and provifions into Genoa, fhewed ittelf, for fome little time, on the coafts of Tuscany, and had again the good fortune to return by the fame road, and, on the twenty-firft of July, to enter fafely into the port of Breft, taking with it the Spanish fleet, which had joined it off Cadiz, the whole amounting to forty-feven fail of the line. This expedition had an impofing and promifing af pect; and no doubt was entertained in France, but it would end in fome atchievement splendid and decifive. The general mortification was in proportion to the general expectation. And the expenditure of fo many millions on fo vain and fruitlefs a fhew afforded a new proof of the extravagance and folly of the directory. CHAP. CHAP. XVI. Expedition, under the Command of the Duke of York, to Holland.-Objec of this.-Plan of Co-operation between Great Britain and Ruffia.-An Armament fets fail from Deal, on the thirteenth of Auguft.- Plan of Operations.-Stormy Weather.-The British Troops land at HelderForce oppofed to them.-Engagement.-The British Army gains Poffeffion of Helder.Surrender of the Dutch Fleet.-Pofition and Force of the Enemy.-An Action, in which they are defeated, and forced to retire te Alkmaer-Engagement on the nineteenth of September.-Motives which induced the Duke of York to renew the Attack on the Enemy.-Several Places on the Zuyder-Sea, fubmit to the British Flag, and the Authority of the Prince of Orange.The British Army, on the fecond of October, attacks the French.Who are defeated.-Progress of the British Army to Alkmacr.-The French take Poft on the Ifthmus betwzen Beverwick and the Zuyder-Sea. The British moped forward to a new Pofition. The French advance from Beverwick to meet them. Engagement.-Night coming on, undecided. The British Troops withdraw from their advanced Pofition to their former Station at Schagenbrug. Attacks on the British at Schagenbrug.-Repulfed.-Farther Succeffes of the Marine Force of the British in the Zuyder-Sea-Sufpenfion of Arms.-Capitulation.-The British and Ruffian Forces return to England.Meeting of the British Parliament in September.-Its Proceedings. Ν IN the whole courfe and extent of the prefent war, nothing could be more natural than for the court of London, and the British nation, to make a great effort for the deliverance of the United Provinces from the state of fervitude and degradation into which they had fallen, and to restore them to their rank among the independent nations of Europe, a rich, flourishing, and happy country. The provinces had long been connected with England, by various ties, between the houses of Orange and Brunswick, as well as the other claffes in fociety, by religion, habits, mutual good offices, common interefis, and a reciproca tion of commercial advantage. Although commercial rivality and jealoufy, inflamed by the intrigues of France, had fometimes fet England and Holland by the ears, their mu tual hoftilities were not inveterate, Their moft effential interefts were confidered to be at bottom the fame. His late majesty king George II. was wont to fay of England and Holland, "that they were like man and wife, who might have their bickerings, but ought never to part." By the united influence of the fa milies of Brandenbourg, including that of Hanover, the ftadtholder had, had, at different times, recovered his power, and extended his prerogative. By the fpirited and united exertions of Pruffia and Great Britain, the defigns of France, in the Seven United Provinces, in 1787, were defeated, and a tripple alliance, offenfive and defenfive, formed among the ftates-general, Pruffia, and England. The revolution in Holland, in confequence of which that alliance was formed, was one of the most rapid, as well as leaft fanguinary and deftructive recorded in hiftory. The remembrance of this atchievement naturally fuggefted the idea of accomplishing fuch another, by the fame or fimilar means. Though the French had penetrated into Holland, in 1794, through the unforeseen defection of the king of Pruffia, from the coalition against the French republic, and the early and fudden freezing of the rivers, still lefs forefeen, this conqueft did not seem to poffefs the permanency that arifes from long meditated defigns, matured by a general concert of wills, among the invaders and invaded. The public voice of the provinces, though fuppreffed by an overbearing force, was till in favour of the ftadtholder, and a connection with England. No pains were wanting, in order to indece the court of Berlin to return to the fuccefs, the advantages, and the glory of its conduct, refpecting the United Provinces in 1787, but all in vain. The recovery of thofe countries from the influence, and, in fact, the dominion of France was an object of the first importance, not only to Great Britain, but the confedé racy. By the re-establishment of the fradtholder, a way would be prepared for opening again the cam paign in the low countries with an allied army, of fomenting infurrections among the inhabitants, a great part of whom were ftill ready for revolt; and, on the whole, for reftoring that political barrier, between France and Holland, which feemed fo indifputably neceffary, not only to the fecurity of British commerce and naval power, but to the independence of the greater part of Europe. Even if an attempt, for the deliverance of the provinces, fhould not be finally fuccefsful, still a great diverfion would be effected in favour of the allies, compelling the French to fend to the United Provinces a great part of the force deftined for the army of the Rhine. For an expedition therefore to Holland, a plan of co-operation was concerted between Great Britain and Ruffia, in the confidence that numbers of the Dutch, opening their eyes to their real interefts, would combine with thofe, whom they might juftly confider as their deliverers, as foon as they faw they could, with fafety, act according to their fentiments and withes. To enable them to exert themfelves for their emancipation from their prefent flavery, the most effectual means was to fend a powerful force to their affiftance. The preparations for the armament were rapid, energetic, and effectual. When the force was levied, all private convenience was willingly, and joyfully, fierificed to haften the troops to the place of destination. Early in Auguft, above twelve thousand men were assembled on the coaft of Kent, and above twelve thousand more were preparing, to reach the fame rendezvous. On the thirteenth of Auguft, fir