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The feather'd plunderers come in view,
And Mag foon joins the thiewish crew.
The watchful Gard'ner now ftands by,
With nimble hand and wary eye;
The birds begin their ftolen repast,
The flying net fecures them faft.

The vengeful clown, now filled with ire,
Does to a neighbouring fhade retire,
And, having firft fecur'd the doors
And windows, next the net explores.

Now, in revenge for pluuder'd feed,
Each felon he refolves fhall bleed,
Then twifts their little necks around,
And cafts them breathless on the ground.

Mag, who with man was us'd to herd,
Knew fomething more than common bird;
He therefore watch'd with anxious care,
And flipt himself from out the fnare,
Then, perch'd on nail remote from ground,
Obferves how deaths are dealt around.
Lord! bow be nicks us, Maggy cries:
The aftonifh'd Gard'ner lifts his eyes,
With fault'ring voice and panting breath
Exclaims, "Who's there?"—All still as death.
His murd'rous work he does resume,
And cafts his eye around the room

With caution, and at length does spy
The Magpye perch'd' on nail fo high!
The wond'ring clown from what he heard,
Believe's him fomething more than bird,
With fear imprefs'd does now retreat
Towards the door with trembling feet;
Then fays-" Thy name I do implore?"
The ready bird replies" Tom Moore.”
"O Lord!" the frighten'd clown replies,
With hair erect and staring eyes;
Half opening then the hovel door,
He afks the bird one quefion more:
"What brought you here?"-With quick
reply

Sly Mag rejoins-" Bad

company."
Qut jumps the Gard'ner in a fright,
And runs away with all his might;
And as he runs, imprefs'd with dread,
Exclaims, "The Devil's in the fbed!"

The wondrous tale a Bencher hears,
And foothes the man, and quells his fears,
Gets Mag fecured in wicker cage
Once more to spend his little rage:
In Temple Hall now hung on high,
Mag oft exclaims-" Bad company !”

MONTHLY REGISTER.

GAZETTE INTELLIGENCE. [As the accounts publifhed in the Gazettes regarding the important operations of the armies in Germany and in Italy, are the only information that can be depended on, we fhall give these in a connected feries, from p. 571.]

ON THE RHINE.

Downing-Street, July 30. The letter, of which the following is an extract, was received from Lieut. Col. Craufurd, dated head-quarters of his Royal Highness the Archduke Charles of Auftria, Eifingen, near Pfortzheim, July 11.

I have the honour to inform your Lordship, that on the 7th and 8th inft. the Archduke remained in the poffeffion of Ettlingen, in order to give time for the arrival at Pfortzheim of the Saxons, who were advancing from Graben to reinforce his Royal Highness's army; and the corps that had been detached into the mountains, under the command of General Keim, to cover the left, was ordered to take its principal pofition at Frawen Alb.

The Saxons reached Pfortzheim in the night of the 7th. On the 8th, the difpolition was made to attack General

Moreau on the roth, in the pofition of the Murg, at Raftadt, Kupenheim, and Gertzbach; and, on the 9th, whilft the preparatory movements were executing, in order to bring the troops forward to the different points from whence they were to advance the next morning, the enemy forced back the Archduke's advanced pofts with a part of their army, whilft their principal force attacked General Keim. His Royal Highne's immediately supported his advanced posts, and was victorious on his right, and along his whole front; but General Keim, after having made a moft obftinate refiftance, was obliged to yield to the fuperiority of numbers, and he retired to Pfortzheim. The Saxons, who were in march to cover that General's left flank, did the fame; and, as this unfortunate circumftance gave the enemy poffeffion of all the paffes in the mountains, on the Archduke's left, his Royal Highness found himself under the neceffity of marching with his main army to Pfortzhiem, on the roth, where he is now encamped.

The Auftrians loft on this occafion about 1600 men and four pieces of cannon. The lofs of the French cannot be

exactly

exactly afcertained, but it must have been very confiderable.

