HISTORY. an au HE following letter from PETERSBURG fhews in what manner the French have begun their new correfpondence with the court of Ruffia. "Ma. ny were furprised at the departure of the Emprefs and the Imperial family for Czaofkarzeloh, without firft giving a public audience to the Marquis de l'Ho. pital, the French ambaffador. The reafon was this. The ambaffador having by his extroardinary politenefs gained the good-will of the principal minifters of ftate, after being fplendidly entertained on the 16th of June by the Counts of Beftuchef and Woranzoff, he demanded to be admitted to dience of the young Prince, Paul Petrowitz, (who will be three years old on the ift of October next), as well as to that of their Imperial Highneffes; which the minifters took time to confi. der of and next day, the 17th, they told him, that they were ordered by the Empress to inform him, that if his Excellency pleased to content himself with the established form of ceremonial at audiences, and not infift upon being admitted to the young Prince, who was but an infant, he might have his audience of her Imperial Majefty and their Imperial Highneffes whenever he should defire it. On the 18th, the ambaffador dispatched an express to Paris; and as he had not yet got an anfwer, the court are gone to their fummer-caftle, and the ambassador will be forced to wait their return before he can have his audience." The Ruffian fleets from Cronftadt and Revel having joined one another, the whole was faid to confift of thirtyone fhips, with 9000 land-forces on board, all intended to act against the King of Pruffia. For about fix months the Ruffian land-army deftined for the fame purpose made very little progrefs; but lately they began to quicken their motions, and to fhew that they were in earneft. Upon this Marfhal Lehwald, who commands in Brandenburgian Pruffia, published the following declaration, on the 4th of July, in name of the King his mafter. VOL. XIX. IT is fufficiently known, that the King of Pruffia, after the example of his glorious ancestors, has, ever fince his acceffion to the crown, laid it down as a maxim, to gain the friendship of the Imperial court of Ruffia, and cultivate it by every method. His Pruffian Majefty hath had the fatisfaction to live, for feveral fucceffive years, in the stricteft harmony with the reigning Empress; and this happy union would be ftill fubfifting, if evil-minded potentates had not broke it by their fecret machinations, and carried things to fuch a height, that the ministers on both fides have been recalled, and the correfpondence broken off. However melancholy thefe circumftances might be for the King, his Majefty was nevertheless most attentive to prevent every thing that might increase the alienation of the Ruffian court. He hath been particularly careful, during the disturbances of the war that now unhappily rages, to fhun whatever might involve him in a difference with that court, though he had juft grievances to alledge againft them, and though it was publicly known that the court of Vienna had at last drawn that of Ruffia into their deftructive views against the King, and made them an inftrument for favouring their dangerous fchemes. His Majefty hath given the whole world incontestable proofs, that he was under an indifpenfable neceffity of having recourfe to the meafures he hath taken against the courts of Vienna and Saxony, who forced him, by their conduct, to take up arms for his defence. Yet, even fince things have been brought to this length, the King hath offered to lay down his arms, if proper fecurities fhould be granted to him. His Majefty hath not neglected to expofe the artifices by which the Imperial court of Ruffia hath been drawn into meafures fo oppofite to the Emprefs's fentiments, and which would excite the utmoft indignation of that great princefs, if the truth could be placed before her without difguife. The King hath done more. He hath fuggefted to her Imperial Majefty fufficient reafons, either to 3 G excufe excufe her taking no part in the prefent as his own territories fhall be treated. war, or to avoid, upon the jufteft grounds, the execution of thofe engage ments which the court of Vienna claim ed by a manifeft abuse of obligations, which they employed to palliate their unlawful views. It wholly depended upon the Emprefs of Ruffia to extinguish the flames of war, without unheathing the fword, by pursuing the meafures fuggefted by the King. This conduct would have immortalized her reign throughout all Europe. It would have gained her more lafting glory, than can be acquired by the greatest triumphs. The King finds with regret, that all his precaution and care, to maintain peace with the Ruffian empire, are fruitlefs, and that the intrigues of his enemies have prevailed. His Majefty fees all the confiderations of friendship and good neighbourhood fet afide by the Imperial court of Ruffia, as well as the obfervance of their engagements with his Majesty. He fees that court march ing its