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was made on the important post of Faron, on the night of September 30. A picquet of 60 men was in consequence of this driven in from the Pas de la Malgue, about break of day: and on returning to the redoubt of Faron, it was found that it had been abandoned by the Spanish garrison; which, as well as the summit of an adjoining mountain, hitherto deemed almost inaccessible, was taken possession of by the French. When news of this unfortunate event reached Toulon, a council of officers was assembled, and it was determined to make an attack upon the west, while Governor Elphinstone effected a diversion on the side of the redoubt of Faron. Lord Mulgrave, with a column consisting of British and Piedmontese troops, led the way on the 1st of October; while Admiral Gravina, with another consisting of Spaniards' and Neapolitans, followed; the care of Toulon and fort La Malgue having been, in the mean time, undertaken by Lord Hood. The enemy defended their position, and an obstinate engagement ensued. At length the French were obliged to abandon the redoubt, and retire in confusion. The action was short, but hot; and the French had upon the heights from 1800 to 2000 men, the flower of the eastern army; but not a fourth part of which, as supposed, ever returned to head-quarters, for those who fell not by bullet or bayonet, broke their necks in tumbling headlong over the precipices in their flight.

On the 8th of October a successful sally was also made against the new-erected batteries, which the enemy had constructed at La Hauteur des Moulins and La Hauteur de Reineir. The viceadmiral being apprehensive lest the fleet might suffer from the latter, it was determined to destroy them. A detachment of British infantry, marines, Piedmontese, and French royalists, was accordingly ordered under arms at eight o'clock at night, Oct. 16, for that purpose. Their march to the top of the height was performed with all possible expedition, the troops observing the greatest order and silence; by which, with the assistance of an intelligent French deserter, who answered the sentinels of the enemy as they passed, the advanced party arrived at the entrance into their first battery perfectly undiscovered. The first sentinel having been put to death, the grenadiers and light infantry of the British line, under the command of Capt. Stewart of the 25th regiment, very gallantly rushed in, and put every man to the bayonet that opposed

them.

The French army, notwithstanding, increased daily, and skirmishes continually took place. At length a large detachment of the enemy, under General Lapoype, stormed and took possession of Cape Brun; which, by means of their superior numbers, they carried, after an obstinate resist

ance.

When news of this unfortunate event BOOK I. reached Lord Mulgrave, he marched out against them, but no engagement took place; and the CHAP. VI. fate of the garrison became every day more critical.

On the 27th of October, a reinforcement, consisting of the 1st battalion of the royals, the 18th regiment, and a battalion of the royal artillery, arrived from Gibraltar, along with Lieutenantgeneral O'Hara, who had been appointed governor of Toulon and its dependencies. Fort Mulgrave, on the heights of Balaguier, one of the most essential belonging to the place, was repeatedly attacked in November by the French, but gallantly defended by the British troops, though with considerable loss.

Admiral Lord Hood, Sir Gilbert Elliot, and General O'Hara, being now appointed Commissioners plenipotentiary under the great seal of England, and being all present, proceeded to act in the name of the King of Great Britain. They accordingly communicated his majesty's declaration, stating, "that when monarchy shall be restored in France, and a treaty of peace concluded, the town, forts, and harbour of Toulon, together with the ships and stores therein, should be restored according to the engagement entered into by the vice-admiral." The inhabitants, however, were anxious for the presence of Monsieur, brother to Louis XVI. whom they wished to receive in the character of Regent of France, but this favour was denied.

In the mean time the enemy became more strong, and a powerful army invaded Toulon. Dugommier was now appointed commander-inchief of the French army; and, as the surrender of this great naval arsenal greatly depended on the management of the immense artillery employed against it, an engineer capable of this great enterprise was most assiduously sought. Napoleon Bonaparte, an obscure Corsican, was at length deemed worthy of the trust. This extraordinary character, who lately set all Europe at defiance, had been educated at the military academy in France, and served as lieutenant in the regiment of La Fere. Having quitted his native island, in consequence of the troubles which prevailed there, he now offered his services; and, on the recommendation of his countryman Salicetti, he was employed on the present occasion by the deputy Barras. Bonaparte, convinced that the possession of Malbousquet, one of the principal out-posts of Toulon, would enable hira to bombard the town and arsenal, immediately opened a strong battery of heavy cannon and mortars on the height of Arenes; which, by means of an incessant fire of shot and shells, annoyed the position as intended. Governor O'Hara, in order to secure this important post, determined to destroy the new works, termed the convention

1793.

