The French once more retired within the line of their posts; and Suwarrow ordered the troops under his own immediate command to Asti, leaving Melas and Klenau to watch the motions of General Moreau; his design being to cover the siege of Coni, and to stop the progress of Championnet, who was then on his march to succeed Joubert, with large reinforcements.

When Suwarrow left Italy, in virtue of a new arrangement in the imperial courts, the main object of Kray and Melas was, to prevent the premeditated union of Moreau and Championnet before Coni. The army of the latter, being nearly insulated, was attacked near Fossano, on the 18th of September, by the Austrian commanders, Bellegarde, at the same time forcing his way through the chain of posts above Turin. This combined operation was so successful, that the greater part of the French were under the necessity of retreating to Suza with considerable loss. Championnet, however, went to Genoa in person, to receive from Moreau the command of the army of Italy. To relieve Massena from the joint pressure of the Austrians and Russians, the army of observation, formerly commanded by Bernadotte, received orders to penetrate once more into Germany. Having encamped in the neighbourhood of Mentz, General Muller, to whose charge this army was now confided, accordingly established his head-quarters at Manheim, and pushed his advanced guards as far as Heydelberg; while Baraguy D'Hilliers, advancing with a body of troops drawn from the neighbouring garrisons, imposed a contribution upon Frankfort, passed the Maine, and joined his countrymen in the territory of Darmstadt, August 28.

When the Archduke Charles was informed that the French were preparing to seize on the rich harvests of Germany, now left defenceless by his absence, he immediately sent forward a strong detachment; and, having conferred the command on General Hotze, prepared to recross the Rhine in person. General Stzarray was sent to the relief of Phillipsburg, now bombarded by a column of the French army, but who immediately retired on his approach.

Suwarrow made preparations for attacking the passes of Mount St. Gothard, and ascending the valley of the Levantine, with the Austrian generals Auffenberg and Laudohn; also, for repulsing Lecourbe, and pressing on Lucerne and Berne, to force Massena to abandon his position and cross the Aar, with the view of securing his rear. Lecourbe, surrounded on all hands, was obliged to abandon the important posts which he had held so long, the Russians extending themselves along the Lake of Zurich. Massena's army was superior to the enemy, before the arrival of Suwarrow; and of that superiority, while it remained, he de

termined to avail himself. He therefore ordered, BOOK III. on the 24th of September, a division of the army to cross the Limmat, where the Russians, under CHAP.XIV. Korsakow, lay encamped. Another division was 1799. directed to storm the heights on the west of Zurich, and a third to engage the Austrian advanced posts on the Linthe. Here General Hotze lost his life while reconnoitering the enemy, which threw the Austrians into confusion, when they fell back hastily towards Lichtenstein and St. Gall, thus separating themselves from the centre of the army. The attack on Zurich was equally successful. The Russians were forced to abandon the heights with terrible slaughter, and the town was carried sword in hand. Korsakow retreated to Schaffhausen by the way of Bulach, with the loss of his artillery and baggage. The French following up their advantages, the allies were under the necessity of crossing the Rhine, the lake of Constance being placed between them and the enemy.

Suwarrow, enraged at the news of this total and unexpected defeat, thus wrote to General Korsakow" You shall answer with your head, if you make another retrograde step: I am coming to repair your errors.' Having arrived in the valley of Muten, the Russians took possession of the bridge, after a most obstinate resistance, October 3. With much difficulty and constant fighting, the commander-in-chief penetrated as far as Schweitz, and carried the post of Brunnen by assault the next day, (October 4,) after meeting with a desperate opposition from Lecourbe, which was the last of his triumphs. Had he ventured through the valley of Glaris, he would have found Massena with a superior army, and the danger of his being surrounded would have been imminent. He left, indignantly, the cantons' of Schweitz and Glaris, retreating into the valley of the Grisons; by the Flemsthal, with the Austrian divisions under Auffenberg and Iellachich. This retreat was not accomplished without prodigious labor and loss, as the French closely pursued him behind, harassing and nearly destroying the rearguard, and taking part of the baggage and heavy artillery, which it was not possible for Suwarrow to carry off.

