1793.

BOOK I. eight battalions possessed field-pieces, and several of the soldiers were only boys from thirteen CHAP. IV. to sixteen years of age. On their entrance into the Dutch territories, there being a party ready to declare in favor of the French, and success chiefly depending on the celerity of their movements, Dumouriez had no time either to discipline or organize his troops; but having candidly unfolded to them all the difficulties they were to encounter, he encouraged them by assurances of victory and glory. General Berneron was ordered to advance with the vanguard, and dispa'ch Lieutenant-colonel Daendels, a Dutch patriot in the service of France, to Mordyck, on purpose to detain all the boats in the neighbourhood, as well as to throw a bridge over the Merk, in order to keep up the communication. These instructions, however, not being executed in time, the Dutch embraced this opportunity of carrying all the small vessels to the other side, under the protection of three armed shallops stationed near Dort. Hereupon, Berneron and Daendels were ordered to advance, while General d'Arçon with the right formed the blockade of Breda, and Col. Le Clerc, with the left, invested Bergen-op-Zoom and Steenberg. The governors of the two last places immediately abandoned all their out-posts; and the foot of Blaw-Sluys near Steenberg being taken, the garrison of the latter was summoned to surrender, while that of Bergen-op-Zoom hazarded a few sallies, which was only productive of deserters, who immediately joined the enemy. Dumouriez now moved forward between the two wings with the rear division of the army to Sevenbergen and gave orders to besiege Klundert and Williamstadt immediately; while Daendels, by advancing to Nordschantz, was to cut off all intercourse between them.

The siege of Breda was now determined. This place was always considered very strong; for, besides being provided with 200 pieces of cannon, it possessed an excellent allisade, and was protected by means of an inundation. The garrison consisted of 2200 infantry, and a regiment of dragoons; but the governor, Count de Ryland, was totally destitute of military skill, and the inhabitants strongly attached to the republican party. While a flotilla was preparing to carry the troops across the Mordyck, d'Arçon received orders to attack Breda; and, as the commander-in-chief had determined not to attempt a regular siege, d'Arçon opened no trenches, as usual, but, after erecting two batteries, of four mortars and four howitzers, he immediately summoned the town to surrender. The bombardment continned three days, during which time the enemy kept up a brisk fire; but sixty bombs only remaining, it was found that the siege must be inevitably raised when these were expended.

In this dilemma Philip Devaux, one of the aidesde-camp, entered the place with a flag of truce, and declared that General Dumouriez was expected every moment with the whole of his army, and that the garrison then should have no quarter. This menace had the desired effect, the governor was alarmed, and, without consulting his officers, immediately capitulated, and was allowed the honors of war. Thus, on the 2d of March, one of the strongest towns in Holland was taken, in the course of a few days, by a detachment of only 3800 men. Here they found 250 pieces of artillery, 5000 musquets, and five vessels, with the loss of only a few men, which was entirely owing to their own temerity.

Two days afterwards, March 4, Klundert surrendered to Berneron. This little fortress was built after a regular plan, and surrounded by fortifications. The governor, a German lieutenant-colonel, defended the place with great bravery, though he had not more than 150 soldiers. After keeping up a smart fire for several days, and perceiving all resistance fruitless, he determined to nail up his cannon, and retire with his few remaining men to Williamstadt. He was unfortunately intercepted by a detachment of Bavarians, under Lieutenant-colonel Hartmann, whom he killed with his own hand. He soon experienced the same fame; and, on searching his body, the keys of Klundert were found in the pocket of this brave commander. In this place the French found fifty-three pieces of cannon, a few mortars, a large quantity of bombs, bullets, and powder.

Gertruydenberg was immediately attacked by d'Arçon, by means of a few cannon, and some mortars, brought from Breda. After a few shot had been fired, Colonel de Vaux entered with a flag of truce, and the governor, Major-general Bedaux, who was eighty years of age, and greatly alarmed, was prevailed upon to capitulate. Here the French got 150 pieces of cannon, 200,000 pounds of gunpowder, 2500 new musquets; but, what was still a greater acquisition, they obtained a good harbour, and more than thirty vessels of different sizes, for the transport of the troops.

Agreeable to orders, Berneron laid siege to Williamstadt; but, though the French were hitherto victorious, they were not so successful in this siege as they expected. Williamstadt, rendered strong both by nature and art, could only be attacked in one part, exhibiting but a small front to the assailants, while supplies of both men and provisions might be thrown in at any time. The gallant governor, the baron de Boetzelaer, who was made a lieutenant-general during the siege, and afterwards received a present of a valuable sword for himself and a portion for each of his daughters from the States of Holland, resolved upon an obstinate defence. The

garrison had also the assistance of some British gunboats and the landing of a body of guards under the command of his Royal Highness the Duke of York. Dubois de Crancé and Marescot were sent by Dumouriez to trace out a battery within 100 yards of the walls; but the Dutch made a successful sally, and both these engineers were killed on the spot.