The Prince of Conde's corps, which has behaved with great bravery, was at Villingen on the 8th, the date of the laft accounts that were received from it. The Auftrian General Frolich ftill remained in the Brifgaw.

The enemy has paffed the Lahn, and the army, which was left for the defence of that part of the country, has retired to the pofition of Bergen, having thrown proper garrisons into Mayence and Ehrenbreitstein.

A difpatch, of which the following is a copy, has been received from Colonel Craufurd, dated head-quarters of his Royal Highnefs the Archduke Charles of Auftria, Felbach, near Stutgard, July 19. 1796.

MY LORD, I have the honour to inform your Lordship, that the Archduke, upon receiving intelligence that the ene my were marching towards Stutgard, with a view to cut off his Royal Highnefs's direct communication with Gen. Frolich and the Prince of Conde, moved from his camp near Pforthzeim on the 14th inftant, to Vahingen, upon the river Entz, where he remained the 15th and 16th. On the 17th, as the enemy continued their march towards Stutgard, his Royal Highness moved to Schwebertingen, and on the 18th to Ludwigsberg, having detached two small corps to occupy the bridges over the Necker at Canftadt, Unter Turnhen, and Eflingen, in order to cover his left flank, and fecure the great road from Stutgard to Ulm, by which lies his communication with his principal magazines.

In the afternoon of the 18th, the enemy arrived at Stutgard, and attempt ed to difodge the Auftrian advanced pofts, which were placed in fuch a manner as to command the roads leading from that city to Ludwigsberg and Canftadt. I

The attack commenced about four o'clock, and was directed with much violence against two diftinct corps; that on the left, posted near Canstadt, under the command of Gen. Baillet, and that on the right, between Canftadt and Feyerbach, under the Prince John of Lichtenftein. On the heights of Canftadt the enemy were repulfed three time but they fucceeded in making themselves mafters of the commanding ground on the Prince of Lichtenftein's

right flank, as he had not troops enough to occupy it in fufficient force.

However, his Highnefs determined to wait till the last moment for the arrival of Gen. Devay, who was marching to his fupport with another divifion of the troops that formed the advanced pofts of the army. In the mean time the enemy gained fo much ground, that even their mufquetry fire along the front and on the right flank croffed in the Prince of Lichtenstein's ranks, and it was with the greatest difficulty he could keep them from falling upon his rear. At this critical moment Gen. Devay appeared, and defeated that part of the enemy's troops who were in poffeffion of the heights on the Prince of Lichtenstein's right. This gave his Highnefs an opportunity of attacking in front, which he 1 with a degree of fuccefs that fully rewarded the exemplary firmness difplayed by himself and his fmall corps during the whole affair; and Gen. Baillet having maintained his ground on the left, notwithftanding the repeated efforts made to diflodge him, the action terminated, towards nine o'clock at night, in favour of the Austrians.

Their lofs amounted to about 900 men; that of the enemy was certainly much greater.

On the 19th, his Royal Highness croffed the Neckar, and encamped at Felbach, for the purpose of covering more effectually his communication with Ulm.

The contingent troops of the circle of Suabia having quitted the pofition of Sultz, on the Necker, and retired behind Keckingen, the Prince of Conde and General Frolich, who had united at Villingen, and were ftill there on the 17th, will by this time have been obliged moft probably to fall back.

General Wartenfleben withdrew the garrison of Frankfort on the 14th inft. as that place is not capable of defence; and he arranged with General Jourdan a partial armistice for two days, to give time for carrying off what still remained there belonging to the Auftrians. On the 16th, finding that the enemy were detaching round his right, through the Bishopric of Fulda, his Excellency continued his retreat towards Wurtzburgh, in the neighbourhood of which place he was with his whole force when the lait accounts came from him; fo that Wurtzburgh upon the Maine, Canstadt, 5 T ž

and

and Ehingen on the Neckar, and Sigmar marched against the heights of Eflingen ingen on the Danube, may be confidered with a very superior force. Their attack at this moment as nearly the principal commenced there about feven o'clock in points of the Austrian position. the morning; and, after five unfuccefsful efforts, they were obliged to retire to Hohenheim near Stutgard.