BOOK I. battery, and bring off the artillery. Having obtained a reinforcement of seamen from the fleet, CHAP. VI. to defend some redoubts from which he intended to withdraw the troops, he sent out at five o'clock 1793. in the morning of November 30, under the command of Major-general David Dundas, a detachment, consisting of 400 British, 300 Sardinians, 600 Neapolitans, 600 Spaniards, and 400 French. These different bodies were fortunate enough to surprise the redoubt, though obliged to cross a river on a single bridge, to divide afterwards into four columns, to march across olivegrounds, and to ascend a very considerable height cut into vine-terrasses. These arduous objects having been effected, the troops, flushed with success, rushed forward and pursued the enemy down the hill. The French general, taking advantage of this rashness, immediately advanced with a considerable body of troops, attacked the disordered assailants, and obliged them, in their turn, to make a precipitate retreat. On this occasion, the brave Lieutenantgeneral O'Hara received a wound in the arm, and was taken prisoner, while sitting down under a wall faint with the loss of blood. Several other officers fell also into the hands of the enemy, who now began to make nearer approaches to the place, and, by means of their batteries, not only attacked the posts of Malbousquet, Le Brun, and fort Mulgrave, on the heights of Balaguier, but also threatened a general assault. At this time the republican army amounted to nearly 40,000 men, while the allied troops, composed of different nations, never exceeded 12,000 rank and file.

The enemy being determined to push on the siege with increased ardor, by means of fresh supplies, who continually relieved the fatigued troops, opened two new batteries on Fort Mulgrave, at two o'clock in the morning of December 16, and from these and three former ones continued a very heavy cannonade and bombardment, which killed several of the allied troops, and destroyed the works. The next day having proved rainy, they afterwards continued to assemble, secretly, a large body of forces; and by these means they stormed the fortifications, and entered with screwed bayonets by that side defended by the Spaniards. The allied troops were consequently obliged to retire towards the shore of Balaguier.

Another attack took place at day-break on all the posts occupied by the garrison on the mountain of Faron. These were repulsed, however, on the east side, by about 700 men, under the command of Col. Le Jermagnan, a Piedmontese officer, who fell in this engagement; notwithstanding, the French found means to penetrate by the back of the mountain, though 1800 feet high, so as to occupy the side which overlooked Toulon.

In consequence of the enemy's success, a council of flag and general officers assembled; and, as it was deemed impracticable to regain the posts that had been taken, on account of the superior number of the republican forces, it was determined to evacuate Toulon. The troops were accordingly withdrawn; and, in the course of that evening, the combined fleet occupied a new station in the outer road. The sick, wounded, and British field-artillery, were sent off early on the 18th of December; the Neapolitans, after abandoning the port of Micissey without orders, embarked at noon; and during the night measures were taken to withdraw the British, Piedmontese, and Spaniards, now not exceeding 7000 The town, as well as some of the ships, being now under the command of the enemy by their shot and shells, Lord Hood gave orders for the boats of the fleet to assemble near Fort Mal

men.

