The History of the Campaigns in the Years 1796, 1797

HISTORY OF THE CAMPAIGNS IN THE YEARS 1796, 1797, 1798, and 1799, IK GERMANY, ITALY, SWITZERLAND, ^c, ILLUSTSATBB WITH SIXTEEN MAPS AND PLANS THff COUNTRIES AND FORTRESSES. IN FOUR VOLUMES. VOL. V^:-; THE SECOND EPITION. LONDON: Printed for T. Gardineb, Princes-Street,Cavendish- Square; "oBBTOir" Charing-Cross; Cadbll and Daviei, Stnuid; Mii.x.xs" Albemarle-Street;Longman^ Hubit. Rebs, Obmb" and Bbowv; Sbbbwood, NsBiBY, Bttd JoNsa; Galb apd CyRTia" Putemoitef Row; Black, Parrt, and KiMoaBVRY, Leadenhall " Street ; RiCBABDaoN* CorobUJ;and Booth, Duke-Street, Portland- Plac9. Printed by J. BABriBx.i"i 91* Wardour^Strfet. 1812. ': \ . " ADVERTISEMENT. ^ i I ^ The first Edition of the History of the Campaign of 1796, in Germany, and in Italy,published thr6e years ago, having been exhausted for a long time back, and its author having proposed, also to, pub- " lish the History of the War carried on, ^ in 0 in 1797, 1798, an4 1799, Germany, ;; Italy, Switzerland, and Holland, he has '^ been induced to make a second Edition A of his first work* He has added to it, ^ and has caused to be expressly engraved for the purpose. Maps of the countries which were the theatre of the campaign of 1796. Several additions and correc-tions have alô been made. The Author, however, has made no other changes than what the truth of the facts rendered ne- VOL. I. b IV ADVERTISEMENT. cessary : he has left all the reasonings, opinions,and conjectures,such as they were in the first Edition,thinkingthat the reader of the present day will not be displeasedto find what were the impres-sions, which the events and the result of \kte "!ampaignhad made on the public inind^ât the comi"ftncement of the yeiar 1797) tfaietime at. which this work was iStstpubliêd. It is scarcelyiiecessaryto say, tl^t the high pnct to wbich paper has latelyrisen, and the stillgreater increase of expense, iacurred foy the additiooi of the maps, do not ^permitthe priceof this volume to be left the s^ttne as that of the first Edition. PREFACE. jSO penpn can be ignorant,how to-tally the war, vbich has desolated "uropQ for five years, has diffiiensdfnDm all pitt- cediog ones, in iU nature, in the means that have been employed for the pro-secution of it, and in the consequences that have resulted iinom it. Its history, insepctraUe from that of the French Eevolution, will,doubtless, be the most remarkable feature of tiie annals of this iê. llie campaigns of 1794 and 1796 will particularlyatfiact the attention of posterity.In the first of these, politi-cal errors, still more than force of arms, enabled the French to become masters ci the Netherlands, of Holland, and of the aU the countries on this side of Bhi"e. The union of Belgium to France, b " ri PREFACJE. and the applicationof the French sys-tem to HoUand, left no doubt of the projectformed by the French, to enlarge their territory,and to, compel Europe to submit, either to their arms or their prin-ciples. The spiritof moderation, whicsh ^the successors of Roberkpierrewere 'ob-liged to affect for some time, as well ris other the politicalreasons, " prevented French from pursuingtheir ambitious de- sigDs^during the year 1795. They re- .Bumedi the execution of them in 1796, employed more conisidecable m6ans, and " combined them with greaterability.They ^cn^w how to take advantageof the dis-union and the errors of their enemies ; diminished, their numbers, partlyby lier^ for,partlyby seduction; invaded Ger-many well i as : as Italy.;and were on the point of accomplishingtheir plan of generaldisorganizationin its fullest One hero saved extent. young Germany : but a young man; also,on /the other side, was almost constantlyvictorious in Italy. PB"FACE. Vll The disastrous which these . consequences events mighthave broughtwith them ou Eurpjpe,the eflfettswhich they have al-ready produced,and those which may re- suJt from tjienihereafter,attach a con-siderable degree of importance and of interestto the campaign of 1796* Possibly there may be some persons who would wish to have before them, in one view, all the various facts:which compose it,com-bined, arrajiged,aod connected. This is what the Author now presumes to offer to the public. He. has neglected no in-quiries, nor paini^yto giveto this historical account, exactness, and perspicuity,the only merits of which a. work of this sort will admit It seems to him, that he who writes,not on theories,but on facts,is ab-solutely bound, to be impartial,both with respectjtothings,and to persons, whatever may be.his own. interests and opinions. He has endeavoured to.prove himself such tp Jbisroaders. Xhe ms^terialftfrona which this work is " composed, have been partly collected from the accdunts officiallypublbhed at London, Vienna, and Paris; and partly procured through the means of a corre-spondence constantlykept up with some distinguishedmilitarycharacters on the Continent Some of these