I have the honour to be, &c.
C. CRAUFURD.
Downing-Street, Aug. 23.
From Col. Craufurd to the Right Hon.
Lord Grenville.

Head-quarters of his Royal Highnefs the Archduke Charles of Auftria, Eflingen, July 22. MY LORD, I have the honour to inform your Lordship, that news arrived this morning of Gen. Wartenfleben's having been attacked on the 10th inft, by Gen. Jourdan at Friedberg, juft as he was preparing to retire to Bengen, and affemble his army in that camp.

The en my were, according to all reports, near four times as ftrong as the Auftrians; and the latter, after having repulfed three fucceflive attacks, were obliged to retire to Bengen, with the lofs of feveral hundred men, and one

cannon.

Gen. Wartenfleben's army had been divided into three corps along the Lahn, all of which were directing their march towards Bengen, but neither of them was fufficiently ftrong to make a ftand of any confequence, with a probability of fuccefs. The enemy, therefore, having arrived at the point of Friedberg, by rapid marches, the morning of the day that the Auftrians intended to quit that poft, found a force by no means adequate to refift them, and profited of this circumftance, as I have mentioned above, Proper garrifons are left in Mayence, Manheim, Philipfbourg, and Ehrenbreitftein. The Archduke remains encamped at Pfortzheim; the Prince of Conde at Villenger, and Gen. Froligh is ftill in the Brifgaw. I have the honour to be, &c. C. CRAUFURD.

MY LORD, Gemmund, July 24, I have the honour to inform your Lordship, that his Royal Highness the Archduke, upon receiving intelligence of the enemy's intention to dislodge the corps at Eflingen, and thus make themfelves mafters of the great road from Stutgard to Ulm, reinforced that important poft in the night of the 20th, and made the neceffary difpofitions for a moft vigorous defence.

On the 21ft, the enemy made feveral feints on the right, and along the whole front of the camp of Felbach, whilft they

The fkill with which this pofition was defended, and the vigour displayed in repulfing the reiterated and fevere attacks, on grounds fo interfected and woody, that neither cavalry nor artillery could act with efficacy, do equal honour to General Hotze who commanded, and the gallant troops that executed under his orders. The exceffive heat of the day, and the great fatigue that they experienced, as they had all been under arms, and most of them marching the whole preceding night, did not prevent them from contending most courageoufly with near double their numbers till eight o'clock, when victory rewarded fuch exemplary conduct. I have not the leaft intention of making any distinction between the merits of thofe brave men, who are all entitled to fo great a share of praife, but I cannot help obferving to your Lordship, that the first battalion of the Hungarian regiment of Spleny fought from the beginning of this action without being relieved, and, though it loft between three and four hundred men, remained in fire till night put a stop to its uncommon exertions. This circumstance is so much talked of in the army, that I feel called upon not to pass it over in filence.

The total lofs of the Auftrians on this day was about one thousand men, including feveral officers; that of the enemy amounted, according to the best eftimates which can be made from the reports of deferters and prisoners, to near two thoufand.

In the night of the 20th, the Archduke marched to Schorndorf, and on the 30th to this place. I have the honour to be, &c. C. CRAUFURD.