gue, in order that the retreat should take place as speedily as possible. His lordship had devised a plan for the destruction of all the French men of war and the arsenal, but the absolute necessity of a sudden evacuation prevented the complete execution of this design, which had been intrusted to Sir Sydney Smith. This gentleman, on entering the dock-yard, perceived that the artificers had already substituted the three-colored cockade in the place of the white one: about 600 galley-slaves, who had broken their fetters, grew enraged at his operations, and exhibited a determined resistance, when Sir Sydney Smith pointed the guns of two vessels in order to keep them in subjection. He then set fire to ten ships of the line and the arsenal, as well as to the mast-house, the great store-house, and other buildings; but the success expected from the conflagration was prevented by the calmness of the evening. Add to which, the Spaniards, instead of scuttling and sinking, set fire to the powder-ships; but they, as well as the English, were prevented from cutting the boom, and destroying the men of war in the bason, by the repeated volleys of musquetry from the flagship and the wall of the royal battery. However, the Hero and Themistocles were set on fire, and the party left for this purpose effected their retreat after a most desperate service: by daylight, December 19, all the British, Spanish, and Sicilian ships, crowded with the unfortunate inhabitants, were out of the reach of the enemy's vengeance. Rear-admiral Trogoff, on board the Commerce de Marseilles, with the Puissant and Pompée, two other ships of the line, and the Pearl, Arethusa, and Topaze frigates, with several corvettes, formed part of the English fleet, with which Lord Hood proceeded to Hieres Bay, and soon after landed the men, women, and children, with which his decks had been loaded.

The besieging army, which had provided 4,000

ladders for an assault, entered Toulon at seven o'clock in the morning of December 19, being the day after it had been evacuated by the combined army. Here, as well as at Marseilles and Lyons, the most cruel punishments were inflicted on the royalists. The sanguinary conquerors disgraced themselves by a dreadful and indiscriminate slaughter. Workmen were absolutely invited

from all the neighbouring departments to destroy BOOK 1. the principal houses and the population of Toulon, which now received the naine of Port de la CHAP. VII. Montagne, because visibly decreased by the daily butchery that took place; for all suspected of being inimical to the republican party, were shot or guillotined.

1793.

CHAPTER VII.

Action at Pirmasens.—Landau invested.-The Lines of Weissembourg carried.-Various Actions.-Fort Louis surrendered.-War in La Vendée.-War with Spain and Sardinia.

We shall now narrate the various successes of the campaign on the banks of the Rhine. When the army of the Moselle had been compelled to withdraw behind the Sarre, the Duke of Brunswick again took the field, and the republicans, who had marched out against him at Pirmasens, were defeated, on the 15th of September; for, by turning the flanks of the assailants, the duke took 3,000 of them prisoners, and obtained twentyseven pieces of cannon and two howitzers. Hitherto the Austrians had contended on unequal terms with the army of the Rhine, but the Duke of Brunswick, in order to support them, surprised a corps of French encamped near Bitche, and destroyed all the camp equipage belonging to it; while Kalkreuth defeated another body of assailants, and cut to pieces the sans culottes regiment.

Landau was invested by General Wurmser, who soon after advanced against the lines of Lauter and Weissembourg. These he attacked with his troops divided into six columns, carried by assault the various redoubts constructed in front of the French camps, took all the tents, nine standards, and twenty-six pieces of artillery; and, had not the retreat of the enemy been favored by a fog, the greater part must have perished. On this occasion the French declared that they were betrayed, and Hambert, a general of brigade, was condemned to death at Strasburgh, for having abandoned one of the principal redoubts at the attack of the lines of Weissembourg. To add to the misfortunes of the French army, Haguenau surrendered to General Mezaros; and, on the 17th of October, the enemy were beaten at Brumpt, and the important position at Wauzenau was, with all the campequipage, taken by the Austrians, while Fort Louis, nearly at the same time, after a siege of four days, surrendered with a garrison of 4,000

men.

The army of the Rhine having been reinforced with that of the Moselle, and considerably increased by means of new levies, Pichegru, lately a serjeant of artillery, and Hoche, were the generals employed on this occasion. The tide of victory now began to flow in another direction. The Prussians were attacked and defeated at Sarbruck, on the 17th of November. Early on the 18th their camp_at Bliescastel was stormed. On the 21st, Deux Ponts was captured; but, on the 29th and 30th, the Duke of Brunswick, in two attacks near Lautern, repulsed the enemy with great loss.

