
is juft ended.

Art. II. The treaties of Weft-
phalia of 1648 ; thofe of Madrid
between the Crowns of Great Bri-
tain and Spain of 1 667, and 1670 ;
the treaties of peace of NImeguen
of 1678, and 1679; of Ryfwick
of 1697 ; thofe of Peace and of
Commerce of Utrecht of 1713 i
that of Baden of 17 14 ; the trea-
ty of the Triple Alliance of the
Hague of 1717, that of the Quad-
ruple Alliance of London of 1 7 1 8 ;
the treaty of Peace of Vienna of
1738 ; the Definitive Treaty of
Aix la Chapelle of 1 748 ; and that

of Madric
Great Brit
as well a
the Crowi
gal, of the
of the 6th
of the 12
and that of
between Fi
the Guarai
ferve as a
the Peace,
ty : and fo
all renewe
beft form,
ties in ge
between t
Parties bef
were inferl
fo that th(
ferved, fo
whole tenc
cuted on
points whi
ed from I
notwithftai
been ftipu
any of the
ties : and :
clare, that
privilege, I
to fublfft, <
above confi
have been f
the prefent
Art. III.
on all Odes
fea, and thi
or given d
this day, 1
out ran for
to be com
the exchan
the prefent
fpeftively
which (hall
fubfiftance
their prifoi
of the CO

APPENDIX.

249

of Madrid between the Crowns of have been detained, according to

Great Britain and Spain, of 1 7 50 ; the attefted receipts and eftitiiates,

as well as the Treaties between and other authentick vouchers

the Crowns of Spain and Portu- which (hall be furniflied on one

gal, of the 13th of February 1 668 J fide and the other: And fecuri-

ofthe6th of February 1715} and ties ftiall be reciprocally given for

of the 12th of February 1762; thepaynnentof the debts which the

and that of the 1 ith of April 1713, priioners fliall have contracted in
between France and Portugal, with
the Guarantees of Great Britain ;
ferve as a bafis and foundation to
the Peace, and the prefent Trea

all

bed form, as well as all the Trea-
ties in general, which fubfilled
between the High Contracting
Parties before the war, as if they

the countries, where they have
been detained, until their entire
liberty. And all the (hips of war
and merchant veflels, which (hall
and for this purpofe, they are have been taken, fince the explra-
renewed and confirmed in the tion of the terms agreed upon for

the ceflation of hoftilities by fea,
fhall be likewife reftored bona fide,
with all their crews, and cargoes :
And the execution of this article

were inferted here word for word, (hall be proceeded upon inimedi-
fo that they are to be exaftly ob- ately after the exchange of the ra-
ferved, for the future, in their tifications of this treaty,
whole tenor, and religioufly exe- Art. IV. His inoJl Chrillian
cuted on all fides, in all their Majcfty renounces all pretenf -^ns,
points which fliall not be derogat- which he has heretofore formed, or
ed from by the prefent Treaty, might form, to Nova Scotia, or
notwithllanding all that may have Acadia, in all its parts ; and Gua-
been (lipulated to the contrary by rancies the whole of it, and with
any of the High Contrading Par- all its dependencies, to the King of
ties : and all the faid Parties de- Great Britain : Moreover, his moft
clare, that they will not fufFer any Chriftian Majedy cedes, and gua-
privilege, favour, or indulgence, ranties to his faid Britonnick Ma-
te fublift, contrary to the Treaties jefty, in full right, Canada, with
above confirmed, except what (hall all its dependencies, as well as the
have been agreed and ftipulated by illand of Cape Breton, and all the
the prefent Treaty. other iflands, and coafts, in the
Art. III. All the prifoners made, gulph and river of St. Laurence,
on all fides, as well by land, as by and, in general, every thing that
fea, and the hoftages carried away, depends on the faid countries,
or given during the War, and to lands, idands, and coafts, with the
this day, (hall be reftored, with- fovereignty, property, pofi'edipn.

out ranfom, fix weeks, at Icaft,
to be computed from the day of
the exchange of the ratification of
the prefent treaty, each crown re-
fpedlively paying the advances,
which (hall have been made for the
(ubfiftance and maintenance of
their prifoners, by the Sovereign
of the country where they (hall

and all rights acquired by treaty
or otherwife, which the moft
Chriftian King, and the Crown of
France, have had, till now, over
the faid countries, iflands, lands.,
places, coafts, and their inhabi-
tants, fo that the moft Chriftian
King cedes and makes over tlte
whole to the faid King, and to the
1, 1 i crown