The Archduke having received information of the death of General Hotze, and the reverse of fortune in Switzerland which followed that event, abandoned his project of crossing the Rhine, instantly marching to the southward with the greater part of his army, and only leaving behind him sufficient to cover Manheim and Philipsburg. He held a council of war at Donaueschingen, on the 4th of October; and the Austrian army reentered Switzerland in a few days after. General Muller again crossing the Rhine in a few days after the departure of the Archduke, recovered

BOOK III. Frankfort, and dispersed the levies of armed pea santry, which were left nearly destitute of military support by the late movements.

CHAP. XIV.

1799.

As soon as Massena had ascertained that the haughty spirit of Suwarrow was humbled, by a retreat, he marched, with the utmost speed, against Korsakow, hitherto kept in check by General Ferino; and, having come up with the allies, commenced a terrible attack. The right wing, partly unable to withstand the shock, and parily intimidated by the late events, immediately gave way; but the left, chiefly composed of emigrants, and led on by the Duke D'Enghien, dis played their wonted valor, and proved that the French nobles, when brought into the field, were the most formidable adversaries of the French republicans. No sooner had the retreat of this portion of the army become inevitable, than the corps of Condé acted as the rear-guard; while Bauer, a Russian general, who had formerly distinguished himself in Poland, burst through the French infantry with his cavalry, and rejoined his countrymen, after leaving Constance, for the third time, in the possession of the enemy.

At length, the Russians rapidly retired from the field of action. Korsakow filed off by the lake of Constance, with the principal part of his forces; and Suwarrow, on the other side, who had for some time established his head-quarters at Coire, marched to Feldkirch, uniting the cordon on the right side of the lake, and joining the different divisions of his army at Lindau, more than a third of which had been sacrificed by the caprice of their commander, in a distant climate and foreign quarrel, far from their friends, families, and native home. After prodigious efforts, the armies on both sides being almost equally exhausted, were compelled to a kind of suspension of hostilities, waiting in silent expectation for the arrival of reinforcements, to renew these dreadful scenes of carnage, desolation, and death.

On the news of the first successes of Suwarrow, and rejoicings of the court of St. Petersburg, the Emperor Paul was highly offended that the states of Germany were not actuated in the defence of the same cause, with zeal similar to his own; in consequence of which, he issued an official notification, dated from St. Petersburg, on the 15th of September, addressed to all the members of the Germanic empire, and representing, "that, having been constantly animated with zeal for the cause of sovereigns, and desirous of putting an end to the devastations and disorders carried into the most distant countries by the impious govern ment under which France groaned in silence, he had taken the firm resolution of sending his forces by sea and land to succour the oppressed; to re-establish, without suffering the least division, the monarchy of France; the ancient government

of the United Provinces and the Helvetic Cantons; to preserve the integrity of the Germanic empire; and find his recompence in the happiness and tranquillity of Europe. Providence blessed his arms, and hitherto the Russian troops had triumphed over the enemies of thrones, religion, and social order; and he invites all the members of the Germanic empire to unite their forces with his, and rally round him; in which case he will not sheathe his sword till he has seen the downfall of the monster which threatens to crush all legal authorities." This declaration, however, could scarcely be received by those to whom it was addressed, till the victories mentioned in it were changed into sad defeats.

The hostile armies were nearly in the same situation, in the beginning of November, which they had occupied about six months before. The head-quarters of the Archduke were at Schaffhausen and Donaueschingen, and his former situation at Basle was resumed by Massena. Suwarrow fell back to Memmingen, having collected his troops in the vicinity of Lindau; and Coire, with the other posts, were evacuated, which he held in the Grisons. The Voralberg was still occupied by General Linken, who succeeded Hotze, and he kept up his communication with Feldkirch by means of the post of Mayenfeld.