The French, notwithstanding, were able to attempt a passage from Mordyck, where Dumouriez had prepared a flotilla, and vigorous preparations were made for the invasion of Holland. This passage was to be attempted during the night, but in the mean time an event occured which totatally defeated the intentions of the French commander.

The army which had so lately chased the Austrians from the Low Countries became, not only dispirited by the absence of its leader, but through the altercations which arose among its generals, was rendered incapable of active operations. Agreeable to orders, Miranda had laid siege to Maestricht, and commenced a furious bombardment, by which various parts of the city were in flames. The defence, however, was far more vigorous than was expected; for a body of French emigrants, conscious that no mercy could be expected from their republican countrymen if victorious, had, under the command of M. d'Autichamp, displayed uncommon skill and bravery during the siege. General Champmorin's attempt to obtain possession of Venloo was also ineffectual; for, although he had taken the forts of Stevens wert and St. Michel, on the Meuse, the Prussians, anticipating his design, immediately occupied the place.

The Prince de Cobourg, an officer who had distinguished himself during the war against the Turks, arrived at Cologne, and assumed the command of the Austrian forces, while the generals Valence, Stengel, and Dampierre, remained in their cantonments, in the neighbourhood of Liege and Aix-la-Chapelle. As soon as the prince had learned that dissension prevailed among the leaders and discontent among the troops, he immediately collected his army, and was resolved to commence his military career with some bold achievement. Accordingly General Clairfayt, in pursuance of orders, passed the Roer during night, and not only repulsed the French army on the side of Duren and Juliers, but compelled it to retreat beyond Aldenhoven with the loss of 2000 men. In the interim, the Prince de Cobourg entered Aldenhoven without experiencing any obstructions, and five days after (April 26) obtained a decisive victory. The French, who remained in cantonments, immediately fell back on Liege without fighting. General Leveneur, who presided over the attack of Maestricht on the side of Wyck, thought himself very fortunate in

being able to carry away his cannon and cross the BOOK I. Meuse, while General Miranda was under the necessity of entirely relinquishing the siege. Lieu- CHAP. IV. tenant-general Lanoue was also obliged to retreat from Aix-la-Chapelle after being defeated at Aldenhoven; and General Valence, with some difficulty saved a column of twenty-seven battalions.

The imperialists crossed the Meuse and entered Liege, where they seized all the magazines belonging to the French; the Prussians, at the same time, obliged General Champmorin to evacuate Stevenswert and Fort St. Michel, and fall back on Diest. In short, the defeat of the republican troops in the Low Countries was so complete, that more than 10,000 men deserted.

Dumouriez, mortified at the ill success of his army, returned to Belgium, and in obedience to the orders of the council, he set out the next morning for Flanders, leaving the troops under the command of General de Flers, with directions to attempt the passage from Gertruydenberg, and in case of success, to wait at Dort, in order to receive further instructions. The arrival of the English forces in Holland, the check received by the grand army, and the sudden departure of Dumouriez, discouraged the invaders; and de Flers, instead of effecting a descent, found it necessary, in consequence of the approach of the Prussians, to throw himself into Breda with six battalions of infantry and 200 horse, while Colonel Tilly garrisoned Gertruydenberg with three battalions and 500 cavalry. The rest of the army was conducted to Antwerp, under the command of Colonels de Vaux and Thouvenot, who evacuated the batteries of Mordyck without loss; destroyed the fortifications of Klundert, and prevented the troops from fleeing in disorder.

No brilliancy or prosperity attended the French arms in Germany. Custine had not been able to prevent the Hessians from rendezvousing at Coblentz, whither the King of Prussia also directed his march, and not only occupied the two banks of the Lahn, but seemed inclined to force the general to abandon Frankfort, and shut himself up within the walls of Mentz. Being apprised of their motions, and determined to act as long as possible on the offensive, he immediately marched against the enemy, and though previous information had been obtained of his design, his attack was so bold, that they were obliged to relinquish their positions. In consequence of his temporary success and critical situation, Biron received instructions to send a body of troops to his assistance; and though a senior officer, he determined to put himself and men under his command. Before a junction could be effected, Custine was obliged to withdraw to Mentz in the face of a superior army, collected from all quarters by the Ring of Prussia. The inhabitants of Frankfort

1793.