'J.t

i.;

a^o

APPENDIX.

crown of Great Britain, and that mouth and in the gulph of St. Lau-
in the moll <Mnple manner and rencc) : And his Britannick Ma-
form, without reftri^ion, and jeity confents to leave to the lub-
vrithout any liberty fo depart from jefts of the mod Chriftian King the
the faid ceUion and guaranty, un- liberty of (iHiing in tiv gulph of

der any pretence, or to difturb
Great Britain in the pofleHions
above-mentioned. HisBritaniMck
^^Iajelly, on his fide, agrees to

St. Laurence, on condition that
the fubjeds of France do not ex-
ercife the faid iiihery, but at the
dillance of three leagues from all
grant the liberty of the Catholick the coafts belonging to Great Bri-

religion to the inhabitants of Ca
nada : he will, confequently,
give the mod precife and moft ef-
fedual orders, that his new Ro-
man Catholick fubjefls may pro-

tam, as well thofe of the conti-
nent, as thofe of the idands fitua-
ted in the faid gulph of St. Lau-
rence. And as to what relates to
the fiihery on the coafts of the

fefs the worihip of their religion, idand of Cape Breton out of the

according to the rites of the Ro-
mifli church, as far as the laws of
Great Britain permit. His Britan-
nick Majefty further agrees, that
the French inhabitants, or others

faid gulph, the fubje£ts of the
moft ChrilUan Kint; ihall not be
permitted to exercile ihe faid fifh-
ery, but at the diftance of fifteen
leagues from the coafts of the

who had been fubjefts of the moft idand of Cape Breton ; and the fiih-
Chriftian King in Canada, may re- ery on the coafts of Nova Scotia or

tire, with all fafety and freedom,
wherever they fhall think proper,
and may fell their eftates, provid-
ed it be to fubje£ts of his Britan-
nick Majefty, and bring away th^ir
cfFedts, as well as their perfons,
without being reftrained m their
emigration, under any pretence
whatfoever, except that of debts,
or of criminal profecutions : The
term, limited for this emigration,
(hall be fixed to the fpace of eigh-

Acadia, and every where elfe out
of the faid gulph, diall remain on
the foot of former treaties.

Art. VL The King of Great
Britain cedes the iflands of St.
Pierre and Miquelon, in fiiU right,
to his moft Chriftian Majefty, to
ferve as a ftielter to the French filh-
ermen : And his moft Chriftian
Majefty engages not to fortify the
faid idands ; to ere£t no buildings
upon them, but merely for the

teen months, to be computed from convenience of the fidiery ; and to
the day of the exchange of the ra- keep upon them a guard of fifty

tification of the prefent treaty

Art. V. The fubjedls of France
ihsdi have the liberty of fidiing and
drying on a part of the coafts of
the idand of Newfoundland, fuch
as it is fpecified in the Xlllth Ar-
ticle of the Treaty of Utrecht ;
which article is renewed and con-
firmed by the prefent treaty (ex-
cept what relates to the illand of
Cape Breton, as well as to the
other idands and coafts, in the

men only for the police.

Art. VII. In order to re-efta-
blifli peace on folid and durable
foundations, and to remove for
ever all fubjed of difpute with re-
gard to the limits of the Britifh and
French territories on the continent
of America ; it is agreed, that, tor
the future, the confines between
the dominions of his Britannick
Majefty, and thofe of his moft
Chiiftian Majefty, in that part of

the

the world
bly by a li
die of the
fource to
from then
the middl
lakes Mau
to the iea
the moft
full right
Britannick
port of th(
which he
pofTefs, on
Midifippi
Orleans,
it is fituate
France; p
tlon of tht
equp.ily fre
of Great
France, in
length, fr(
and expre
between tl
Orleans, ^
that river,
both in an
is further f
fels belong
cither nati(
vifited, or
ment of an
ftipulation:
Article, in
tants of C
place, wit!
tants of th(
article.

Art. VI
Britain dia
idands of
Galante,
nico, and
fortreflcs
reftored ir
were in, v
ed by the
that his K

APPENDIX.

