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Lord Moira had fecured his junction with the army under General Clairfait.

tended them. Actuated by this fundamental maxim of all permanent fuccefs, they preffed upon In the mean time, the exultation their enemies in every direction; of the French at their uninter- they purfued them without interrupted fucceffes, was boundlefs; miffion, and afforded them no opthe Convention refounded with portunity of making any effectual the applaufes of their Generals; ftand. After the battle of Fleurus, and they fpoke of their enemies in Prince Cobourg having reaffemthe moft unqualified terms of indig-, bled his broken army at Halle, exnation and contempt. On the 4th. erted his abilities to recover it from of July, the celebrated Deputy Bar-; the dejection as well as the disorder rere made a fpeech on occafion of the victories gained by the French, wherein he enumerated them with great pomp, or rather affectednets of expreffion. By the statements he laid before the Convention, it was asserted that in the different engagements with the combined armies, these had loft. thirty thoufand men flain in battle, befides thofe who had been made prifoners. It may be added, that had he difclofed the numbers of killed on the fide of the French, they would not probably have been found lefs confiderable. While the people in France confoled themfelves in their victories, for the many calamities that had befallen them in the progrefs of this fanguinary revolution, the French armies, elated at their fuperiority to all the refiftance the allies fruitJefsly endeavoured to make, and prefuming on the confternation which was daily encreafing among the allies and their adherents, were becoming more active and enterprizing than ever. Instead of re, laxing in their career, they now exerted additional diligence in im proving their good fortune. This indeed was their leading characteriftic at this period; and to this they were indebted for the furprizing profperity that now at

into which it had been thrown, by fo terrible a defeat. He advanced towards Mons, hoping to protect it from the enemy, by taking an advantageous pofition in its neigh-, bourhood; but he was on the 2d of July attacked with relentless fury by the French, who forced him to abandon his poft, and to evacuate Mons, into which they made their entrance at one of the gates, while he was hurrying with all ipeed out at another.

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Prince Cobourg, determined to ftand another trial to fave Bruffels from the enemy, threw up ftrong entrenchments in the foreft of Soignies, that lay between the French and that capital of the Auftrian Netherlands. This being the laft effort he proposed, or would indeed be able to make for its prefervation, he refolved on the most refolute defence. The Auftrians under his command, fought accord, ingly on this occafion, with great courage and obftinacy; and parti. cularly made a vaft flaughter of the French, by means of a formidable* artillery; but thefe terminated at length this bloody conflict, by rushing on the Auftrians with their bayonets. Notwithstanding the kill difplayed by Prince Cobourg, his troops were broken and their batteries feized; feven thoufand of

them

them were flain, or left wounded on the field of battle; and the refidue of his army, with the greatest difficulty made its way to Bruffels, through which it effected a retreat during the night. Whether he was afraid left the inhabitants of this metropolis fhould have gathered fuch intelligence from his retreating men, as might have proved detrimental to the allies, or whether he was unwilling that the people of Bruffels, whom he knew to be difaffected, fhould enjoy the fatisfaction of witneffing the flight of the Auftrians, their former mafters, from a place where they had fo long exercised unbounded, how ever hated authority, Prince Cobourg laid the ftrictest injunction on the inhabitants to remain within their houses, without opening their doors or windows, or prefuming to look through them, during the whole time of his army's retreat. Inftant death was threatened to the difobedient. Such was the last act of fovereignty exercited in this capital feat of the Auftrian domination and grandeur in the low countries, by the last Auftrian commander that had it in his power to enforce obedience.

The inhabitants of this great city beheld this revolution of affairs with uncommon pleafure. Every victory which the French gained, had long been to them a motive of rejoicing, as far as they durft avow their fentiments. On the rapid decline of the Auftrian intereft, they could no longer contain their fatisfaction; and the mingled effufions of their anger and arcafms at the flying Auftrians, proclaimed loudly to the world how ill, or at least how injudiciously, that family had ruled their fubjects in the