troops through the territories of a foreign power, against the inclination of that power, and contrary to the tenor of treaties, in order to attack the King in his dominions, and take part in a war in which his enemies thus involve the Ruffian empire. In fuch circumstances, the King hath no other part to take, but to employ the power which God hath intrusted to him, in defending himself, protecting his fubjects, and repelling every unjust attack. His Majefty will never lofe fight of the rules which are obferved, even in the midst of war, among civilized nations. If, contrary to all hope and expectation, these rules fhould be violated by the troops of Ruffia; if they commit in the King's territories diforders and exceffes difallowed by the laws of arms, his Majefty must not be blamed if he make reprifals in Saxony, and if, inftead of that good order and rigorous difcipline which have hitherto been obferved by his army, he finds himself forced, contrary to his inclination, to fuffer the provinces and fubjects of Saxony to be treated in the fame manner As to the reft, the King will foon publifh to the whole world the futility of the reafons alledged by the Imperial court of Ruffia to justify their aggreffion: and as his Majefty is forced upon making his defence, he has room to hope with confidence, that the God of hosts will blefs his righteous arms, that he will difappoint the unjuft enterprises of his enemies, and grant him his powerful affiftance to enable him to make head against them. About 28,000 Ruffians, who marched through Samogitia, under the command of the Generals Brown and Fermond, at length invested Memel, which is the first town of Pruffia on that fide, fituated on the north of the mouth of the river Memel or Niemen; while a part of the Ruffian fleet blocked it up by fea. The place being but weakly fortified and garrifoned, and being briskly bombarded both by fea and land from the 30th of June to the 5th of July, it then capitulated. Some fay that the garrifon were allowed to march off with their arms. Others tell us, that the ca pitulation was only for the town, and that the garrifon retired into the citadel, where they hoped to make a stand till Marshal Lehwald could come to their relief. According to advices from Konigsberg, dated July 7. M. Lehwald remained incamped near Infterburg, to watch the army under Marshal Apraxin, which was ftill in Lithuania, within a few miles of the frontiers of Pruffia; and he had detached Gen. Kaunitz with a body of troops towards Memel. In the mean time the inhabitants of the country had fent off their moft valuable effects. By letters from STOCKHOLM we are informed, that on the 6th of June an ordinance was published there, and fent into all the provinces of Sweden, importing, that for the future there fhall be in every parish of the kingdom a ma. gazine of corn, fufficient not only to fubfift the poor in time of dearth, but alfo to fupply the inhabitants with what grain they may want to fow their lands. Great warlike preparations are making in that kingdom; and they propofe immediately to tranfport as many troops into Pomerania as, together with thofe which are already there, will make an army of 20,000 men, in order to act against the King of Pruffia. According to advices from DENMARK, fix men of war and two frigates of that nation were, on the 1ft of July, joined by the like number belonging to Sweden, in the road of Copenhagen; fince which time they are failed in conjunction to cruife in the North fea. Nothing is faid about their destination. About the time of publishing our laft, we had just received the news of a bloody battle between the PRUSSIANS and AuSTRIANS in Bohemia, the accounts of which we fhall now infert. "Camp before Prague, June 20. Upon notice received that the army of Count Daun was daily increafing, and that it was actually 45,000 ftrong, (the Auftrians faid 65,000), and advancing towards Kuttenburg and Czaflau, with an intention to get between the Prince of Bevern's corps and the King's army which lay before Prague, on the other fide of the Moldau, the King of Pruffia, fet out laft Monday, the 13th, in the morning, to take the command of that corps. His Majefty was attended in this march by three battalions of infantry, and one regiment of cuiraffiers; and was joined on the road by a detachment which had been employed to guard the Safawa, confifting of five battalions and ten fquadrons. The next day Prince Maurice of Anhalt Deffau followed, with fix battalions and one regiment of cuirafliers. These reinforcements joined the Prince of Bevern laft Thurfday at Milkowitz near Kaurzim, fix miles from Prague. After their junction, the whole force of the Pruffian army confifted of 32 battalions and 111 fquadrons, horfe, dragoons, and huffars, making, by the neareft computation, 32,000 men. On Saturday the 18th, about three in the afternoon, the Pruffian army attacked the Austrians near Kaurzim. The action was very bloody, and lafted till night; but the fuperiority of