Si. Lau-
ick Ma-
the tub-
King the
gulph of
ion that
) not ex-
It at the
from all
reat Bri-
le conti-
ids fitua>
St. Lau-
relates to
s of the
it of the
s of the
U not be
! faid fifh-
of fifteen
ts of the
d the fiih-
Scotia or
e elfe out
emain on

|of Great
of St.
ull right,
ijefty, to
ench fi(h-
Chriftian
artify the
buildings
for the
; and to
of fifty

re-efta-
durable
lOve for
with re-
itiHi and
:ontinent
that, for
between
itannick
lis mod:
t part of
the

the world, (hail be fixed irrevoca-
bly by a line drawn along the mid-
dle of the river Miflifippi, from its
fource to the river Iberville, and
from thence, by a line drawn along
the middle of this river, and the
lakes Maurepasand Pontchartrain,
to the lea ; and for this purpofe,
the mod Chriilian King cedes in
full right, and guaranties to his
Britannick Majefty, the river and
port of the Mobile, and every thing
which he pofleiTes, or ought to
poflefs, on the left fide of the river
MiHifippi, except the town of New
Orleans, and the ifiand in which
it isfttuated, which ihall remain to
France ; provided that '.he naviga-
tion of the river Millifippi fhall be
equRiiy free, as well to the fubjcCls
of Great Britain, as to thofe of
France, in its whole breadth and
length, from its fource to the fea,
and exprefsly that part which is
between the faid ifland of New
Orleans, and the right bank of
that river, as well as the paiTage
both in and out of its mouth : It
is further ftipulated, that the vef-
fels belonging to the fubjefts of
either nation, (hall not be (lopped,
vifited, or fubjefted to the pay-
ment of any duty whatfoever. The
ilipulations inferred in the IVth
Article, in favour of the inhabi-
tants of Canada, (hall alfo take
place, with regard to the inhabi-
tants of the countries ceded by this
article.

Art. VIII. The King of Great
Britain (hall reftore to France the
iflands of Guadaloupe, of Marie
Galante, of Defirade, of Marti-
nico, and of Bellcille ; and the
fortreiTes of thefe idands (hall be
reftorcd in the fame condition they
were in, when they were conquer-
ed by the Briti(h arms ; provided
that his Britannick Majelly's fub-

251

jefts, who (hall have fettled in the
I'aid idands, or thofe who (hall
have any commercial affairs to let-
tie there, or in any other places .
reftored to France by the prefen:
treaty, (hall have liberty to fell
their lands and their elbtes, to
fettle their affairs, to recover their
debts, and to bring away their ef-
fei\s, as well as their perfons, on
board velTcls, which they (hall be
permitted to fend to the faid
idands, and other places »v*ftored
as above, and which (hall ferve
for this ufe only, without being
reftrained on account of their reli-
gion, or under any other pretence
whatfoever, except that of debts,
or of criminal profecutions : And
for this purpofe, the term of eigh-
teen months is allowed to his Bri*
tann ck Majerty's fubjefts, to be
computed from the day of the ex-
change of the ratifications of the
prefent treaty : But, as the liber-
ty, granted to his Britannick Ma-
jefty's fubjefcs, to bring away their
perfons and their elfefts, in velTels
of their nation, may be liable to
abufes, if precautions were not ta-
ken to prevent them : It has been
exprefsly agreed between his Bri-
tannick Majefty and his moft
Chriftian Majefty, that the numb-
er of Englidi VelTels, which (hall
have leave to go to the faid idands .
and places reftored to France, (haU
be limited, as well as the number
of tons of each one ; that they
fhall iro in balhft ; (hall fet fa»l at
a fixed time j and (hall make one
voyage only, all the etfeds belong-
ing to the Englidi, being to be
embarked at the fame time. It
has been fi rther agreed, that his
moll Chriftian Majefty diall caufe
the neceflary palfports to be given
to the laid veiTels ; that, for the
greater fecuriry, it fliall be allow-
ed

2<;2 A P P E

€k1 to place two French clerks, or
guards, in each of the faid vclPels,
which (hall be vifited in the land-
ing places, and ports of the laid
iflands, and places, rcftored to
France, and that the merchandize,
which (hall be I'oiind therein, fhali
be conlilcated.

Art. IX. The rroft Chriitian
King cedes and [guaranties to his
Hriranniclc Majclly, in full right,
the iflandb of Grenada, and of the
Grenadines, with the fame flipula-
tions in favour of the inhabitants of
this Colony, inferred in the IVth
Article for thofe of Canada : And
the partition of the illands, called.
Neutral, is agreed and fixed, fo
that thofe of St. X'incent, Domi-
nica, and Tobago, lliall remain,
in full right, to Great Britain, and
that that of St. Lucia Ihall be de-
livered to France, to enjoy the
fame lilcewife in full right ; and
the high contratling parties gua-
ranty the partition lo ilipulated.