BOOK I. opened one of their gates to the Prussians the very night preceding the succour, and part of the CHAP. IV. garrison having been put to the sword, it was retaken.

1793.

The blockade of Mentz employed the Prussians during the winter; and early in spring the French again took the field. Custine made an irruption into the territories of the Duke of Deux Ponts, and suddenly took possession of the residence of Calsberg, their serene highnesses having escaped with great difficulty. Soon, however, Konigstein, with its garrison of 440 'men, surrendered to the Prussians; Worms was evacuated, and part of the magazines at Bingen, Kreutznach, and Nierstein seized. Moreover, the states of the empire had declared war against France, and in consequence of the menaces of Vienna and Berlin, had ordained" a junction of arms," and voted the necessary supplies.

On the return of Dumouriez to Antwerp, he issued orders to arrest the deserters from his army, and having reproached the fugitives, he made various changes in the organization of his army, which, even at this period, amounted to 40,000 infantry and 4,500 cavalry. General Valence had the command of the right, the Duke of Chartres of the centre, and General Miranda of the left.

Having retaken Tirlemont from the Austrians, General Dumouriez seized on Gotzenhoven, which he maintained during an engagement of eight hours, between the two advanced guards, supported by the main body of each of the hostile

armies.

The French commander-in-chief, inflamed with this slight success, now resolved to be the assailant, and having spent the whole day of March 17 in reconnoitering the position of the imperialists, he posted his troops in order of battle, and prepared bis plan of operations. The army, divided into eight columns, was put in motion between seven and eight o'clock in the morning, March 18, which crossed the river without any interruption. General la Marche, with the first column, entered the plain of Landen, and not finding the enemy there, joined the second, which attacked the village of Oberwinden and the town of Middlewinden, about ten o'clock, with such vigor, that they were both carried. The latter was afterwards retaken by the Austrians, but on account of its im-. portance, the possession of it was disputed during the whole of the day. About the same time, the third column, under the command of General Neuilly, drove the imperialists from a village where they had taken post; but having abandoned it, the Austrians resumed their former position, and were driven from it again by the Duke of Chartres, who commanded the fourth and fifth columns; but General Desforêts having been wounded in the head with a musket-shot, the republican troops were thrown into confusion, and on the approach

of the Austrians, now determined to carry it by assault, it was again relinquished.

The Austrians then descended into the plain between Nerwinden and Middlewinden, and made a furious attack on the French cavalry. General Valence was wounded, and obliged to retire to Tirlemont; the imperialists, notwithstanding, were fored to withdraw. About the same time, another body of the Austrian horse attacked the infantry of the fourth column on the left of Nerwinden with great gallantry; but General Thouvenot, on perceiving their approach, opened his ranks to allow them to pass, and made such a critical discharge of grape and case shot from his artillery, which was assisted by a close fire of musketry from the regiment of Deux Ponts, that nearly the whole of this detachment fell.

As these divisions of the French army met with some success, they passed the night in the field of battle, in order to renew the engagement and complete their victory the next morning. A different fate, however, was reserved for the rest of the republican troops. The sixth and seventh columns, though in possession of Orsmael, were routed with considerable loss, by General Clairfayt; Guiscard, a maréchal-de-camp, was killed, and Generals Rualt and Iller, with several aides-de-camp and other persons belonging to the staff, were among the wounded. General Miranda gave orders to retreat and withdraw to a position behind Tirlemont. General Champmorin also retired from Leaw, crossed the river by the bridge of Bingen, which he cut down after him, and resumed his position at Oplinter. Dumouriez, alarmed at not hearing from his left flank, sought General Miranda at Tirlemont, and gave him orders to assemble his division during the night, on purpose to occupy the heights of Wommersem, as well as the great road, and the bridges of Orsmael and Nerhelpen, with a view of insuring the passage of the Gette, as well as the retreat of the right and centre. The French army was enabled to withdraw to the heights behind Tirlemont in good order.

The dissimulation of Dumouriez became at this time apparent. Under pretence of treating about the wounded and prisoners, he sent Colonel Montjoye, an officer belonging to his staff, to the headquarters of the Prince de Cobourg, where he had a conference with Colonel Mack, with whom a suspension of arms was agreed upon. Colonel Mack, on the evening of the succeeding day, repaired to Louvain. Some articles were verbally agreed to, viz.

1. "That the imperialists should make no more general attacks, and that the French commanderin-chief should not, on his side, endeavour to give battle.