have been, and Stillare, actuallyengaged in this war ; and the others have watched its progress with the most attentive and intelligentobser-vation. No pains have been spared to put togetherand to compare these various materials* This work is,in fact,an ab-stract and a combination of all these ac^ counts* " ^The author has endeavoured to draw, from the whole, a result,if not ab-solutely correct, at least,as nearly so, as it was in his power to make it. The knowledge which he himself has personallyhad of the greaterpart of the theatre of the war, of some of the armies which are engaged in it,and of several of the Generals who command them, joined to some degreeof experienceon the sub-* J"EBFAC". IX jeqt,cannot have failed to be of considers able use to him. He hopes it will not be expected,that there should be found in thishistoricalde-tail, a constant and minute criticism on the operationsof the Commanders, and on ,theeauses of their success or their failures. On this pointhe has thought it rightto impose on himself a good deal of reserve. " For if the art of war presents so qiany difficultiesto those who are carryingit o^ ; ifits chances are attended with so many vicissitudes ; if accident so often decrives the foresightof the mpst able commands, or giveshim unexpected success ;.would it not be ridiculous in any man to pre-sume, in his closet,to form a correct judg-ment of militaryoperations,the object,as well aS' the probable advantagesand in-conveniences of which, are often un-known, even to those who are employed to execute them ? Anxious as the author is to avoid this reproach,he has,nevertheless,endeavour- ' ^ ^îgitizedby IS PREFACE. ed to explainthe motives for the different movements of the armies, and has not refrained from presumingto censure or to applaud,where there was evidentlyroom either for.the one or the other. If, not-withstanding the choice of his correspon* dents,and his earnest endeavour to relate the exact truth, he has (as.tkereis too much reason to fear)fallen into some er^ rors,. he hopes to be pardoned from the reflection that will occur to candid minds, cm the difficultyof statingfacts quite correctly,when one is at once so'distant from, the countries, and so near to the period,in which the events to be recorded took place. CONTENTS OP THE CAMPAIGN IN GERMANY. 1796. CHAPTER L HeLATIVE situation of the Imperialand RepublicanArmies beforethe opening of the campaign " Estimate of their respectiveforce " Interest of the French to carry o" an offen-sive war" Interest ofthe Imperialiststo adopt a defensiveone-^Ruplure of the Armistice " Movements of the French on both banks of , the Lower Rhine " Battles of Uckerath and of Altenkirchen " rEvaûation of the Bunds'^ ruck, by the Archduke Clmrles " March of that Prince to the Lahn " Engagements at Westlaer " Second battle of Uckerath " Re-treat of the French beyond the Rhine and the - Sieg - Page 1 CHAPTER IL the Opening Campaign on the Upper Rhine " Evacuation of the Palatinate by Marshal Wurmser " Departureof that General with , 30,000 men to Italy" Passage of the Rhine, and Fort the - capture of Kehl, by French " Their in the progress country of Jâden " Battle Renchen" of Battle of JRadstadt " Passageqf the Siegand the Rhine, by Gene- lii Contents. nds Kleber tmd JourdtM^Baille o/Monta' hatter"Battle of friedberg" Captureof the Fort of Kcenigstemby the French"Their entrance into Frankfori" BaUU ofEtMngen, retreat the and of Iwperit^sta - 19 CHAPTER III. Engagementsat Camtadt and EsUngen" Con-tributions imposedby the French " Armistice eonduded bythem,with the Duke of Wtfrtem' berg,the Margrave df Baden, and the circle Suabia Second of " engagementat EsUngen " Continuation of the retreat of the.Imperial Army" Action of Mettingen"Retreat of Creneral Wartensleben to Amberg, and of the Archduke to Donauwert" Projectsof that Prince - - - 39 CHAPTER IV. March of the Archduke" Retreat of General Wartensleben behind the Naah" Actions of Teiningand Neumarkt" Retreat of General Jourdan" Engagement at Amberg" Defeat of General Jourdan at Wurtsburg" Surren-der of the Citadel" Jourdan's retreat to the Lahn" Engagement at Aschaffemburg^ Kcenigsteinretaken by the Imperialists-^ Bad condition and losses ofthe army ofJour- danr"That General repasses the Lahn" Death of the RepubUean General Marceau the Rhine and " The French retire beyond the Sieg-r-PrinceCharles marches towards 5* the Upper Rhim - r CONTENTll. xiii CHAPTER V. PosiH"H ofthe armies of Grenerah Latour and Moreau, on the 15f A of August" Engage- ment at Ober Kamlach " Passage of the Dasnube and Led by the Frenck-^Defeat of M. de Latour at Frutterg^Âetionsof St. Oastj Ingolstadtând MumchFÂrmis^ tiee concluded between the French Repmbtic the Moreau kis and JElector Palatine " quits positionon the iser'^Hisrear guard and that of General Ihsaix are routed " Moreau determines to retreat - 81 CHAPTER VI.

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