Art. X. HisBritannick Majefty
(hall reftore to France the ifland of
Goree in the condition it was in
when conquered : And his mod
Chriftian Majefty cedes, in full
right, and guaranties to the King
of Great Britain the river Senegal,
with the forts and faftories of St.
Lewis, Podor, and Galam ; and
with all the rights and dependen-
cies of the faid river Senegal.

Art. XL In the Eaft Indies,
Great Britain fhall reftore to
France, in the condition they arc
now in, the different faflories,
which that crown poftefled, as w«ll
on the coaft of Coromandel and
Ori,xa, as on that of Malabar, as
alfo in Bengnl, at the beginning of
the year 1749. And his moft
Chriftian Majefty renounces all
pretenfions to the acquifition
which he had made on the coaft of

N D I X.

Coromandel and Orixa, fincc the
laid beginning of the year 1749.
His moft Chriftian Majefty (hall
reftore, on his fide, all that he
may have conouered from Great
Britain, in the Eaft Indies, during
the prefent war j and will exprefly
cauie Nattal and Tapanoully, in
the ifland of Sumatra, to be re-
ftorcd ; he engages further, not
to ereft fortifications, or to keep
troops in any part of the dominions
of the Subah of Bengal. And in
order to prefer ve future peace on
the coaft of Coromandel and Orixa,
the Engli(h and French (hr'l ac-
knowledge Mahonvt Ally Khan
for lawfiil Nabob of the Carnatick,
and Salabat Jing for lawful Subah
of the Decan ; and both parties
fliall renounce all demands and
pretenfions of fatisfadtion, with
which they might charge each
other, or their Indian allies, for
the depredations, or pillage, com-
mitted, on the one fide, or on the
other, during the war.

Art. XII. The ifland of N.lnor-
ca fliall be reftored to his Britan-
nick Majefty, as well as Fort St.
Philip, in the fame condition they
were in, when conquered by the
arms of the moft Chriftian King ;
and with the artillery which was
there, when the faid ifland and
the faid fort were taken.

Art. XIII. The town and port
of Dunkirk fliall be put into the
ftare fixed by the laft treaty of Aix
la Chapclle, and bv former trea-
ties The Cunette fliill be de-
(Voyed immediately after the ex-
change of the ratifications of the
prefent treaty, as well as the forts
and batteries which defend the en-
trance on the fide of the fea ; and
provifion fliall be made, at the
fame time, for the wholefomenels
oi' the air, and for the health of

the

ons contair
of theprelii
compleatec
nature of tl
with re?arc
be made b}
of the forti
Guelders,
belonging t
aswithrega
be made by
armies of tl
occupy in >
any, on the
per Rhine,
and to the
to the domi
fovereigns :
moft Chrift
proceed, b
difpatch th
the faid t
completion
before the
fooner if it
Britannick
jefties furtl
CO each otl

the

APPENDIX. 253

inhabitants, by fonie other fuccours, of anykind, to their re-

means, to the fatisfaftion of the fpedive allies, who (hall continue

King of Great Britain. engaged in the war in Germany.

Art. XIV France (hall rcftore Art. XVI. The decilion of tiie

all the countries belonging to the prizes made, in time of peace, by

Eledlorate of Hanover, to the the fubjetls of Great Britain, on

Landgrave of Hefle, to the Duke the Spaniards, Ihall be referred to

of Brunfwick, and to the Count the courts of juftice of the Admi-

of la Lippe Buckebourg, which ralty of Great Britain, contorma-

are, or (hall be occupied by his biy to the rules ellabiiHttu among

mod Chrlftian Majetly's arms : all nations, fo that the validity of

The fortrelTcs of thefc different the faid prizes, between the BritiOi

countries (hall be rellored in the and Spanilh nations, (hall be decid-

fame condition they were in, whtn ed and judged, according to trea-

conr^uered by the French arms; ties, in the courts of juftice of the

and the pieces of artillery, which nation, who (hall have made the

(hall have been carried clfewhcre, capture.