2. "That in conformity to this tacit convention, the French should retire to Brussels by easy marches and in good order, without being harassed.

3. That the same parties should meet again after the evacuation of the said city, on purpose to agree as to future contingencies."

In conformity to this treaty, the scheming Dumouriez gave orders for abandoning the Netherlands; and after his army had marched through Brussels, an interview took place between him and the adjutant-general of the Austrian army, in the course of which, he announced his intentions of marching to Paris and dissolving the convention. Hereupon it was agreed that the imperialists should either remain passive or act the part of auxiliaries, as occasion might require; but it was expressly stipulated on the other hand that Condé should be delivered up to them until the conclusion of peace and the regulation of indemnities. During these deliberations, the Duke de Chartres, General Valence, Thuvenot, and Colonel Montjoye were present.

Some occurrences happened which tended not a little to defeat the new projects of Dumouriez. On his arrival at the camp of Tournay, he learned that the division under General Neuilly, on its reaching Mons, instead of assuming a position on the heights of Nimy, as he had commanded, had fled to Condé, in Valenciennes, and that the cavalry alone remained in its station. On that very day (March 29) he received a visit from Proly, Desjardins, and Pereira, three deputies from the jacobin society, at Paris; who, perceiving his intentions, reported him as an enemy to his country. A dispatch immediately arrived from seven commissioners of the convention, who had assembled at Lisle, summoning his attendance at that city, to answer the accusations against him. His reply on this occasion was guarded. His presence being necessary, he said, for the preservation of an army which he was endeavouring to reform, it was impossible for him to leave it; but if the deputies would repair to his camp, all questions should be answered with candor.

Antwerp having surrendered to a body of 2,000 men under Colonel Mylius, Dumouriez not only abandoned his position at Tournay, but conducted the army of the north to the camp of Bruille, which he connected by means of three bridges of communication with that of Maulde. At the same time, he dispatched General Miaczinski with 4,000 men to occupy Orchies, while the artillery removed to St. Amand, where the head-quarters were established. Dumouriez now began to disclose his intentions to the army, and as the violent proceedings of the jacobins and the cruelty and injustice which had been practised by the convention had rendered them odious to the major part of the troops, he found no difficulty in winning their confidence. To increase the number of those devoted to his person, he transmitted orders to General de Flers and Colonel Tilly, by means

1793.

of Colonel Mack, to surrender Breda and Gustruy- BOOK I. denberg, and return with the 6,000 men intrusted to their command. Having complied with these CHAP. IV. injunctions, they were permitted to march to his camp with their arms and baggage. Some of the officers, however, particularly Dampierre, and the national battalions, which formed a majority of the soldiery, were determined to support the republican government in opposition to their leader's designs. Three commissioners from the convention, Lequinio, Cochon, and Bellegarde, stationed at Valenciennes, already treated Dumouriez as a rebel, and prohibited money and supplies being sent to his army. A manifesto was published against him, which was distributed among the troops under his command as well as in the neighbouring fortresses.

Six volunteers having desired their general to repair to the bar of the convention, in obedience to orders, else they and many of their companions had sworn to imitate Brutus, and stab him on the spot, different regiments were immediately assembled by Dumouriez's partizans; and during the same day, the commander-in-chief received various addresses from both officers and soldiers, expressing their abhorrence of assassination, and a desire to change the government; some wishing to re-establish the laws and constitution of 1789. Dumouriez, on receiving these petitions, openly endeavoured to obtain possession of the three neighbouring garrisons. Miaczinski was ordered to repair to Lisle, with a large body of troops, on purpose to seize the deputies from the convention, together with all the principal members of the jacobin club. Miaczinski, however, was taken prisoner in Lisle, and having been sent to Paris, was soon after beheaded. Ferrand, whom Dumouriez had raised to the rank of general, had the care of Valenciennes, but l'Ecuyer, the provost of his army, whom he had dispatched thither, immediately disclosed his projects. Condé now appeared to be his last resource; but the deputies on mission had already dispersed manifestoes and assignats among the garrison, and the governor Neuilly was rendered incapable of fulfilling his engagements with Dumouriez.

