born;

diftributed into quarters of refreshment, of which they greatly stood in need. By comparing the different accounts which were received, it would appear, that their retreat from Caffel, Hanover, and Eaft Friesland, coft them at leaft 15,000 men; and fome reckoned, that during their whole expedition within a year preceding their repaffing the Rhine, they had loft 70,000. In the mean time, Pr. Ferdinand had advanced with the main body of his army to Munster, where he established his head quarters, and allowed his fatigued troops fome time to reft, till he could procure provifions to be carried along with them, which was no eafy matter in a country fo exhausted.

provifions and forage. The French in Hamelen having carried away the artillery that was there, and deftroyed the warlike ftores, evacuated that for tress on the 18th; and those in Munden retreated from thence the zoth; by which the electorate of Hanover was entirely freed from its invaders. On the 21ft the Duke de Broglio, who commanded the French troops which had wintered in the landgraviate of Heffe, retired from Caffel, having fent the fick of his corps, his artillery and baggage, Hanau and Mentz. The whole ench army marched with all diligence three columns towards the Rhine; under the Duke de Broglio being on the left; the middle one, commanded by C. Clermont, paffing by Pader-. and that on the right, led by M. de Villemure, taking the way of Munfter. They were all in a miferable plight, and many of their regiments reduced to one third. A number of their fick who were recovering, died on the road for want of fubfiftence. Great quantities of baggage and many equipages fell into the hands of the purfuers, with a multitude of prifoners. In fhort, their retreat was an entire rout. A corps of huffars attacked their rear guard in the neighbourhood of Soeft, in the county of Marck, and took, befides a confiderable number of prisoners, 16 pieces of cannon, and a large magazine. Mean while the Auftrian and French forces in Eaft Friefland had collected themselves at Embden, where they amounted to 3720 men. Com. Holmes, with two British men of war, obliged them to evacuate that place on the 20th of March, and took two of their boats going up the river Ems, with a few perfons of note, fome baggage, and money, and three hoftages they had carried with them. Some accounts affured, that not above 500 of them joined C. Clermont's army, the reft being either killed, taken prifoners, or difperfed. Early in April, all the troops commanded by that general, except a confiderable garrifon left in Wefel, and fone other very small ones, paffed to the left of the Rhine, where they were VOL. XXI.

During the time that most of the events hitherto taken notice of had been fucceffively happening, Pr. Henry of Pruffia had been in the bishopric of Hildefheim, contiguous to the electorate of Hanover, with a confiderable body of his brother's troops, ready to act as circumstances fhould require. As the Hanoverians and their allies were found abundantly able to drive the French before them, his Pruffian Majelly ordered Pr. Henry to return into Saxony, leaving with the allies only the Black or Death-head huffars.

About the 5th of April the allies made them Ives mafters of the castle of Vechte, where they found feven companies of men, and loc cannon and mortars. On the 9th a detachment of Hanoverians furprised the caftle of Bentheim, with 63 men. The 19th, a party of the black huffars took down the Imperial arms from the post-house of Emmeric, in the duchy of Cleves, and reftored thofe of his Pruffian Majefty. About the zoth, fome British troops fent over to garrifon Embden, arrived at that place.

Numerous reinforcements from time to time arrived at the French army, and C. Clermont charged the general officers to revive good difcipline in their refpective divifions. Pr. Ferdinand's troops were augmented to about 55,000, and what was wanting in numbers was compenfated by their goodness and alacrity.

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All neceffaries being arrived, the allies again began to move from their dif. ferent quarters about the 25th of May. The 3d of June the laft of the whole army paffed the Rhine near Cleves, its lofs being very trifling, while the French had fuffered more confiderably. After feveral motions on both fides, Pr. Ferdinand attacked the Count de Clermont, near Crevelt, on the 23d of June. The action was long and obftinate; but the left of the French, against which the principal attack was made, being at length put into confufion, their whole army retreated, with the lofs, as the allies faid, of between 7 and 8000 men, killed, wounded, and taken prifoners; with 7 ftandards and colours, and 8 pieces of cannon. By the French accounts, their lofs of men was much as has just been reprefented; but they fuppofed that of the allies to be greater. Pr. Ferdinand, who had a better opportunity of knowing the truth, reprefented his lofs at between 12 and 1300, killed and wounded. The French retired first to Nuys, and afterwards to Cologn. During this retreat a good many more prifoners were taken from them. On the 26th the town of Ruremond furrendered by capitulation, the French and Auftrian garrifon being allowed to march out with the honours of war. Duffeldorp alfo was given up on the 8th of July, the garrifon march. ing out with military honours, but on condition not to ferve against the allies for a year. There was found in it a great magazine of ammunition and provifions, and a numerous train of artillery. That fame day C. Clermont refigned the command of the French ar my to M. de Contades, a lieutenantgeneral, and returned home. Pr. Ferdinand raised contributions from the principality of Liege, and the Pruffian huffars did the fame from feveral places in Brabant belonging to the EmprefsQueen. The French being fo near their own frontiers, they received fuch reinforcements as enabled them again to adyance towards the allies. Pr. Ferdi pand thought to attack them by furprife on the 14th; but being perceived

