lerable port,, commands the paffage of that river. Thefe circumstances, as well as its central fituation, lying nearly mid-way, between the entrance into Crim Tartary, by the Ifthmus of Precop on the eaft, and the mouths of the Danube on the fouth-weft, render it a place of the utmost importance to the Turks fo that it may be properly confidered as one of the principal keys of all the intermediate provinces. It was befieged by count Munich in the year 1737, when a bomb having blown up the principal magazine, and fet the town on fire, the Ruffians, during the confufion, took it by ftorm; in which affault, the celebrated generals, Lowendahl and Keith, were wounded. They were, however, obliged to abandon it the enfuing year, after it had coft them above 20,000 men; it being found impracticable to fupport or protect a garrifon at fo great a diftance, in the midst of defart countries, which cannot be entered by an hoftile army, without its carrying every neceffary along with it, even to water, that would be requifite for the victualling of a fleet."

the

At this time, a fmall Turkish army was encamped under walls, which the Ruffian general attacked in it trenches, notwithftanding the fire of the town; but was repulfed, its was faid, with very great lofs. This action was reprefented at Conftantinople as an important victory.

While the contending powers were attacking each other in every vulnerable part on the fide of Europe, the Tartar Afiatic nations in their different interests, extended the rage of war into another quar

May 9.

ter of the globe. A bloody engagement was fought between the Calmucks, and those Tartars that inhabit the banks of the Kuban, lying between the Black and the Cafpian Seas. This engagement lafted from two in the afternoon, to fun-fet; when the Calmucks, by the help of fome Ruffian officers, with a detachment of dragoons and coffacks, and two pieces of cannon, gained the victory, having made a great flaughter, and taken above 5000 horfes. No prifoners were made upon this occafion, as the Calmucks gave no quarter.,

On the other hand, the European Tartars penetrated into the Ruffian Ukraine on the fide of Backmuth, where they again renewed all thofe devaftations, of which they had before given fuch fatal fpecimens in the province of New Servia. The expeditions in these parts, give frequent occafion to remind us of the fpirit of wars in the earliest times, the principal actions of which confifted in either deftroying the people, or making them captive, and in driving away vaft flocks, and numerous herds of cattle.

Prince Gallitzin had again recovered the Niefter, and encamped on its banks. Detachments from both fides continually paffed that river, which occafioned a great number of bloody fkirmishes, and the ruin of the neighbouring countries. The Grand Signior, who had entered into this war as an ally and protector of Poland, now ordered a manifefto to be delivered to the foreign minifters, in which he declared war against the king of that country, and threatened

with the feveret enmity all thofe Poles who did not coincide with his patriotic views, by affifting the Ottoman forces and the Confederates, in restoring its liberty, and in the expulfion of the Ruffians. At the fame time he promised fupport and protection to all those who affifted in this defign. This example had been fet by the Ruffians, who long before iffued a declaration, that a fimple acquiefence or neutrality, would not be deemed fufficient caufes of protection or fafety; but that all Poles, who did not avowedly declare themselves on their fide, were to be treated as rebels. By thefe inhuman declarations, the unhappy Polanders were reduced to the cruel dilemma, of being treated as rebels by one of their officious friends and protectors, let them take which fide they would; nor was a quiet and humble fubmiffion to the powers in being, fufficient to preferve their lives or properties.

In the mean time the grand Turkish army moved very flowly, and the vizir had uncommon difficulties to encounter. It may be eafily conceived how hard it was to preferve or establish order among fuch ferocious crowds, compofed of different nations, who hated or defpifed one another; who were totally unacquainted with all manner of difcipline, and who never before had been in a camp, nor had feen any kind of fervice. The of ficers were as incapable of agreeing among themselves, as they were of obeying their fuperiors; and the feveral corps which they commanded having efpoufed their quarrels, have been upon the point of deciding them by arms. The ja nizaries, who always used to fet the

example of order and difcipline to the other troops, were now almost as licentious as any of the reft. The peftilence alfo raged in the camp, which added to the difficulties that the general had to encounter.

As far as we can judge by his conduct, and from fuch accounts as have appeared, the grand vizir feemed well qualified for the arduous task to which he was appointed. Senfible of his own defects, he endeavoured to fupply by his natural caution, prudence, and fagacity, the want of military knowledge and experience. He cautiously abftained from bringing an overgrown and tumultuous crowd to a general action, but endeavoured by degrees to habituate them to difcipline, and to the regularity and order of a camp. In the mean time he made effectual ufe of the fuperiority of his cavalry: the forces on the frontiers were continually fupplied by strong detachments,who had an opportunity of trying their courage and acquiring experience, without a defeat being attended with any dangerous confequence.