MY LORD, Nordlingen, Aug. 4. I have the honour to inform your Lordship, that his Royal Highness the Archduke marched from Gemmund on the 26th of July, and encamped with one part of his main army at Bohmenkirchen, and another at Urfpringen. Gen. Froligh was on the fouth of the Danube near Waldfee, the Prince of Conde near Ravenfpurg, and a corps under General Wolf at Bregentz; the Suabians were still at Bieberach, to which

place

place they had retired upon the conclu- MY LORD, Nordlingen, Aug. 5. fion of their armistice. General War- I have the honour to inform your tenfleben kept his pofition near Bam- Lordship, that the enemy attacked, this berg, having a small body of light troops afternoon, the advanced pofts commandbetween Nurenberg and Anfpach, for ed by the Prince John of Lichtenstein, the purpose of communicating with the near Kircheim; but they were repulfed Archduke. On the 29th Gen. Froligh, with the lofs of above two hundred men in compliance with an order from the taken prisoners, and a great number left Archduke, marched to Bieberach, fur- dead on the field. The general pofition rounded and difarmed the Suabian corps, of the armies remain the fame as yef obliged them to difperfe immediately, terday. I have the honour to be, &c. and retire behind the line of operations. C. CRAUFURD. -After which he took his pofition in P. S. News is this moment arrived of that neighbourhood, and the Prince of Gen. Kray's having obtained a confiderConde marched to Waldfee, leaving an able advantage over the enemy at Scuadvanced guard near Ravenfpurg. From ten, near Bamberg, in which neighbourthe 26th to the 30th, feveral fkirmishes hood he had been left by Gen. Wartenhappened between the advanced posts; fleben, upon the latter's marching to in all of these the Auftrians had the ad- Forcheim; but his Royal Highness has vantage; and a detachment of huffars not yet received the particulars of this furprised a large French reconnoitering affair. party near Hohenstadt, between Blan

Downing-Street, Aug. 30. beuren and Geiflingen, every man of From Col. Craufurd to the Right Hon. which were either killed or taken. Lord Grenville.

On the 31ft, as the magazines on the Danube were placed in safety, and as the enemy began to manoeuvre towards the Archduke's right, his Royal Highnefs determined to concentrate his principal force. He therefore moved, on the Ift Auguft, with his main army to Heydenheim, on the 2d to Nertheim, and on the 3d to Nordlingen, the detached corps retiring gradually, fo as to cover this march.

His Royal Highnefs' general pofition is now as follows: The main army at Nordlingen, with an advanced guard at Nerfheim; two fmall corps near Boppingen and Weiltingen, to obferve the roads leading from thofe places; and a corps of fuperior force at Gundelfingen, for the purpose of covering the left, and and keeping up the communication with Gen. Froligh and the Prince of Conde, the former of whom is at Weiffenhorn, on the Both, the latter at Memmingen, with his advanced guard at Wurtzah.

The enemy having difcovered the channel by which the water was conveyed into the fortress of Konningtein, cut off the fupply, and by that means reduced the garrifon, confifting of about five hundred men, to the neceflity of furrendering. The troops marched out with arms and baggage, and they returned into the Emperor's dominions, on condition of not serving till exchanged. I have the honour to be, &c.

C. CRAUFUrd,

MY LORD, Mettingen, Aug. 12. I have the honour to inform your Lordfhip, that the Archduke marched on the 9th inft. with the main army from Nordlingen, and took a pofition across the Eger rivulet, with his right towards Allerfheim, the centre in point of Mettingen, where the head-quarters were fixed, and his left towards Ilohenaltheim, for the purpose of covering more effectually the roads from Nordlingen and Ottingen to Donawert. The corps which had been posted at Nerfheim, under Gen. Hotze, had already fallen back to Forfheim and Aufhaufen, to keep up the direct communication with thofe on the left back of the Danube, commanded by Gen. Riefe, who was now encamped near Dillengen. Gen. Wartensleben had moved in the mean time to Forckheim, on the river Rednitz, and from thence to Lauf on the Pegnitz. Gen. Frolich, the Prince of Conde, and Gen. Wolf, remained nearly in the fame pofition as mentioned in my dispatch of the 4th.

The enemy attacked the Auftrian guards of Gen. Hotze and Reife on the 8th; but by a display of much skill and firmnefs, the firit of thofe Generals managed to lofe fo little ground, that the change of pofition, which was ordered for the next day, took place without interruption; and the latter, from his fi tuation being more advantageous, completely repulfed the attack that was made upon him.

