PART of the nobleft ftructures in the world, it being III. 400 feet longer than Westminster bridge, and

780 feet longer than London bridge: part of 1742. this town is built on a rifing ground, at the top of which stands Upper Prague, where is a magnificent palace belonging to the crown. Prague is pleasantly furrounded by fine fields and gardens, and adorned with a great many elegant houfes, churches, and convents: the inhabitants are computed to be about 100,000; and, excepting London, Paris, and Rome, no city has a greater concourfe of nobility and gentry, who are exceeded by none in affluence and grandeur, equalled by few in politeness and civility to ftrangers. The whole city is encompaffed with a wall, baftions, and other works, a citadel in the new town, and a castle in the little town, well provided with cannon, which render it as ftrong as a place of that extent can be; but it is commanded by the hills of Ginrifnitz, about a mile from the city though if the inhabitants had exerted themselves when the French and Bavarians first appeared before the city, they might have given them much trouble and difficulty; for in the year 1648, when General Koningsmark, with a numerous army, had furprized the little town, and was afterwards joined by Charles Guftavus Prince Palatine, with a reinforcement of 10,000 men, they in vain made many attempts on the old and new city, while nothing could overcome the refolution of the governor, who held out a confiderable time, till news came of the conclufion of a general peace.

MARSHAL BROGLIO having detached 20,000 men, under the Duke de Harcourt, into Bavaria, the French garrifon in, and army under, the walls of Prague, confifted now of 24,000

of

of their most valuable troops; and their beft CHAP. cavalry a part of that number; they were bufily III. employed in fortifying their camp, which they chofe on a very convenient fpot of ground, being 17424 a fort of peninfula, formed at the north end of the city by the winding of the river Moldau, by which the right, left, and rear, were fecured against any attack, fo that they had nothing but a narrow front to guard, and this was defended in flank by the cannon upon the ramparts of the city, as well as by the ftrong retrenchments they had raised in front, between the town and the river.

PRINCE CHARLES and Prince Lobkowitz, with the combined armies, amounting to 60,000 men, on the 25th of June, arrived within fight of Prague, and encamped on the hills of Ginrifnitz, about a mile and quarter from the city; from whence the army marched and encamped at Konigshall, nearer to Prague, where, on the 27th, the Grand Duke of Tufcany arrived in the camp.

THE appearance of the Auftrian army, convinced the French the force of oppofition would be of little fervice, and they resolved to try if they could extricate themselves by ftratagems of negociation. With this view, the French fent a trumpet to demand a conference, and the fame being granted, Marshal Belleifle, on the part of the French, and Count Konigsegg, on the part of the Auftrians, met at a place appointed near the Auftrian head quarters, where the marshal opened the conference, by faying,

He had inftructions from his court to treat of a general peace." As fuch a propofition was expected, the count was prepared to make a proper reply, and anfwered, "That his fovereign, VOL. I. Ggs

the

PART" the Queen of Hungary, would hearken to no III. propofals of that kind, without first consulting

"her allies;" which put an end to the confe1742. rence. The Auftrian ministry fuggefted fuch overtures would be attempted, and they knew the French would make advantageous propofals to get delivered out of their confinement: but how could they truft to fuch infidious offers, and rely upon the faith of that perfidious power! Or how could they venture to conclude a new capitulation with the very body of troops, who, had they not, contrary to all military honour and rules of war, broke a late capitulation, by which they faved their lives at Lintz a few months before, could not have been at Prague in that conjuncture, to have demanded a second opportunity to abuse the mercy of a generous victor! I might, with great reafon, be apprehended, that the French, if they had efcaped from their embarraffment by accommodation, would have fooked on any fuch treaty as only a ceffation of arms, which they had procured, as a temporary expedient, to deceive thofe as would be weak enough to confide in their engagements, and to fhun one of the moft weighty blows that France had ever felt in any fingle campaign.

WHEN Marshal Belleifle, fo eminent a ftatef man, found the Auftrians were too wary to be trapanned in his cobweb negociations, he held feveral other conferences with Count Konigsegg, concerning a capitulation for the furrender of the place: the French offered to evacuate Prague and all Bohemia, the fortreffes of Egra and Frauenberg included, on permiffion of marching off with their artillery, arms, and baggage; but the court of Vienna infifting they fhould furrender prifoners of war, the conferences were entirely

broke

broke off, and the place being invefted on all CHAP, fides, the trenches were opened on the 28th of III. July.

THE fame day General Feftititz, with a corps 1742. of 10,000 men, chiefly horfe, compofed of Hungarian volunteers, and the militia of that kingdom, received orders to approach Old Prague, in order to ftraiten the city on that fide, where he posted himself that night. The French marfhal, perceiving his defign, ordered the Duke de Grammont, and Prince Clermont, with two regiments of foot and several regiments of horse, being a body of 8,000 men, to prepare themfelves and fally out on the Auftrian quarters. On the 29th at day-break, the French advanced with fome field pieces in their front, and found General Feftititz, with his forces drawn up in good order, ready to receive them, at the dif tance of three quarters of a mile from the fuburbs. As the troops commanded by General Feftititz, were most of them young gentlemen who had never seen an enemy in the field before, he thought it neceffary to encourage them, and rode between their ranks, exhorting them to behave with spirit and refolution upon this occafion, for their own reputation and their national honour. The French began the attack with extraordinary vigour, and the fhock of their cavalry was fo impetuous, that the right wing of Hungarian horfe had certainly been overturned, but for a fortunate motion made by General Zzaczky to fuftain them. The French fell with equa! fury on the left wing, but were vigorously refifted; they returned thrice to the charge, but were not able to penetrate, notwithstanding all their efforts. The French infantry in the centre made a terrible fire, till they were broken by Ggg 2

the

PART the huffars; and then they rallied, returned to III. their pofts, and continued the engagement with

the greateft obftinacy imaginable. All this time 1742, the French had fome field pieces at their head, the fire of which continued during the whole action. About eight o'clock the affair became general, and it was paft ten before it could be difcerned where the advantage inclined. Gene ral Feftititz, about that time, made a motion as if he intended to take the French in flank on the left, which put them in diforder, and obliged them to prefs on the cavalry and infantry in the center. The whole body of Hungarians now renewed the charge, making fo warm and fo regular a fire, that the French were obliged to retreat, and regain the fuburbs; being purfued by the Hungarians under the very cannon of the ramparts and retrenchments, who made about 300 prifoners, having ftrewed the field of battle with as many of their dead bodies, while the Hungarians had about 150 men killed, and 200 wounded; though there is room to be furprized that the lofs was not greater on both fides, confidering that the engagement continued five hours with incredible obftinacy, and that the laft difcharge of the Hungarians, which decided the affair, happened when they were close together. Prince Clermont, who behaved with great intre. pidity, was dangerously wounded in the belly and the Hungarians had feveral officers killed who diftinguished themfelves on this occafion, and amongst them, Lieutenant-Colonel Sirakhy, who commanded a body of the nobility of the county of Eyfenberg.

As the French concluded that General Feftititz would quickly take up his quarters in the fuburbs, they took the most effectual method

they