The retreat of the Russians being resolved on, the Archduke Charles, determining to act in Switzerland on the defensive, sent what reinforcements he could collect, in the Tyrole and Carinthia, to strengthen Melas and Kray, the former of whom had invested the important fortress of Coni, hitherto regarded as impregnable, while the covering army was under the command of the latter officer, and Klenau was employed in the blockade of Genoa. Championnet, at last resolving to make one grand effort for the relief of Coni, endeavored to attempt the cutting off of the right wing of the Austrians on the side of Genoa, for which he made a number of feigned attacks on the left. General Melas, however, apprehending his design, added strength to the posts which were most in danger; and, on the 4th of Novem ber, the hostile armies prepared for a general engagement. The utmost bravery was exhibited by the combatants on both sides, and the mutual charges were furious, and sustained with firmness, none of them being gainers, and none of them willing to yield the advantage. Grenier's column, being overpowered by superior numbers, was broken by the exertions of General Ott; and the whole republican army were forced back to Valdizzio, after falling into confusion, which was wholly inevitable. General Melas having attacked them in the afternoon, Championnet retired to Contala, with additional loss, which place he abandoned in the night, leaving Coni to de

fend itself, after losing 8000 men in this bold attempt, although it was not crowned with any

success.

The French, under St. Cyr, had been severely checked by General Kray, while on his march to form a junction with Championnet, forcing him to retreat beyond the mountains of Novi. The account of the fall of Ancona was received about the same time, which had been blockaded by Russian and Turkish ships on sea, and on land by a body of Austrians under General Frolich, being strengthened by a numerous corps of insurgents. General Monnier surrendered to Frolich, who took possession of the place only in the name of the Emperor of Germany, which, when it came to be reported, was extremely offensive to the court of St. Petersburg.

The trenches before Coni were now formally opened, and a tremendous fire was kept up on that fortress, from nineteen batteries, mounting 200 pieces of cannon. A powder-magazine was A powder-magazine was set on fire, by a bomb accidentally falling upon it, which blew up a redoubt. The flames spread with rapidity, all hope of extinguishing which ex

1799.

pired, in consequence of the uninterrupted explo- BOOK IN. sion of bombs and shells. As the French commandant had not the most distant expectation of CHAP.XIV. relief, and as a prolongation of hostilities must inevitably destroy the place, he at last resolved to submit; a capitulation was signed, and the garrison surrendered as prisoners of war. Coni, in this manner, justly considered as the key of Piedmont, fell into the hands of the Austrians, and nothing of the splendid conquests of the French in Italy now remained, but the Ligurian territory.

Suwarrow, having assembled the scanty remains of his own troops at Coire, ordered the wreck of the army of Korsakow, and the corps of Condé, to form a junction with him. After some delay, he proceeded to Bohemia, where he spent the winter. Afterwards, this veteran field-marshal, having lost 60,000 of his best warriors, re tired to his native country, where he soon perished, either by poison or a broken heart.

General Championnet died at Nice, in conse quence of a contagious malady, which had swept away a multitude of the French soldiers in Italy.

NOTWITHSTANDING the desolation of other re publics, Holland still remained under the new government, supplying France with loans and reSources of every kind; by which means she continued to support her own declining credit. Therefore, in the grand plan of military operations, concerted between the confederate courts, it was determined that Great Britain should attempt a powerful diversion of the French arms, by the actual invasion of Holland, aided by a body of about 20,000 auxiliaries, to be furnished by Russia, exclusive of the force employed by the Emperor Paul in Italy and Switzerland. The benefits to be derived from this expedition were great and obvious: the ancient alliance between the two states would be renewed; the power of France diminished; and the Prince of Orange, at this time in exile, on account of his attachment to Eugland, restored to the rank of stadtholder

and captain-general of the forces by sea and land.

Though apparently of the utmost consequence that this expedition should have been undertaken at an early period of the campaign, the convention between Great Britain and Russia was not signed at St. Petersburgh till the 11th of June. By article IV. it was stipulated, that, on the arrival of the corps of 17,593 men at Revel, the sum of 44,000l. sterling was to be advanced immediately, and 44,0007. more paid in two months: the same sum was also to be furnished at the commencement of every month. By Article VI. his Britannic majesty engaged to provide and maintain, at his own expence, the necessary number of horses. And by Article VIII. it was agreed, that two months additional subsidies should be paid for the troops after their return to their own country.