Thefe feem to have been the outlines of this general's conduct, and the principles upon which he continued fo long a time encamped at Ifackee, upon the banks of the Danube. In the mean time prince Gallitzin made preparations for paffing the Niefter, and for again attempting the fortress of Choczim. To this purpofe he left general Rennecamp with a confiderable body of troops in his camp, to divert the attention of the enemy on the oppofite fide. This manouvre had the desired effect, while the prince at the head of the greater [C2]

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part of the troops, having marched lower down the river, croffed it without difficulty, and paffing thro' the foreft of Bukowina,

July 13. appeared fuddenly at the back of a confiderable Turkish army, which was encamped under the command of a ferafkier, in the neighbourhood of Choczim.

The Ruffians began the battle about fix o'clock in the morning, under the advantage of a prodigious cannonade, which was continued during the greatest part of the action. The attack was made and fupported with great fury, and the defence, notwithstanding the furprize, seems to have been equally obftinate, for it was one o'clock before the Turks were beat out of their camp. At that time they divided into three bodies, the largest of which retired with great precipitation towards Kalus, another entered into the town, and the third took poffeffion of the old entrenchments under the walls.

This was the moft confiderable, as well as the best fought action, that had yet happened between the hoftile powers. No account has been published of the lofs fuftained on either fide, but by the length of time that the engagement lafted, and the obstinacy with which it was fought, it must have been very confiderable. The great advantage which the Ruffians had in this and every other engagement, depended upon the vaft fuperiority of their infantry. The fteady and continual fire kept up by this body, was intolerable to the Turks; who, fuperftitiously wedded to old cuftoms and opinions, could never be brought to make ufe of the bayo net; but placing their whole confidence in the fabre, with which

they first acquired conqueft and renown, regard even the musket with indifference.

The Ruffians immediately invefted Choczim, and erected feveral batteries from which they threw bombs and red hot balls into the town. They were not however able to befiege it in form. The garrifon confifted of 13,000 men, who made frequent fallies upon them; and great bodies of horfe from the grand vizir's camp, who was now confiderably advanced on this fide of the Danube, kept them in continual awe, and action.

The Turkish army, divided in three great bodies, approached every day nearer to the Ruffians; in proportion to which the attacks upon their parties, and the alarms to their camp, became more frequent and ferious, and their fituation grew more critical. In the mean time the garrifon of Choczim was greatly diftreffed for provifions and forage, and general Stoffeln, who conducted the fiege, endeavoured to cut off their water, by planting batteries on the banks of the Niefter, in which he so far fucceeded, that it is faid they had but two wells left in their poffeffion. General Romanzow also advanced with his army from the fide of the Ukraine, to cover or support prince Gallitzin.

A grand detachment of Turkish horfe, and a great body of Tartars, were hereupon fent by the vizir to throw a large convoy of provifions into the town. These troops having approach- Aug. 2d. ed the Ruffian camp, the advanced guards on both fides began to engage about noon. two o'clock the Turkish army extended its lines, as if it intended

At

to

to surround the Ruffian camp, and to attack it in all parts at once. In the mean time the garrifon of Choczim made a furious fally, and the engagement became very warm. Though the Ruffian troops behaved with the greatest bravery, and their cavalry repulfed the enemy feveral times, yet the attacks were made with fuch vigour, and carried on in fo many different places at once, that the Turks at length penetrated to the redoubts in the left wing of the Ruffian camp. The affair began to grow ferious; but the Ruffian artillery and bombs turned the fortune of the day, and made fuch a dreadful havock among the enemy, that they were obliged to retire. And at length, about eight o'clock in the evening, the Turks and Tartars finding all their efforts fruitless, fled with great precipitation, and were purfued to a confiderable diftance by the Ruffian light troops.

This is the Ruffian account of this action, and we have met with no other. In general it is more moderate, and fomewhat more intelligible, than any other that came from the fame quarter during the campaign. But when the fame writer tells us afterwards, that a battle between two large armies, which lafted for eight hours, and was fought with the greateft fury, (the fuccefs of which by his own account was for a long time very doubtful) coft the Ruffians no more than a few huffars killed and wounded, it is not eafy to reftrain fome degree of contempt and indignation, at so improbable an ac

count.

The cannonade and bombardment of Choczim ftill continued; but an account being received,

The Turkish army, which now amounted to 70,000 men, animated by this advantage, marched directly to Choczim, and braved prince Gallitzin in his trenches, who being afraid of another engagement, broke up his camp that night, and retired to a ftrong one he had formerly poffeffed in the foreft of Buckowina. Thus was the fiege of Choczim raised a fecond time. Prince Gallitzin continued fome days in this camp to gather up the fhattered remains of Proforowski's army, which were continually overlaid and oppreffed by the Turkish cavalry, who covered the whole country.

Aug. 16.

The prince having accomplished this purpofe, repaffed the Niefter; his expeditions over that river having hitherto proved very unfortunate. It was computed that the fiege of Choczim, and the actions confequent to it, cost the Ruffians above twenty thousand men. The enemy purfued them very closely in their retreat, and attacked their rear with great fury at the paffage of the Niefter, where, it was faid, that they broke the Ruffian bridges, funk a great number of their boats, and killed and drowned above three thousand men, befides taking thirty pieces of cannon.

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