in his approach, he thought it prudent to withdraw. The 19th a large body of M. de Contades's army endeavoured to cut off the communication between the right and left of the allies, but were repulfed; the lofs of the former being about 500 men killed, and feveral officers taken, with fix pieces of cannon, and four standards; and that of the allies very small.

Even when the affairs of the French were in the worst fituation, a finall body of the troops that had been com manded by Pr. Soubife the preceding year, ftill remained at Hanau on the Upper Rhine. These being confiderably augmented, and joined by 6000 Wirtemburghers under the Duke their fovereign, they put in motion the 9th of July, in order to penetrate into Heffe and Hanover. Pr. Ifemburg got together 7000 Heffian regulars and militia to oppose them. On the 23d, about 12,000 of the French attacked that prince; who, after a resistance of five hours, was obliged to yield to numbers, The lofs of the Heffians, in killed, wounded, and prifoners taken, was computed at 2300 men, with 7 pieces of canpon; and that of the French, in killed and wounded, at 4415. On the third day after the battle, Pr. Ifemburg had reaffembled about 3000 of his troops; but as this corps was too feeble to oppofe the progress of about 20,000, which Pr. Soubife had still under his command, the former retired under the cannon of Hamelen, where he received reinforcements from different parts. tachments of the French advanced to Gottingen, Nordheim, and fome other places within the electorate of Hano. ver, where they raised contributions but their main body remained, for fome time, in the neighbourhood of Caffel.

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the right of the Rhine, with most of their baggage, which would have been a very fevere blow. It being found im practicable to reinforce M. Imhoff, he had no human refource but in his own conduct, and the bravery of his troops. He was actually attacked on the 5th, and, after a fharp engagement, gained a complete victory over an enemy treble the numbers he commanded. The French fled towards Wefel, leaving on the spot many flain, eleven pieces of cannon, and a great number of carriages with ammunition. M Imhoff also took 354 prifoners, and among them 11 officers. The lofs on his fide was about 200 killed and wounded. Several battalions and fquadrons of the allies paffed the Rhine on the 6th, to prevent M. Imhoff's corps running fuch a risk again. On the 9th and 10th, Pr. Ferdinand's whole army got over that river, no interruption having been given him. The French alfo passed on the 12th and 13th, and incamped at Wefel. The 19th Pr. Ferdinand was joined, at Coesfeldt, by the British troops, commanded by the Duke of Marlborough.

would have been able to ftand his ground for fome time, Pr. Ferdinand formed a plan for carrying the scene of action to the Maefe, in order to draw the enemy from the Rhine; and in purfuance of that plan, marched to Ruremond to wards the end of July. But the long and heavy rains which had fallen in thofe parts, had fo broken the roads, that his progrefs was much retarded; and, in the mean time, he was inform. ed of Pr. Ifemburg's defeat, by which Pr. Soubife opened to himself the poffeffion of the Wefer, in cafe he purfued his advantage, and confequently might act in Weftphalia on any fide he pleased. In this fituation his Highness had no other option, than a victory over the French, or to repafs the Rhine. In the firft he was repeatedly disappointed, by the backwardness of M. de Contades to ftand an engagement; and as it was dangerous to remain long in a pofition, where he had the French army on one wing, and on the other the fortress of Gueldre, as well as feveral other pofts within reach of obstructing his convoys; befides the poffibility of a body of British troops, that had been landed at Embden, being prevented from joining him, in cafe time fhould be left Pr. Soubife to think of intercepting them; he refolved on a retreat. Having marched in the night between the 1ft and 2d of Auguft towards Dulken, he found the enemy likewife on the way to the same place from Dalem. M. de Contades, who probably did not expect his Highnefs there, chofe rather to go back, and take up his former camp, than to give battle. The allies marched onwards the 4th to Rhinbergen, fo little haraffed by the French, that not a fingle troop of them came in fight. That evening news was brought, that Lt-Gen. de Chevert had palled the Lippe, with twelve or fourteen French battalions and feveral fquadrons, in order to join the garrifon of Wefel, and then fall upon Lt-Gen. Imhoff, who had fix battalions and four fquadrons incamped at Meer. M. de Chevert's defign was, to make himself master of the bridges and magazines which the allies had left on