numbers at length prevailed, and the Pruffians drew off. The King of Pruffia immediately refolved to raise the blockade of Prague; which accordingly will be executed this morning, and the army will retire towards Leitmeritz. The particulars of this unfuccessful action near Kaurzim are, That the Pruffian infantry attacked with great bravery and intrepidity, drove the Auftrians from two hauteurs, which were defended with cannon, and afterwards attacked the third hauteur; but not being fupported by their cavalry, they were flanked by the Auftrian cavalry, and put into diforder, and fuffered greatly from the cartridge-fhot of the cannon. The Pruffian army remained that night upon or near the field of battle, and yefterday retired towards Nimburg upon the Elbe. The Auftrian army was most advantageously posted, and covered by a very numerous artillery, placed upon the high grounds between Gentitz and St John the Baptift. We have as yet no account of the exact number of their troops, nor of the lofs they have sustain ed in this action. The King of Pruffia commanded the army, and expofed his perfon to the greatest dangers. He returned laft night to the camp beyond the Moldau, and will march this morning with the army that lay on that fide the river; and the army on this fideis going to decamp.” Lond. gaz. July 2. "Bruffels, June 27. M. de Tonnois, major and honorary chamberlain to their Imperial Majefties in the service of his R. Highness Duke Charles of Lorrain, came out of Prague the 21ft instant, and arrived here yesterday at noon, with the first news of a great and fignal victory gained the 18th by the Emprefs's army, under the command of Marfhal Count Daun, over the enemy's army, commanded by the King of Pruffia in person. To render this great victory ftill more complete, his R. Highness attacked, on the zoth, a body of 18 or 20,000 Pruffians intrenched on the Weiffenberg, under the command of M. Keith, forced in every place the lines and intrench3 G 2 ments ments of the enemy, routed them, and obliged them to fly with the greateft pre-. cipitation, and with the lofs of 2000 killed, prifoners, or deferters, besides feveral pieces of cannon, and a great number of pontoons. On these two occafions her Majefty's troops behaved with amazing valour. Such are the first accounts which M. de Tonnois, fays his R. Highnefs in a letter to Count Cobenzel, will give to my fifter, to your Excellency, and to my dear Flemmings. We were waiting for farther particulars, when this morning at nine o'clock the courier Motte, preceded by twelve poftilions, arrived here from Vienna, with the news of the victory gained the 18th; for that courier having fet out from Vienna the 21ft, they could not then know what had happened before Prague the 20th. The battle was fought at Chofternitz, in the circle of Kaurzim. It began at two o'clock in the afternoon, and lafted till eight. The enemy returned no lefs than feven times to the charge, but was always repulfed with the greatest valour. Generals, officers, and foldiers, all fought with unparallelled courage. Our artillery performed wonders.. The Generals Stampach, Sinceri, Wied, and Nicholas Efterhafi, particularly diftinguished themfelves. The enemy left 10,000 men killed and wounded on the field of battle. We have made a great number of prifoners, among whom are the Generals Drefkow and Ponnowitz. We have taken from the enemy many pieces of cannon, colours, ftandards, and other trophies. Marshal Daun, to whom we owe the highest eulogies, received two flight wounds, and had a horse wounded under him. The Generals Serbelloni and Lobkowitz are allo flightly wounded; and our lofs amounts to between 4 and 5000 men. This is the fubftance of the report which the Marfhal made in hafte to their Imperial Majefties. Gen. Vettes, who brought this great news to Vienna, and left the army three hours after the action, fays, that it was extremely defperate on the enemy's part; that after the fire had ceafed a confider able time on both fides, the King of Pruffia ordered another charge to be made on the angle of our army's right wing, with all the cavalry, that he could rally, having for that purpofe forced them to clamber up a hill; but they were drove from the top to the bottom by our grenadiers. When M. de Vettes came away, we had twenty-three colours or ftandards, and many pieces of artillery of all bores. Prince Maurice of Deffau is faid to be among the flain. One of the most memorable circumftances is, that the enemy's army was routed to fuch a degree, that one part of it must have fled towards Kollin, and the other towards Bomifchbrod; fo that it has feparated into two flying bodies running different ways. If we are obliged to Marfhal Daun for having delivered Prague from a fu rious bombardment, which makes human nature fhudder, we have infinite obligations to his R. Highnefs for having defended, in the moft glorious manner, a place very ill fortified, and unprovided of every thing neceffary for the fubfiftence of the army in it, except bread. It is by this fortitude that Marfhal Daun had time to receive the reinforcements deftined for him, and to see himself in a condition to engage the Prufian army, which he has totally defeated." Bruffels gaz. extraordinary. 