1799.

1. Upon their quitting the port of Cronstadt, the sum of 58,9277. 10s. sterling was to be advanced for the expences of equipment for three months, over and above the subsidy of 19,6427. 10s. per month, to be paid always on the first day thereof.

2. As the squadron was already furnished with provisions for three months, the same was to be paid for by estimate.

3. The officers and sailors were to be fed at the expence of Great Britain; and

4. The officers were to be indemnified for the preparations made for the campaign.

Instead of keeping the object in view a secret, it was publicly known; and a considerable body of troops having been assembled on the coast of Kent, the necessary dispositions were made for effecting a descent. It was determined that there should be two successive expeditions, by two divisions of the army. The first, under General Sir Ralph Abercromby, an officer of great reputation and experience, sailed from the Downs early in August; and the other, under the Duke of York, whose rank as commander-in-chief, and dignity as prince of the blood, were calculated to confer splendor on the intended enterprise. These two divisions were composed of thirty battalions of infantry, besides cavalry and artillery, making, in conjunction with the Russians, an army of 45 or 50,000 men.

In the interim, the hereditary prince of Orange repaired to Lingen, on the Emms, where he assembled all the Stadtholderian party capable of bearing arms; magazines were at the same time formed at Bremen, and an active intercourse kept up with the partisans of his family. His serene highness, the Prince of Orange, had also prepared a proclamation, (dated at Hampton Court, July 28, 1799,) in which he informed his "dear countrymen," that the long-wished-for moment had arrived, when they were to be delivered from their several calamities. "His majesty, the King "His majesty, the King of Great Britain," he observed, "moved by his affection and friendship towards the republic of the United Provinces, and pitying your misfortunes, has taken the generous resolution, as soon as the general circumstances of Europe would admit, to employ, in concert with his allies, vigorous measures for your deliverance."

He

stated, that the troops sent to their assistance did not repair as enemies, but as friends and deliverers, in order to rescue them from the odious oppression under which they were kept by the French government, and to restore to them" the enjoyment of their religion and liberty; those invaluable blessings for which, with the divine protection, they and their ancestors had fought and

conquered. Hesitate not, therefore," he added, "brave inhabitants of the United Provinces, to meet and assist your deliverers. Receive them among you as friends, and protectors of the happiness and welfare of your country. Let every difference of political sentiments and opinions vanish before this great object. Do not suffer the spirit of party, or even the sense of the wrongs you have experienced, to induce you to commit any acts of revenge or persecution. Let your hearts and your hands be united to repel the common enemy, and to re-establish the liberty and independence of your common country."

His serene highness concluded by assuring them, that as soon as the first efforts, which they were making towards their delivery, had acquired some consistency," his dearly-beloved son, who was in possession of all his confidence, and deserving of theirs, would put himself at their head, and, following the steps of his illustrious ances tors, spare neither his property nor his life, in order to assist, for their sakes, in bringing this great undertaking to a successful issue."

The hereditary prince soon after published a declaration, nearly similar in substance to his father's, in which he promised forgiveness to all who should return to their duty, and assist in liberating their country. He also warned the present rulers not to offend any one, either belonging to the ancient legal government, or who should have distinguished himself as a partisan of the house of Orange; and so sanguine were the expectations of success, that "all who had been formerly employed in the departments of police, finance, and justice, were enjoined to take upon them the provisional administration of their former offices.

The first division of the army embarked on board 140 transports, and, on the 13th of August, sailed from Margate, Ramsgate, and the neighbouring ports; after which they proceeded, under the convoy of Vice-admiral Mitchell, to join Lord Duncan, who was cruising in the north seas. Two grand objects were embraced upon this occasion; the first was the possession of the Helder, which would not only confer on the invaders a sea-port and arsenal, but contribute greatly to the attainment of the second object, namely, the possession of the Batavian fleet, most of the seamen and some of the officers of which were discontented with the new government, while the naval commander himself was supposed not to be wholly averse from the cause of the Stadtholder.