On the 10th of that month, the part of the French under Pr. Soubife that was in the electorate of Hanover, having left a garrison in Munden, retreated to their main body at Caffel. There they remained till the beginning of Sep→ tember, when the whole put in motion for Hanover. By the 14th their vanguard was advanced as far as Eimbeck. Pr. Ifemburg having received his rein forcements, and beginning to march from Hamelen, at the fame time that Gen. Oberg, with about 10,000 men from Pr. Ferdinand's army, penetrated into the landgraviate of Heffe, Pr. Soubife again retired with the greateft precipitation to Caffel, abandoning a great deal of baggage. The troops under Pr. Ifemburg and Gen. Oberg joined at Welmar the 27th, and endeavoured to draw Pr. Soubife to a battle, but without effect. Gen. Oberg, being informed that a large detachment from M. de Contades's army was coming upon his flank, began, Oct. 3. to retreat again towards Hanover; and on the 5th arrived

poffible were haftily affembled.. Mean while the King refolved to lay fiege to Olmutz. Gen. Fouquet, who had been left in the county of Glatz, alfo went to Neifs, from whence he convoyed the artillery and warlike ftores to the army. M. Daun marched from Leutomiffel the 23d of May, and on the 25th incamped at Gewitz, which is about twenty-five British miles from Olmutz. Before this place the Pruffians opened their trenches on the 27th. The fiege was carried on by M Keith, with a body of the Pruffian troops, and the reft took poffeffion of all the pofts proper for covering it. A ftrong detachment of the Auftrians advanced as far as Proftnitz, and, in the night of the 8th of June, forced a Pruffian poft, and threw a reinforcement into Olmutz, the rest keeping poffeffion of Prerou, on the left of the Morave. On the 10th a convoy arrived at the Pruffian army from Silefia; but as that was not fufficient to finish the fiege, meafures were taken to bring up another. In the mean time M. Daun, having been confiderably reinforced by the troops which could be fpared from the neighbourhood of Vienna, still advanced nearer the city befieged; but with fuch precautions as not to give an opportu nity of attacking him with advantage, or even on equal terms. The Pruffian convoy wanted, fet out from Troppau the 25th, escorted by eight battalions, and near 4000 recovered fick. M. Daun refolved to try whether by this opportunity he might raise the fiege, without the hazard of a battle. cordingly fent ftrong detachments to attack the convoy. Though his Pruffian Majefty alfo detached a confiderable body, under Gen. Zeithen, to fupport it, the iffue was, that only a part of it got to the neighbourhood of Olmutz in the evening of the 29th, the reft being ta ken or destroyed, and Gen. Zeithen being obliged to retire to Troppau with most of his troops. M. Daun's journal bore, that about 2000 Pruffians were left dead; that two battalions of gre nadiers, two general officers, and twenty-eight other officers, were made prifouers; that his troops took fix pieces of

In the night between the aft and zd of April, the Pruilians opened their trenches before Schweidnitz; and on the 16th the garrison, confifting of 250 officers, and 3200 private men, furren dered themselves prifoners of war. The blockade, which had lasted fo long, is faid to have coft the Austrians 3500 men belides, who perifhed by difeafes. It was ffured, that the lofs of the Pruf fans in this fiege was only 200 killed and wounded They found in the place 80 pieces of Austrian cannon, befides all their own artillery which had been taken the preceding year, During the fiege frequent fkirmishes happened, with various fuccefs, between Pruilian parties and the outposts of the Auftrians, whofe head quarters were at Konigfgratz. His Pruffian Majefty, having left a fufficient garrifon in Schweidnitz, put on march the 18th, fent parties towards the frontiers of Bohemia to cover his motions, and led the flower of his troops to Neils. Upon advice of this, M. Daun decamped from Konigfgratz the 20th, and established his head quarters at Sca. litz. On the 25th, the firft divifion of Pruffians, under M. Keith, fet out a gain to penetrate into Moravia; the fecond, under his Majesty, the 27th, and the laft, led by Pr. Maurice of Deffau, on the 29th. In advancing to wards Olmutz, capital of that province, the Pruffians feized upon feveral Auftrian magazines, defeated fome detachments of their light troops, made a confiderable number of prisoners, and raifed vaft contributions. The garrifon of Olmutz was augmented to 8 or 9000 men. M. Daun, with a part of his army, arrived at Leutomiffel the 4th of May, and was foon followed by almost all the troops he had on that fide, which, according to advices from Vienna, aDounted to 70,000 men. A great part of his Pruffian Majefty's troops advanced beyond Olmutz to within a fmall diftance of Brinn. It not being certain what fo enterprifing a prince as his Pruffan Majefty might attempt at the head of fo fine an army, there was a great conternation at Vienna; in the neighbourhood of which as many troops as

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