Ralph Abercrombie and admiral Mitchel, let fet fail from Deal, with their army and fleet, and joined lord Duncan, in the north-feas. The weather being uncommonly ftormy, for that feafon of the year, they encountered great difficulties and danger in their voyage, and were, unexpectedly long before they arrived at its conclufion. The firft object was two-fold; to effect a landing in Holland, and to receive or take poffeffion of the Dutch fhips in the Texel. On Wednesday, the twenty-first of Auguft, they came in fight of the Dutch coaft, and had made a great preparation to land on the twenty-fecond. But, by a heavy gale of wind, they were forced out to fea. On Saturday, the twenty-fourth, they were again in fight of the Texel; but the weather was too fqually, and the furf too high, to attempt a landing, and it did not abate till Monday morning, the twenty-fixth. That day they came to anchor near the fhore of the Helder, a ftrong point, in the northern extremity of the main land of Holland, that commands the Mars-Diep, the narrow channel which joins the Zuyder-fea with the German ocean, between the continent and the island of the Texel, and which is the principal paffage of Amfterdam. There they made preparations for effecting a landing the next morning. At day-light, on the twenty-feventh, they began to difembark. The enemy had aflembled a numerous body of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, and were pofted at Calant oge to the right of the Helder, but did not oppofe the landing of the first divifion, waiting in hopes of attacking them before they could be fupported by the reft of the troops. Admiral Mitchel, with very 9 great fkill and ability, covered the landing of the troops, which fir Ralph fuperintended with equal intrepidity and vigour. Both the army and navy acted with the most perfect unanimity, infpired by mu tual confidence, famenefs of with and the most thorough reliance on the courage, profeffional knowledge and wildom, of their refpective lead ers. In the marine language of admiral Mitchel, they pulled heartil together. When the first divifion was landed, under lieutenant-general fir James Pultney, the enemy at tacked the right flank. The po tion of the troops was on a ridge of fand-hills, that firetch along the coaft from north to fouth. The British had no where fufficient ground on the right to form more than a battalion in line; yet, as fr Ralph obferves, the pofition, though fingular, was not, in our fituation, difadvantageous, having neither ca valry nor artillery. The conteft was arduous, and the lofs was.comfiderable; but the courage and perfeverance of the British troops, at length compelled the enemy to retire to a pofition fix miles diftant. Our lofs amounted to about five hundred. Sir James Pultney, who greatly diftinguifhed himfelt by has activity and bravery, received a wound in the arm, which obliged him to quit the field. As the ene my ftill retained poffeflion of the Helder, with a garrison of near two thousand men, the troops being now all landed, it was determined to attack it the next morning. The Dutch fleet, in the Mars Diep, go' under weigh; the garrifon was withdrawn, and two regiments.commanded by major-general Moore. and the marquis of Huntley, où the twenty-eighth, took poffeffon of l'e Helder Helder. The first fuccefs of this day was principally owing to genral Coote's brigade, commanded by colonel Macdonald, who, instead of waiting the attacks of the enemy, advanced on every occafion to meet them. In a fituation where the fimalleft piece of ground could not be loft without danger, this conduct was the best that could be purfued. Lord Duncan, naval commander in-chief, in the north fea, was off the Texel during an engagement, in which both his public and pri. vate affections were ftrongly interelied. His fon, a lieutenant in the guards, a youth of nineteen, was in the heat of the battle. By this time a re-enforcement had arrived of five thousand men. And the British army, the precaution being taken to strengthen the fortifications of the Helder, prepared to proceed in a foutherly direction. The British, having effected one part of their first object, which was to land their troops, and take poffetion of a poft of fecurity, foon after fucceeded in the fecond part. On the thirtieth of Auguft, admiral Mitchel fummoned the Dutch feet to furrender to the fquadron under his command, and to hoift the flag of the prince of Orange. The Dutch fleet, attached in general to the prince of Orange, furrendered, without ftriking a blow. It confifted of two thips of 74 guns; five of 68; one of 66; three of 54; eight of 44; two of 32; four of 24; one of 16; and four India men. Meanwhile, about feven thoufand more forces failed for Holland; and, on the ninth of September, his royal highness the duke of York fet off to take the chief command of the army. Expecting the arrival both of the additional British and Ruffian troops, fir Ralph continued at Helder, while, in the mean time, the island of the Texel was taken poffeffion of by our fleets. The French and Batavian forces, twenty-five, thousand ftrong, under the command of general Brune, occupied a strong pofition between the Helder and Alkmaer. The numbers and the ftrength of their pofition determined fir Ralph to continue on the defenfive until the arrival of the powerful reinforcements, which he, with certainty, expected. The enemy, confident in their numbers, September the tenth, ventured an attack, and a very obftinate engagement enlued, in which they were repulfed, with the lofs of one thoufand five hundred men, killed, wounded, or taken prifoners, while our lofs amounted to two hundred. The enemy retired to Alkmaer. His royal highnefs landed in Holland on the thirteenth of September; and foon after feven thoufand Ruffians, from Revel, and the third embarkation, confifting of about feven thoufand British troops, and ten thousand Ruffians, joined the army. The army now confifted of nearly thirty-five thousand men, including feventeen thoufand Ruffians, and was deemed fufficiently ftrong for offenfive operations. A general attack was refolved on by his highnefs; and, on the nineteenth, every arrangement was made. The army advanced in four columns, extending from the right to the left coast. The column, to the extremity of the right, confifted chiefly of the Ruffians, in twelve battalions, aflift ed by the feventh light-dragoons. and general Manners's brigade, was commanded by the Ruffian Leu tenant |