(hall be replaced by the fame num- Art. XVII. His Eritannick Ma-

ber, of the fame bore, weight and jefty (hall caufe to be dcmolilhed

metal. all the fortification's which hisfub-

Art. XV. In cafe the (lipulati- jeds (hall have ereded in the bay
ons contained in the 13th article of Honduras, and other places of
of the preliminaries, (hould not be the territory of Spain in that part
compleated at the time of the (ig- of the world, four months af-
natureof the preftnt treaty, as well ter the ratification of the prefent
with regard to the evacuations to treaty; and his Catholick Majefty
be made by the armies of France (hall not permit hisBritannickMa-
of the fortrelfes of Cleves, Wefei, jefty's fubjcfts, or their workmen,
Guelders, and of all the countries to be difturbed, or molerted, undtr
belonging to the King of Prulfia, any pretence wliatfoever, in the
as with regard to the evacuations to faid places, in their occupation of
be made by the Briti(h and French cutting, loading, and carrying away
armies of the countries which they logwood : And for this purpofe,
occupy in Weftphalia, Lower Sax- they may build without hindrance,
any, on the Lower Rhine, the Up- and occupy without interruption,
per Rhine, and in all the empire, the houfes and magazines which
and to the retreat of the troops in- are necelTary for thcni, for thcii
to the dominions of their refpcftive families, and ^or their cti'ecls; a.ul
fovereigns: Theii Eritannick, and his Catholick Majer.; allure: to
moft Chriftian Majeftics promife to them, by this article, the full en-
proceed, bona fide, with all the joyment of thole advantages, and
difpatch the cafe will permit of, to powers, on the Spanifh coalb and
the faid evacuations, the entire territories, as above ilipniatcd, iii\-
completion whereof they ftipulate mediately after the ratilicadon vf
before the i 5th of Match next, or the prefent treaty.
fooner if it can be done : And their Art. XVIII. I lis Catholick ma-
Britannick and moft Chriftian Ma- jefty defifts, as well for himfelf, a»
jefties further engage anJ promife for his fucceffors, from all preten-
to each other, not to furni(h any fions, which he may have formed,

254

APPENDIX.

in favour of the Guipufcoans, and
other his fubje£ts, to the right of
fifliing in the neighbourhood of the
ifland of Newfoundland.

Art. XIX. The King of Great
Britain Hiall redore to Spain all the
territory which he has conquered
in the ifland of Cuba, with the
fortrefs of the Havanna ; and this
fortrefs, as well as all the other
fortreffes of the faid ifland, fliall be
reftored in the fame condition they
were in when conquered by his
Britannick Majefty's arms ; provid-
ed, that his Britannick Majefty's
fubjefts, who fliall have fettled in
the faid ifland, reilored to Spain by
the prefenr treaty, or tliofe who
fhall nave any conurtercial affairs to
fettle there, fliall have liberty to
fell their lands, and their eflates
to fettle their affairs, to recover
their debts, and to bring away their
effects, as well as their perfons, on
board vefl*els which they snail be
permitted to fend to the faid ifland
reftored as above, and which fliall
ferve for that ufe only, without
being reftrained on account of their
religion, or under any pretence
whaifocver, except that of debts,
or of criminal profecution ; and
for this purpofe, the term of eigh-
teen months is allowed to his Bri-
tannick Majefty's fubje^s, to be
computed from the day of the ex-
change of the ratification of the
prefent treaty : But as the liberty,
granted to his Britannick Majefty's
fubjefts, to bring away their per-
fons, and their effefts, in vefl*els of
their nation, may be liable to abu-
fcs, if precautions were not taken
to prevent them ; it has been ex-
prefly agreed, between his Britan-
nick Majefty and his Catholick
Majefty, that the number of Eng-
lifli vcflels, which fliall have leave
to 20 to the faid ifland reftored to

Spain, fliall be limited, as well as
the number of tons of each one j
liiat they fliali go in ballaft ; fliall
let fail at a fixed time; and fliall
make one voyage only j all the ef-
feds belonging to the Englifli be-
ing to be embarked at the fame
time : It has been further agreed,
that his Catholick Majefty fliall
caufe the neceflary paflports to be
given to the faid veflels ; that, for
the greater fecurity, it fhall be al-
lowed to place two Spanifli clerks,
or guards, in each of the faid vef-
fels, which fliall be viflted in the
landing-places, and ports of the
faid ifland reftored to Spain, and
that the merchandize, which fliall
be found therein, fliall beconfifca-
ted.