The commander-in-chief, notwithstanding the failure of these designs, arrested General Beurnonville and four commissioners from the convention, Camus, la Marque, Bancal, and Quinette; who had repaired to his camp to notify his suspension. These he sent under a guard to General Clairfayt, and immediately composed a manifesto in defence of his conduct. An attempt was made by some of the volunteers to shoot him, but owing to the swiftness of his horse, be escaped and got into the Austrian lines. He now drew up two manifestoes in concert with the Prince de Cobourg, in which the latter disclaimed

BOOK I. the idea of conquest; and the next morning, at day-break, accompanied by a guard of 50 AusCHAP. IV. trian dragoons, Dumouriez ventured to his own camp, and endeavoured to regain the confidence 1793. of his army. This army he found considerably reduced, for the artillery had retreated to Valenciennes, and several regiments of the infantry were already on their march for the neighbouring fortresses. He attempted in vain to seize the military-chest, and being frustrated in his visionary projects, he escaped, with a few of his friends, to Tournay.

About the beginning of April, 1793, a congress met at Antwerp, composed of the representatives of the combined powers, viz. his serene highness the Prince of Orange and his two sons, his royal highness the Duke of York, their excellencies Lord Auckland, as ambassador from England, Vanderspiegel from Holland, the Prussian, Spanish, and Neapolitan envoys, the Prince of Saxe-Cobourg, the Counts Metternich, Starenberg, Mercy d'Argenteau, and the Generals Knobeldorff and KelIer. In consequence of the representations of this assembly, the Prince de Cobourg annulled the manifesto issued at the request of Dumouriez; in which he had disavowed the intention of making conquests, and it was resolved to commence active operations against France.

While French Flanders appeared to be an easy conquest on the one side, Alsace presented the most alluring bait on the other; and great hopes were entertained of its speedy annexation to the head of the German empire. Wurmser, (a native of that province, and now a general in the Austrian service,) accordingly endeavoured to obtain possession of Landau. His threats and allurements, however, could not prevail on the governor to surrender that important fortress.

In the mean time, the convention being informed that the camps of Maulde and Bruille still remained faithful to the republic, General Dampierre was elected commander-in-chief in the place of Dumouriez, who was declared a traitor: and two decrees at the same time passed; by one of which, the severest punishment was enacted against those commanders who entered into any secret negociations with the enemy; and by the other, the obnoxious law of fraternity was rescinded.

The Prince de Cobourg finding his army greatly strengthened by the accession of a body of Prussians and the arrival of a considerable reinforcement of English and Hanoverian troops under his royal highness the Duke of York, declared, that the armistice was at an end, and on the 7th of April advanced against Maulde, now rendered defenceless in consequence of the disorders which had so recently prevailed among the republican troops. Having secured this strong camp, he

prepared to invest Condé, another principal fortress in that neighbourhood.

Dampierre, knowing the dispirited state of his army, remained on the defensive at Famars. The Austrians suddenly attacked his outposts, (April 15,) advancing against ten different points at the same time, but were repulsed by the French commander. Soon after this, Dampierre determined, in his turn, to attack the allies incamped at Quievrain, in order to prevent the siege of Valenciennes and raise the blockade of Condé. With this view the French, on the first of May, marched against the advanced posts of the left wing, as well as those of the centre; but were repulsed in all directions with a prodigious loss of men and cannon.

Considerable bodies of troops from Lisle and the neighbouring garrisons, joined by the main body of the army from the camp of Famars, sallied forth for the purpose of making a more serious assault on the positions assumed by the combined forces. The action, which commenced about seven o'clock in the morning of May 8, was directed chiefly against the posts occupied by General Clairfayt, as well as those in the possession of the Prussians. It continued until 8 o'clock in the evening with unabated vigor, both at the abbey of Vicogne and in the village of Raismes. The French, though baffled and defeated in that quarter, assumed a position in the neighbouring woods, and cannonaded the Prussian camp at St. Amand. The Duke of York, who had arrived early in the morning at the camp of Maulde with the brigade of English guards and a battalion of Hanoverian infantry, marched to their assistance. The Coldstream came up at a critical moment, when the French were advancing towards the great road, and nearly commanded it by the fire of their cannon; but the battalion guns having succeeded in checking the battery opposed to this corps, it moved forward into the wood, and made a charge with fixed bayonets. Another battery, however, opened, which rendered a retreat to the former position necessary; notwithstanding which, the British troops, under the command of Majorgeneral Lake, behaved so gallantly, that they contributed not a little to the success of the day. Dampierre received a mortal wound in the course of this action, his thigh having been carried away by a cannon-shot, and the command of the French troops devolved on Lamarche in right of seniority.

On the morning of May 9, the French began to erect batteries along the front of the Austrian and Prussian lines, commanded by the generals Clairfayt and Knobledorff. The imperialists were now resolved to carry their works by assault; and, in order to enable as many of the combined forces as possible to take the field, the Duke of York, who was about to return to Tournay with his troops, once more occupied the positions at