On

On the 9th at night, information was received that the Prince of Conde had been obliged to retire to Mindenheim, on the Mindel, and Gen. Wolf into the defile of Bregnetz, where, however, he had pofted himfelf in fuch a manner as to check the enemy's manœuvre in that quarter. Gen. Wartenfleben alfo reported, that his pofition was so bad as to make it highly imprudent for him to await the attack which Gen. Jourdan, from his late movements, feemed to be meditating; and the fame day Gen. Moreau arrived in great force oppofite the center of his Royal Highness's extensive line, forming with his left on the heights of Umenheim, his center in point of Catzenftein, and his right on the heights of Dunftelkingen and Defchingen, with a corps to cover his flank near Laningen, on the Danube. His referve was between Nertheim and Konigsbron.

On the roth the enemy advanced a ftrong part of their firft line into the woods in their front, where they eftablished themselves firmly, and the fame evening, about fix o'clock, they attacked Gen. Hotze's left, at Eglingen and Amerdingen, with great impetuofity. They fucceeded in driving back his advanced pofts, but they made no impref fion on his left pofition, nor did they interrupt the attack that his Royal Highness intended to make upon them the next morning; of which the following was the difpofition:

An advanced guard, commanded by Prince John of Lichtenftein, supported by a small corps under Gen. Staray, was to march from the camp of Mettingen along the road that leads from Nordlingen to Nerfheim, and endeavour, by manoeuvring to the enemy's left flank, to diflodge them from the heights of Umenheim. The rest of the main army was to affemble at Foreheim, Aufhaufen, and Amerdingen, from whence it was to march in three columns; that of the right under Gen. Hotze; that of the center under the Prince of Furstenberg; and the left under Gen. de la Tour, and attack the enemy's center and right, whilft Gen. Reife, ftrengthened by part of Gen. Frolich's corps, drove them from the neighbourhood of Laningen, and marched towards Giengen and Haydenheim, in order to come into the rear of Gen. Moreau's pofition. This latter movement was to be covered on its right by a small intermediate corps under

Gen. Mercantin, who was to preserve the communication between Gen. Reise and the main army. As the enemy had a great fuperiority of numbers, it was refolved to attack by furprise, and for this purpose the marches were fo arranged, that the columns were to be formed on the different points, from whence they were to advance, juft before day-break, and proceed immediately. However, a moft violent ftorm, which lafted feveral hours, made the night fo extremely dark, and the roads fo bad, that the troops and artillery were above double the time they otherwise would have been in performing their movements, and therefore the attack was neceffarily deferred till feven o'clock. This enabled the enemy to difcover the whole plan, and prepare for their defence.

Notwithstanding fo unfortunate a circumftance, which deprived the Archduke of the great advantage of surprise, his Royal Highness perfevered in his refolution. The three columns of the cen ter were successful in disloding the enemy's advanced guard from the woods, and they drove it back to the heights of the principal position; but the column that marched towards Umenheim finding itself taken in flank by General Moreau's referve, which had advanced for that purpose as soon as the affair commenced, was obliged to retire. This laid Gen. Hotze's right flank open, and forced him alfo to fall back to the pofition of Foreheim, from whence he had. marched in the morning; but the Prince of Furftenberg and Gen. La Tour maintained their advantages. Juft as the Archduke was making his difpofitions for ftrengthening and bringing forward his right again, he received a report from General Wartensleben, purporting that he was obliged to retire to Amberg; and that a column of Gen. Jourdan's army had already arrived at Nuremberg, for the purpose of co-operating immediately with Gen. Moreau. His Royal Highnefs now judged, that, even if victorious on this part, he would probably ftill be obliged to retreat to Donawert, by the movements that the enemy were making on his right, and, fhould he be fo unfortunate as to experience a defeat, the confequences, from the fame reason, might be most disastrous. He therefore fufpended his attack, and contented himfelf with remaining master of the princi

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