Art. XX. In confequence of the
reftitution ftipulated in the prece-
ding article, his Catholick Majefty
cedes and guaranties, in full right,
to his Britannick Majefty, Florida,
with Fort St. Auguftin, and the
Bay of Penfacola, as well as al>
that Spain poflefl^es on the conti-
nent of North America, to the
Eaft, or to the South ^^laft of the
river Miflifippi. And in general,
every thing that depends on the
faid countries and lands, with the
fovereignty, property, poflTeflion,
and all righii acquired by treaties
or othcrwife, which the Catholick
King, and the Crown of Spain,
have had, till now, over rhe faid
countries, lands, places, at.J their
inhabitants , To that the Catholick
King cede: and makes over the
whole to the faid King, and to the
Crown of Great Britain, and that
in the moft ample manner and
form. His Britannick Majefty
agrees, on his fide, to grant to the
inhabitants of the countries, above
ceded, the liberty of the Catholick
religion : He will confequently

give

APPENDIX.

569

give the niofl: exprefs and the nioft were in, and conformably to the
etildual orders, that his new preceding treaties v/hich fubfiiled
Roman Cathohck lubjeds may between the courts of France,
profefs the worfhip of their reh'gi- Spain and Portugal, before the pre-
en, according to the rites of the fen t war.

Roman Church, as far as the laws Art. XXII. All the papers, let-

of Great Hritain pernu't : His IJri- ters, documents, and archives,

tannicic Majelly further agrees, which were found in the countries,

that the Spanifh inhabitants, or territories, towns, and places, that

others, who had been fubjefts of are rellored, and thofe belonging

the Catliolick King, in the faid to the countries ceded, fhall be,

countries, may retire with all fafe- refpetSlively and bona fide, deliver-

ty and freedom, wherever they ed, or furnifhed at the fame time,

think proper; and may fell their if pollible, that polfellion is taken,

eftates, provided it be to his Bri- or, at iateft, four months after the

tannick Majelly's fubjcfts, and exchange ol the ratifications of the

bring away their etfeds, as well as prelent treaty, in whatever places

their perfons, without bcin^ re- the faid papers or documents may

flrained in their emigration, under be found.

any pretence whatloever, except Art. XXIII. All the countries
that of debts, or of criuu'nal pro- and territories, which may have
fecutlons: The term limited for been conquered, in whatfoever part
this emigration being fixed to the of the world, by the arms of their
fpace of eighteen months, to be Britannick and mofl: Faithful Ma-
computed from the day of the ex- jeftie.s, as well as by thofe of their
change of the ratilications of the moll Chriftian and Catholick Ma-
prefent treaty. It is moreover fli- jellies, which are not included in
pulated, that his Catholick Ma- the prefent treaty, cither umiL-r the
jefly fhall have power to caufe all title of cellions, or under the title
the effetls, that may belong to of reftitutlon?, fliall be retlored
him, to ! .' brought away, vvhe- without difficulty, and without re-
ther it be artillery, or other things, quiring any compenfatlon.

Art. XXI. The French and Spa- Art. XX1V^ As it is neceflary

nifh troops fliall evacuate all the to aihgn a fixed epoch for the relli-

tcrrltorie.s, lands, towns, places, tiitions, and the evacuations, to be

and callk's, of his mofl Faithful made by each of the high contra(5t-

Majc'.ly, in Fu rope, without anv ing parties: It is agreed, that the

refcrve, which Hiall have been Hriiilh and French troops Oiallcom-

conquerid by the armies of France plete, bei'orc the 1 5 th of March

and Sp'iin, and Ihall rellore them next, all that remain to be execu-

in the lame condition thev were in ted of the 12th and 13th articles

when conc|uered, with the lame of the preliminaries, figned the 3d

artillery and aimnunitlon, which day of November latl, with regard

were found tin re : And with re- to the evacuation to be made in

gard to the Portuguefe colonies In the empire, or ellewhere. The

America, Africa, 01 in the Fall illand of Belleille fhall be evacuat-

Indies H" any change fhall have ed fix weeks after the exchange of

happened there, all things Ihall be the ratifications of theprellnt trea-

rcllored on the fame footing they ty, or fooner if it can be done.

C c c c Guada-

570

APPENDIX.