From the first moment of embarkation, the weather proved so adverse to the designs of the English, that apprehensions were entertained of a

deficiency of water, and a certain period was actually fixed, on the expiration of which it would not have been deemed prudent to hazard

an attack. Five days, however, before this fixed period, the weather became so favorable, that the tieet was enabled to stand in for the Dutch coast.

Notwithstanding a landing could not be immediately effected, General Abercromby seized on this opportunity to disperse the proclamation of the Prince of Orange, as well as another of his own, in which it was stated, "that his majesty, the King of Great Britain, the ancient ally of the United Provinces, had entrusted him with the command of a body of troops," and that it was not" as enemies, but as friends and deliverers, that the English now entered their territories. This undertaking," he continued, "had no other object in view, but to deliver the inhabitants, heretofore free and happy, from the oppression under which they groaned; to protect their religious worship against the persecuting intolerance of incredulity and atheism; to rescue their administration from the violence experienced from anarchy and rapaciousness; and to re-establish them in the possession of their ancient liberty and independence, so closely connected with the privileges of that constitution, by means of which their ancestors fought and conquered under the standards of the Princes of Orange-privileges, whose influence had proved to the United Provinces a perennial source of prosperity, under the auspices of the amity and alliance of Great Bri

tain."

At the same time, his excellency found means to transmit a summons to the commanding officer of the Dutch troops; while Lord Duncan sent a letter to the admiral of the Batavian fleet, on the supposition that the forces were about to land immediately, stating, that as more than 20,000 men had disembarked at the Helder," he had now an opportunity of manifesting his zeal to the Prince of Orange, by declaring for him, together with all the ships that might choose to follow his example." The answers were, however, unfavorable; the former having replied," that he would oppose the progress of the army with the brave troops under his command;" and the latter," that the enemy might expect a defence from him worthy of his

nation and his honor."

Although the squadron had been once more forced to sea, yet, through unceasing efforts, the shore of the Helder was again descried, and the troops began to disembark by day-light, August 27, all the bomb-vessels, sloops, and gun-brigs, being stationed so as to open a well-directed fire, in order to scour the beach, and prevent all opposition from the enemy.

General Daendels having assembled a body of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, near Callanstorg, made repeated attempts to dislodge the right of the British, now posted on a ridge of sand-hills, stretching along the coast from north to south,

1799.

and incapable of forming more than a battalion BOOK III. in line of battle; but the narrowness of the position was, upon the whole, favorable to troops enCHAP. XV. tirely destitute of horse and artillery; so that the enemy, instead of being able to make any impression, were, after a sharp but irregular engagement, which lasted for some hours, obliged to retire to another position, six miles in the rear. According to the official account, the English lost 500 men.

General Abercromby determined immediately to attack the Helder; and the brigades commanded by the Major-generals Moore and Burrard were accordingly destined for this undertaking. Late, however, in the evening, the garrison of the fort, consisting of about 2000 national troops, was withdrawn, and the English took poss session of the works next morning, August 28.

This was but a prelude to the great success which followed. Having shipped pilots at the Helder, Vice-admiral Mitchell, who succeeded to the command in the absence of Lord Duncan, got under sail with his squadron, for the purpose of reducing the Dutch fleet, which he was determined to follow to the walls of Amsterdam, unless they surrendered to the British flag, or capitulated to the Prince of Orange. Accordingly, August 30, he formed the line of battle, as follows:

At five o'clock in the morning, orders were given to prepare for action; and, notwithstanding two ships and a frigate ran on shore, the English passed the Helder point and Mars Diep, continuing their course along the Texel, in the channel that leads to the Vleiter, the Dutch being then at anchor at the Red Buoy.

The Dutch government had not been inert in preparing the means of defence and resistance. Their naval force consisted of nine ships of the line, and a great number of frigates, under the command of Admiral Story, who had saved himself by an early flight from the battle off Camperdown. Their military did not exceed 20,000 men, to which must be added about 15,000 French, under General Brune, the directory not