Netherlands, how little it knew how to conciliate their affection or esteem, and how unwife the attempt to maintain its power by haughtiness and coercion. Bruffels fell into the hands of the French on the 9th of July. This event was reciprocally viewed, by both the allies and the French, as a final conclufion of all farther hope on the part of the Emperor of ever repoffeffing it. Republican principles were fo deeply rooted among the Flemings, and fo few of them retained the leaft regard for the government of that family, which was now looked upon as expelled, that they proceeded, immediately on the junction of their metropolis to the arms of France, to borrow from the conquering people, to whom they now profeffed an unbounded attachment, all the forms and regulations which thefe new mafters thought proper to recommend for the good order of the ftate. Thus the whole French fyftem was adopted, and in a fhort time eftablished in every part of the Netherlands, frorn which the Auftrians were forced to withdraw. It was peculiarly fortunate for the French armies, that the period of their conquefts in the Netherlands was approaching to that of the harvest. The ground promifed abundant crops of every kind, and, notwithstanding the irregularities attending the motions of armies, the natural fertility of the foil, and the laborious industry of the inhabitants, had prepared ample fupplies.

The different armies of the Meufe, the Sambre, and the North, on the furrender of Bruffels, united their whole ftrength at this point, from which they propofed, as from the centre of their future operations,

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to direct their movements against to take their course, The reign

the allies. The plunder of every denomination which became the prize of the French, was equally of immenfe value, and of the highest utility. The rapidity with which the allied troops everywhere retired before them, left no leifure for the prefert ation of their magazines and ftores; and had the French made themselves mafters of thefe alone, they would have found enough to fupply the demands of a whole campaign. The gaiety with which the reception of the French was everywhere accompanied, was a remarkable contraft to the fullen filence with which the Flemings had beheld the arrival of the Auftrian troops, and viewed their departure. They feemed fo pleafed with their new guefts, that they met them at their gates with wine and other refreshments, and hailed them as their deliverers from oppreffion. We have feen in the courfe of this work, that feveral years before the French revolution, the imperial government had become hateful to the higher orders among the Flemish nation, on account of the premature and impolitic reforms of the Emperor Jofeph II. As the higher ranks were difcontented from a recollection of the paft conduct of the houfe of Auftria, fo the lower claffes were moved and agitated by the example of France -and fuch in general is the brief hiftory of infurrections, revolts, and revolutions. The poor, forming the mafs of the people, are always perfuaded that they have fomething good to hope for from a change of government. The rich and great, diflatisfied with their ancient rulers, and afraid of their return to power, fuffer things

of popular orators commences : outrages follow: the greater part of the nation are overawed by fear: an apprehenfion of popular violence, on the one hand, and a miftruft of royal amneffies on the other: a general liftleffness and defpondency prevails: an indifference about all political matters, which by the filent lapfe of time, ftrengthens the hand of ufurpation. The revolutions of France and of the low countries, may be clearly traced to the fame origin: the faults of their refpective governments, but prin cipally their corrupt administration of the finances, fqueezing payment for foldiers, and penfions for cour tiers, out of the blood and vitals of the people; premature and rafly innovations; and a multiplicity and fluctuation of councils and laws, which perplex the minds of plain men, and leaves them in fome malters at a lofs to know what is the precife conduct that they ought to hold with refpe&t to government. Confidence in government once loft, is not to be restored by manifeftos and proclamations. becomes impoflible to arrange the people around a centre of common opinions: fcarcely are two men who entertain exactly the fame fentiments concerning public affairs. An appeal is made, not to public law and the rights of nations, but to arms; and all things are determined by phyfical force, inftead of moral perfuafion.

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In the mean time the lofs of Oudenarde had been followed by that of Ghent, which the French entered on the 5th of July. This large city enabled them to station in it a numerous force, and to keep the allies in its neighbourhood in

continual

Continual alarm. The Duke of York, in confequence of thefe loffes, found it advisable to relinquifh the position he had taken, and to draw nearer to Antwerp; where it had been determined to form a junction with the troops lately brought from England by Lord Moira.

failed the pofts in the front of Mechlin, towards the canal, in its vicinity. The allies occupied a dyke, from whence they were not diflodged without an obftinate defence. But the numbers and impetuofity of the French improved this firft fuccefs fo completely, that no longer resistance was made, and the allies retired into Mechlin ; which appearing in their prefent fituation untenable, was immedi ately evacuated. The French were now in fuch force near Antwerp, and this last defeat had fo enabled them to command its environs, and traiten it on every fide, that with such inferior strength as the Duke's, it was not poffible long to retain poffeffion of it. The Duke refolved however to remain there, in order to cover the operations of the Dutch, and afford them an opportunity of putting their strong holds in the neighbourhood in a condition to make a vigorous defence..