Guadaloupe, Dofiradc, Marie Ga- conquered, fliall be reftored in the
lante, Martinico, and St. Lucia, fpacc of three months in the Weft
three months after the exchange Indies, and of fix months in the
of the ratifications of the pvetcnt Eaft Indies, after the exchange of
treaty, or fooner if it can be done, the ratifications of thcpre'ent trca-
Grcat Britain lliall likewife, at the ty, or fooner if it can be done. All
end of three months after the cv- the fortrclVes, the reltitution where-
change of the ratifications of the of is ftipulated above, Ihall be re-
prefent treaty, or fooner if it c::n llored with the artillery and am-
bc done, enter into polfelhon of munition, which were found there
the river and port of the Mobile, at the time of the conquett. In
and of ail that is to form the h'mits confequence whereof, the neccfla-
of the territory of Great Britain, ry orders Ihall be lent by each of
on the fide of the river Millifippi, the high v'-ontracling parties, with
as they are Ipccifud in the ytii ar- reciprocal pallpous for the fhips
tide, 'i'he ifland of Goree (hall that (hall carry them, immediately
be evacuated by Great Britain, af'jer the exchange of the ratihcati-
three months after the exchange of ons of the prelent treaty,
the ratifications of ihepiefent tica- Art. XV. His Britannick Ma-
ty ; and the iiland of Minorca, by jelly, as Elector of Brunfwick Lu-
France, at the (anie epoch, or nenbourg, as well for himt'elf, as
(ooner if it can be done : And ac- for his heirs and fuccedors, andall
cording to the conditions of the the dominions and poU'edlons of
6th article, France (hall likewife his (aid Majefty in (jermany, arc
enter into poffefllon of the ifland inclutled and guarantied by the
of St. Peter, and of Miqjeion, at prefent tr.eaty of peace,
the end of three months after the Art. XXVI. '1 heir f'acrcil Bri-
cxchangc of the ratifications of the tannick,moft Chriflinn, Catholick,
prefent treaty. The fadories in and mo!l: Faithful Majellie;;, pro-
the Eaft indies f.iall be reftored fix niife to obferve, fincertly and bona
nionths after the exchange of the fide, all the articles contained and
ratifications of the prefent treaty, fettled in the prefent treaty ; and
or fooner if it can be done. The they will not fuffer the fiune to be
fortrefs of the Havanna, with all infringed, diretSliy, or indirectly,
that has been conq'iTed in the by their refpc6live fubjeds ; and
ifland of Cuba, (hall be reflored the (aid high contratling; parties,
three months after the exchange of generally and reciprocally, gun-
the ratifications of :heprefent trea- ranty to each other all the llipula-
ty, or foopf'r if it can be done : tions of the prelent treaty.
And, at the f'ame time, Great Bri- Art. .XX\iI. The folenm rati-
tain (hall enter into poUellion of fications of the prefent treaty, ex-
the country ceded by Spain, ac- peiiited in good and iliie form,
cording to the 20th article. All (hall be exchanged in this citv ot

the places and countries of hi.^ moft
Faithful Majetly, in Europe flvall
be rellored. inunedjately after ihe
exchange of the ratifications ot the

Paris, between the hiirh contrad-
ing parties, in the Ipace of a
nionih, or fooner If poflible, to be
compute(i from the dav of the fig-

prcfent treatv ; and the Portugucfe nature of the prelent treaty.
colonies, which may have been In ssitntt;i whereof, we the un-

. derwritten,

APPENDIX.

-derwritten, their A mbafl'adors Ex-
traordinary, and Minifters Pleni-
potentiary, have figned with our
hand, in their name, and in virtue
of our full powers, the prefent
Definitive Treaty, and have cauf-
ed the leal of our anus to be put (L.S.) El IVIar(^
thereto. ALDl.

571

Done at Paris the Tenth of Fe-
bruary, 1763.

(L.S.) BEDFORD, C. P. S.
(L.S.) CHOISEUL, Due dk

Prasi.in.

DL GRIM-

{

SEPARATE ARTICLES.

I. Q^OME of the titles made ufe
1^ of by the conr:a(fliii;..f pow-
ers, either in the lull powei?, and
other aft,', during tiiecourfc of the
negotiation, or in the preamble of
the pretent treatr, not being gene-
rally acknowledged ; it has been
agreed, that no prejudice Tiall e/er
reluli theretioni to any ol the faid
coniratling parties, and that the
titles, taTcen oromif^ed, on either
fide, on occafion of the faid ne<jo-
tiation, and of the prefent treaty,
fliall not be cited, or quoted as a
precedent

U. It has been agreed and de-
termined, »liat the French lan-
guage, made ufe ot in all the copies
of the prefent treaty, ihall not be-
come an' example, which may be
alledged, or made a precedent of,
or prejudice, in any manner, any
of the contradin^ powers ; and
that thcvHiall conform thcmfelves,
for the future, to what has been
oblerved, and ought to be obterv-
cd, with regaid to, and on the part
of, powers who are uletl, and have

a right, to give and to receive co-
piei; of like tie.ititi in another Ian-
gunge than Fiench; the pvefent
treary having llill the lame force
and el"Tecl,as if rhenforefaid cullom
had been therein obferved.