The victories of Pichegru now commenced. On the 8th of December, he took all the redoubts which defended Haguenau, at the point of the bayonet. The allies were driven from the town with great slaughter, and the heights of Reifhoffen, Jaudershoffen, and Wrotte, were successively stormed. The heights of Wrotte were strongly fortified, and deemed almost impregnable. Pichegru attacked them with his artillery, but, finding that this proved ineffectual, he marched up to the intrenchments, which he completely carried, after a strong resistance of three hours, and got possession of all the posts which the allied army had abandoned. On the 26th of December he triumphantly entered Weissembourg. The siege of Landau was raised when it was reduced to the greatest distress. Fort Louis was evacuated, and Kaiserslautern, Germersheim, and Spires, submitted to the French. General Wurmser retreated to the Rhine, and the Duke of Brunswick fell back to protect Mentz.

In La Vendée, however, the republicans were not so successful. The towns of Saumur and Machicoul had, in the course of the summer, been seized by the royalists; who, though afterwards defeated before Nantz, and frequently beaten by the garrison of Mentz, still kept possession of these places. Barrere having obtained

BOOK I. a decree for terminating this war in the course of a single month, the following ridiculous proclaCHAP. VII. mation was issued to the ariny of the west: "Soldiers of liberty! The rebels of La Ven1793. dée ought to be exterminated before the end of the month of October; the safety of the country requires, the impatience of the French commands, your courage ought to accomplish it. The national gratitude awaits all those who fight to secure liberty and equality."

Such was the presumption of the impatient Barrere, that in consequence of the successes obtained at Mortagne, Chollet, Chatillon, and Beaupreaux, that he soon after announced the total extinction of the rebellion; while Merlin, of Thionville, on his arrival from the western arniy, declared, with savage ecstasy, "that the insurgent territories were reduced to a heap of ashes, and soaking in blood." On the contrary, the royalists in these departments had not only fought several actions, but had actual possession of some of the neighbouring towns. Their leaders, not depending on their own strength, had entered into a correspondence with foreign powers; and at the close of the year a body of English troops, under the command of Lord Moira, had sailed to their assistance. Thus succoured, they made an attack on Granville, in order to keep open a communication, and facilitate the reception of supplies. La Roche Jaquelin, the chief of their leaders, was killed on this occasion, and the attempt failed. This put an end to the expedition, and Lord Moira consequently returned to England.

The royalists, notwithstanding, increased in La Vendée; and though fresh victories were daily announced in the convention, yet this enemy seemed bitterly to annoy the republican party.

Victories were also obtained against the French on the frontiers of Spain and Italy, notwithstanding the languid manner hostilities were carried on at the beginning. They were driven from the fort of Andaya, early in the spring, by Don Ventura Caro, who destroyed the encampments of Biritau. About the same time, Don Ricardos,

at the head of the army of Catalonia, defeated the republicans at Givet; and, after a bombardment of thirty-three days, Bellegarde was taken. General Dagobert attacked and carried a camp, belonging to the Spanish, at the bottom of Mount Libre; but the French were again defeated, near Perpignan, by Don Ricardos.

A formidable fleet, consisting of 19 sail, many of which were line of battle ships, had been fitted out by the French under Truguet, for the purpose of obtaining possession of the island of Sardinia. The isles of St. Peter and Antioch having been seized, this fleet appeared in the gulph of Cagliari, where the French admiral had retired with his garrison, containing 800 men. A deputation of 21 men was immediately sent on shore, with a flag and an officer, to demand the surrender of the capital. Seventeen of these having been put to death by the Sardinians, the remainder retreated to their boat. At length the fleet entered the harbour, and a desperate attack upon Cagliari commenced. The bombardment continued for three days, during which time the assailants were much annoyed by the red-hot balls that came from the shore. The shells which were thrown from the bomb vessels produced little or no effect, while those received did considerable injury; one ship being set on fire, and several others damaged in their masts and rigging. In short, this expedition proved abortive; for nearly all the troops, landed at various periods and in various places, were cut off by the brave inhabi tants.

The chief part of the republican troops having been recalled on account of the civil war in Toulon and Marseilles, the remainder were by no means a match for the Sardinians, who completely defeated them in the county of Nice; and it appeared that the whole of Savoy would have been recovered by its ancient masters. However, the exertions of the King of Sardinia, though supported by the English fleet in the Mediterranean, were not sufficiently strenuous; and his army met with a severe defeat about the latter end of October, which gave a different appearance to the approaching campaign.

CHAPTER VIII.