This prudent and indefatigable commander had, after a moft tedious and difficult march, and encountering continual obftacles, reached the town of Aloft. Such had been the fufferings of his troops, that, from their leaving Oftend to their prefent pofition, they were without baggage and tents, and expofed all the way to the inclemency of weather. Prefuming on the fatigue they muft have endured, and their confequent wearinefs, the French attacked them on the 6th of July, immediately after their arrival, and forced an entrance into the town; but they were obliged to abandon it, after a fharp difpute, wherein they fuftained a much more confiderable lofs than the British troops. Two days after this action, Lord Moira effected a junction with the Duke of York. They pofted their united forces along the canal between Bruffels and Antwerp; but here they were not permitted to remain. The French attacked them in great ftrength on the 12th of this month; and they were compelled to take shelter in Mech-bers were fo reduced, that had the lin, closely preffed by the French; from hence however thefe were driven in their turn by a reinforcement brought forward by Lord Moira, and obliged to fall back on their posts with confiderable lofs. This check did not prevent the French from renewing their attack three days after. They af

But whatever determination the Dutch might have come to, to defend their fortreffes with refolution, they were totally averfe to meet the French in the field. Prince Cobourg had refolved, notwithftanding his late difafters, once more to have hazarded a battle with the enemy: but the Dutch troops refufed to fecond him. It was alleged by thofe who exculpated the Dutch, that their num

French been victorious, which was much to be apprehended, the lofs of the Dutch, in killed or taken, might be fo great as to difable them from effectually protecting their frontiers; which in that cafe would infallibly fall into the hands of the French. This defection of the Dutch entirely frustrated the inten

tions

tions of Prince Cobourg. His plan was, it feems, to collect whatever could be found in good order and condition of the allied troops, and with these to venture one courage ous trial of fortune with the enemy. His fuperiority in number was vifibly the principal caufe of his fuccefs; and if, through skilful difpofitions, this fuperiority could be guarded againft, the chances of war would remain equal, and hopes might be juftly entertained of giving battle to the enemy with fuccefs. But this, in the opinion of many, was a very perilous fcheme.' The numbers of the French were continually brought forwards with fo much arrangement, expedition*, and dexterity, that it was impoffible to avoid them. Their tactics were fo ordered as to maintain conftant fucceffion of attacks, which could not by any art be prevented: thus, whatever numbers they might bring into the field, they were all brought into action, and rendered of certain utility.

We have been repeatedly affured by different perfons, well informed on the fubject of French affairs at the prefent period, that the military plans and ftratagems of the French armies in the prefent campaign, were not fo often formed by the Generals, though unquestionably men of great genius and ability, as by the joint (if not fuperior) talents of a military committee established at Paris, for the

peculiar purpofe of directing all the grand operations of war on the immenfe frontiers of France in a fyftematic manner; and by the aid of the telegraph, almoft inftantaneous. This committee was treated by Robefpiere in his own way. The members who compofed it were placed, and in fact confined, in the Thuilleries; whither all kinds of military charts were brought to them from the war office, and all the military memoirs and obfervations of the most celebrated commanders that had been produced by France. In the antichamber of thefe gentlemen there was a number of aid des camps, and a multitude of couriers, for the purpose of tranfmitting fuch orders as could not be communicated by the telegraph. A hint was given them, that in cafe their meafures fhould not prove fucceffful, the guillotine was at their fervice. In this manner the cunning tyrant contrived to avail himself of the abilities and experience of many officers warmly attached to the royal family and the old government. It was of officers of this clafs indeed that the committee principally confifted: and, what is alfo very remarkable, among the members of this committee, there were feveral gentlemen who had offered their fervices to the army under the French princes in 1792, but were rejected on the score of their not belonging to the roy

Among other ingenious inventions in the art of war, a contrivance had by this time been fallen on for fending reinforcements of men from one place to another on fudden and great emergencies, with great celerity and without fatigue. It seemed, like other inventions of great importance, very fimple and obvious too after it was invented. It was no other than to take the affiftance of coaches and other wheel carriages. In this, as in other military improvements, the French have been imitated by their neighbours.

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