66 Leipfic, June 28. The army commanded by the King of Pruffia and the Prince of Bevern has paffed the Elbe at Nimburg, in order to take a pofition proper to cover Silefia; and the army under Marthal Keith is approaching the frontiers of Saxony. His artillery was conducted to Leitmeritz, and there im• barked on the Elbe. If human means could infure victory, the King of Pruffia must have triumph. ed at Chofternitz. No precautions that human fagacity could dictate, were neg. lected by him. Active, indefatigable, and prefent in every part: during the action he exhorted and encouraged his troops himself, ufing, among others, thefe expreffions: My lads, this is the deci five moment: behave like Pruffians, like troops who have fo often conquered.' 66 In every onfet they charged with fuch fury, that it feemed impoffible to refift them; and if the laft attack, equally furious, had not met with a refistance as courageous from the Auftrians, feconded by their artillery, which performed wonders, victory, which was even doubtful at fix in the evening, would probably have decided in favour of the Pruffians. His Pruffian Majefty very narrowly efcaped being taken, with two of his aides-de-camp. Vienna, June 21. Yefterday in the afternoon a courier brought here the confirmation of the victory gained by our troops on the 18th, with fome particular circumftances. The new manner of fighting ufed by the Pruffians in this battle, whereby they believed they fhould conquer us, was to attack us feven times fucceffively by fresh troops, which were each time repulfed with great lofs. At laft the King of Pruffia was obliged to retire to Bomifchbrod, and the Prince - of Bevern to the right on the other fide, not having it in his power to rejoin the King. About eight o'clock in the evening, M. Daun detached a corps of regulars to purfue the enemy in their flight. Gen. Beck was alfo fent with his croats to Kaurzim, where the Pruffian baggage was. The day before yesterday our army halted. Yesterday it advanced towards the enemy, and this day probably fome blows have paff ed between them. Laft Sunday, the number of the prifoners was 4050: 54 pieces of cannon, and 30 colours and ftandards were taken; 450 waggons have been fent in queft of the wounded. Prague, June 21. M. Daun has gain ed a very confiderable advantage over the King of Pruffia; and it is computed that 15,000 of the Pruffians are killed and wounded. The taking of a great number of cannon, colours, and baggage, and the flight of the Pruffians, are the fruits of a campaign they began fo well; but the iffue of which is, that a body of troops which stopt our paffage on the fide of Wifcherad, decamped with precipitation the 19th in the night, and marched towards Hals, leaving behind a great number of bombs, powder, ball, and other ammunition. Another corps that blocked us up on the fide of Ratfchin, was drove from thence yesterday by a fally made by Prince Charles with 25,000 men, The firing lafted till night, and we took from them there 12 pieces of cannon, and killed great numbers of their men. Francfort, June 24. According to the accounts of the late victory gained by the Auftrians over the Pruffians, the latter loft 10 or 12,000 men, and the Auftrians took 43 pieces of cannon, 26 ftandards, and about 6000 prifoners. In the fally made by P. Charles of Lorrain out of Prague against M. Keith, whom he forced from his intrenchments, the Pruffians had 1500 men killed, befides wounded, and the garrison took ten cannon, two colours, 40co bombs, and great quantities of ammunition. It is faid that the Pruffians threw 10,000 bombs into Prague during the siege, and that 600 houíes have been destroyed there. Bruffels, July 1. We hear, by private letters from M. Daun's army, dated the 19th, that the battle of the preceding day was very bloody; that the Emprefs's troops, as well as the Saxons, performed prodigies of valour; that the Walloon troops, in particular, performed wonders, but fuffered feverely; that the field of battle was covered with dead and expiring men, but that there muft have been at least three Pruffians to one Auftrian; and that their lofs could not be lefs than 12,000 killed and wounded, befides upwards of 5000 deferters.” London papers. The journal of the campaign in Bohemia has been published at Berlin, dated Liau, June 22. which fays, the Pruffians loft in that battle about 7 or 8000 men, and fome pieces of cannon, which could not be brought off, on account of the carriages being broken, and a great number of horfes killed by the exceffive heat of the weather, and the eminences to be got over; also that M. Keith, in retiring from Prague, had 200 men killed and 400 wounded, and loft two pieces of cannon four-pounders. A veteran Irish officer in the Em prefs |