Conduct of the contending Parties.—Campaign in Flanders.-Actions at Landrecies, Tournay, and Turcoing.-Capture of Ypres and Charleroi.-Battle of Fleurus.-Proceedings of the British Army.-Action at Mons.-The French enter Brussels.-Re-capture of the Fortresses on the northern Frontier.-Defeat of Clairfayt.-The Austrians driven beyond the Rhine.-Conquest of Holland.

GREAT preparations were made by all the contending parties for the campaign of 1794; the defeated wishing to redeem the reputation of their arms, and the conquerors desirous of adding to their laurels. The courts of London and Vienna adopted the most efficacious measures for raising a powerful body of men; and Colonel Mack, an officer in the confidence of the emperor, was sent to England, in order to concert a plan of operations with the British ministry.

Early in this year, an intercourse took place between commissioners from the French republic and General Kalkreuth, at Frankfort, which rendered the conduct of the cabinet of Berlin doubtful. About the same time too, the King of Prussia informed the diet of Ratisbon, that unless his troops received subsistence at the public expence, he should be obliged to withdraw the army on the Rhine, and contribute no more than his simple contingent. Such was the deep policy of the court of Berlin at this time, that England and Holland immediately entered into a subsidiary treaty for the maintenance of 62,400 men. The Austrian troops in the Low Countries having been increased, they amounted to nearly 150,000 men; and it was determined that his imperial majesty should command the allies in person, in order to prevent any jealousies similar to those which had occurred in the course of the preceding autumn. On the arrival of the emperor at Brussels, he was complimented by the States with the title of the Duke of Brabant. The solemnity of his inauguration was very flattering. The keys of the gates of Louvain were presented to his imperial majesty, bearing this inscription"Cæsar adest, frement Galli." On his arrival at Valenciennes he was joyfully received by the combined armies, consisting of Austrians, British, Dutch, Hanoverians, and Hessians, amounting to 187,000 men, whom the emperor reviewed on the 16th of April. On the following day they advanced in eight columns towards the small but strong town of Landrecies. The first, composed of Austrian and Dutch troops, under the command of Prince Christian of Hesse Darmstadt, seized on the village of Catillon, April 17, where they got four pieces of cannon. They then crossed the Sambre, and occupied a position between that river and the little Helpe.

The

1794.

second, under the command of Lieutenant-general BOOK I. Alvintzey, took post in the forest of Nouvion. The third, led by the emperor and the Prince de CHAP. VIII. Cobourg, having forced the enemy's intrenchments, advanced to the heights called the Grand and Petit Blocus. The fourth and fifth columns were formed from the army under the Duke of York. One was commanded by his royal highness, which was intended to attack the village of Vaux; and the other by Sir William Erskine.

Major-general Abercromby commenced the assault with the van, supported by the two grenadier companies of the first regiment of guards, commanded by Colonel Stanhope. The fire of the republicans was very brisk; but, on seeing they could not retain their position, they retreated. The Star redoubt was stormed and taken, while three battalions of Austrian grenadiers, under the command of Major Petrash, attacked the wood, and made themselves masters of the works which the French had constructed for its defence. Part of the fugitive enemy was cut off in the wood, and the remainder retired towards the main army by the village of Bouchain.

The forces under Sir William Erskine were no less successful; for finding the enemy posted at Premont, the brigade of British infantry, with four squadrons of light dragoons, was detached under Lieutenant-general Harcourt, to turn their position; while he himself made a bold attack in front, with three battalions of the regiment of Count Kaunitz, supported by a well-directed fire of British and Austrian artillery under the orders of Lieutenant-colonel Congreve; and not only obtained possession of the redoubts, but of a pair of colours and two pieces of cannon. Their cannon were also taken in the course of the day, by the column under the immediate command of his royal highness the Duke of York. In conse→ quence of this extensive attack, the French lost 30 pieces of artillery. The three columns, commanded by the hereditary Prince of Orange, did not come to action with the enemy, as they were only meant to watch the French on the side of Cambray.

These successes of tire allies détermined them to lay siege to Landrecies, and this important affair was entrusted to the direction of the Prince of Orange; while his imperial majesty with the

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