in. Though the King of For-
t\\)r::\ ha- not fisn.-d the nrelent
definitive treaty, their Britai:niclc
moil: Chiillian, andCatholick Ma-
jeilics, acknov.'lerge, neverthelefs,
that his moft I;ii.!i!ul Majelly is
formally incliKicd therein as a con-
tr.itling p>^rty, and as if lie had
exnrefly figncd the faid treaty :
L'on'equenily, thiv' iJritninick,
moll Chriftian. ?;m| C.'aiholick Ma-
jellies rei'pc^^'vtiy and conjo'niiy,
promi' to his moll: Faithful Ma-
jelh', in the moii cxpref- r:r.d moll:
binding mam.er, the execution of
all and everv the claufe?;, contain-
ed in the faid treaty, on hij acl of
accellion.

■ The prefent feparate artirles
Pi ill have the fame force as if' they
were inferred in the treaty.

Diilarrition of his mtji C.hri(\ian Mi>']ef}ys Plenipotentiary, zcill' Regard
to the Debts due to the Canadians.

T\\\\ King of Great Britain fhould be teciircJ, his innO: Chrif-

hu'Ingdeliied, thtit the pay- tian M;>ieily, entirely diipoilvl to

ment of the letters of exchange reiu'er tq every one tliat ju ilice

and hills, which h;ui been delivered which is legally ilue to tiiem, ha?

to the Canailians for tl;e necelFaries decinrcd, and i.'oeN ('eclire, that

furnilhed to the French troops, the f'i 1 bilK, ;md letter? oi ex-

C c c c 2 change,

«;72

A P P R

change, fliall be punttually paiii,
agreeably to the h'quidation iiuule
in a convenient time, accordinjj to
rhc dirtanceof the places, and to
what fhall he pollihle ; taking care,
however, that the hills, and letters
ofexchangc, which the French fub-
ic<^lsniay haveat the time of this de-
claration, be not confounded with
the bills and letters of exchang-e,
which arc in the poflcllion of the

N D I X.

new fubjedts of the King of Great
Britain.

In witnefs whereof, we the un-
der-written Miniltcr of his moll
Chrillian Majelcy, duly authorized
for this purpofe, have figncd the
prefent declaration, and caufed the
leafof our arms to be put thereto.

Done at Paris the loth of Fe-
bruary, 1763.
(L.S.) CliOISFUL,DucdcPranin.

Derliirntion of his BritnnrAck Majejlys Amhaffatior Kxlraortlinary and
Plcnipotttitiary, 'with regard to the limits of Bengal in the Eaf-
Indics.

WE, the under-written Am-
halfador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the King of
Great Britain, in order to prevent
all fubjec^ of dilpute on account of
the limits of the dominions of the
Subah of Bengal, as well as of ihe
coaft of Coromandel and Orixa,
declare, in the name and by order
of his faid Brirannick Ma)eRy, that
the faid dominions of the Subah of
Bengal Ihall be reputed not to ex-
tend farther than Yanaon exclu-
fively, and that Yanaon ftiall be
confidcred as included in the North
pa; t of tlie coatl of Coromandel or
Orixa.

In witnefs whereof, $iC.

Done at Paris the 10th of Fe-
luuarv, 176^.
(L. S!) BEDFORD, c. p. s.

[His Britannick, moft '^hriftian,
and Catholick Majeftie lull pow-
ers to their refpeflive Minillers
Plenipotentiary, with the accelhon
of his mod Faithful Majefty, his
full power, and declaration of his
Minirter, (importing that no con-
fequence ftiall be drawn from the
alternative obl'ervcd on the parts of
the King of Great Britain, and the
moll: Chrillian King, with the moil
Faithful King, in the adof accef-
fion of the Court of Portugal) are
all the other papers that relate to
this iniportant tranfiflion ; but are
here omitted, as containing only
matters of mere form.]

F I N I S.

of Great

e the 11 n-
his motl
Jthorizcil
gned the
luifcd the
t thereto,
h of Fc-

dePraflin.

•natj and
the Eaji-

")hriftian,

lull pow-

Mlnillcrs

accellion

jefty, his

ion of his

t no con-

froni the

e parts of

and the

the moll

of accef-

gal) are

relate to

but are

lino; onlv