523 (return)
[ Note 4 D, p. 523. The
following declarations were published by count Dohna, the Prussian
general, on his entering Poland with a body of Prussian troops.
On the 15th of June.
His Prussian majesty, finding
himself under a necessity to cause part of his armies to enter the
territories of the republic of Poland, in order to protect them against
the threatened invasion of the enemy; declares that,—
It
must not be understood that his majesty, by this step taken, intends to
make any breach in the regard he has always had for the illustrious
republic of Poland, or to lessen the good understanding which has hitherto
subsisted between them: but, on the contrary, to strengthen the same, in
expectation that the illustrious republic will on its part act with the
like neighbourly and friendly good-will as is granted to the enemy, than
which nothing more is desired.
The nobility, gentry, and
magistracy, in their respective districts, between the frontiers of
Prussia, so far as beyond Posen, are required to furnish all kinds of
provisions, corn, and forage necessary to support an army of 40,000 men,
with the utmost despatch, with an assurance of being paid ready money for
the same. But if, contrary to expectation, any deficiency should happen in
supplying this demand, his majesty’s troops will be obliged to forage, and
use the same means as those taken by the enemy for their subsistence.
In confidence, therefore, that the several jurisdictions upon
the Prussian frontiers, within the territories of Poland, will exert
themselves to comply with this demand as soon as possible, for the
subsistence of the royal army of Prussia, they are assured that thereby
all disorders will be prevented, and whatever is delivered will be paid
for in ready money.
On the 17th of June. It was with the
greatest astonishment that the king, my most gracious lord and master,
heard that several of his own subjects had suffered themselves to be
seduced from their allegiance, so far as to enter into the service of a
potentate with whom he is at war; his majesty, therefore, makes known by
these presents, that all of his subjects serving in the enemy’s armies,
who shall be taken with arms in their hands, shall, agreeable to all laws,
be sentenced to be hanged without mercy, as traitors to their king and
country, of which all whom it may concern are desired to take notice,
&c.
On the 22nd of June. We invite and desire that
the nobility, archbishops, bishops, abbeys, convents, seignories,
magistrates, and inhabitants of the republic of Poland, on the road to
Posnania, and beyond it, would repair in person or by deputies, in the
course of this week, or as soon after as possible, to the Prussian
head-quarters, there to treat with the commander-in-chief, or the
commissary at war, for the delivery of forage and provisions for the
subsistence of the army, to be paid for with ready money.
We
promise and assure ourselves that no person in Poland will attempt to
seduce the Prussian troops to desert; that no assistance will be given
them in such perfidious practices; that they will neither be sheltered,
concealed, nor lodged; which would be followed by very disagreeable
consequences: we expect, on the contrary, that persons of all ranks and
conditions will stop any runaway or deserter, and deliver him up at the
first advanced post, or at the head-quarters; and all expenses attending
the same shall be paid, and a reasonable gratification superadded.
If any one hath inclination to enter into the king of Prussia’s service,
with an intention to behave well and faithfully, he may apply to the
head-quarters, and be assured of a capitulation for three or four years.
If any prince or member of the republic of Poland be disposed
to assemble a body of men, and to join in a troop or in a company of the
Prussian army, to make a common cause with it, he may depend on a gracious
reception, and that due regard will be shown to his merit, &c.]
526 (return)
[ Note 4 E, p. 526. The
obstinacy of the powers in opposition to Great Britain and Prussia
appeared still more remarkable in their slighting the following
declaration, which duke Louis of Brunswick delivered to their ministers at
the Hague, in the month of December, after Quebec was reduced, and the
fleet of France totally defeated:
“Their Britannic and Prussian
majesties, moved with compassion at the mischief which the war that has
been kindled for some years has already occasioned, and must necessarily
produce, would think themselves wanting to the duties of humanity, and
particularly to their tender concern for the preservation and well-being
of their respective kingdoms and subjects, if they neglected the proper
means to put a stop to the progress of so severe a calamity, and to
contribute to the re-establishment of public tranquillity. In this view,
and in order to manifest the purity of their intentions in this respect,
their said majesties have determined to make the following declaration,
viz.—
“That they are ready to send plenipotentiaries to
the place which, shall be thought most proper, in order there to treat,
conjointly, of a solid and general peace with those whom the belligerent
parties should think fit to authorize, on their part, for the attaining so
salutary an end.”]
529 (return)
[ Note 4 F, p. 529. Abstract
of the report made to his Catholic majesty by the physicians appointed to
examine the prince royal, his eldest son, in consequence of which his
royal highness was declared incapable of succeeding to the throne of
Spain. Translated from the original, published at Naples, Sept. 27.
1. Though his royal highness don Philip is thirteen years old,
he is of low stature; and yet the king his father, and the queen his
mother, are both of a very proper height.
2. His royal highness
has some contraction in his joints; though he can readily move, and make
use of them upon all occasions.
3. His royal highness is apt to
stoop and to hold down his head as people of weak eyes often do.
4. The prince most evidently squints: and his eyes frequently water and
are gummy, particularly his left eye: though we cannot say he is blind,
but are rather certain of the contrary, as his royal highness can without
doubt distinguish objects, both as to their colour and situation.
5. In his natural functions, and the most common sensations, he is
sometimes indifferent to things that are convenient for him, and at other
times is too warm and impetuous. In general, his passions are not
restrained by reason.
6. The prince has an obstinate aversion
to some kind of common food, such as fruits, sweetmeats, &c.
7. All sorts of noise or sound disturb and disconcert him; and it has the
same effect whether it be soft and harmonious, or harsh and disagreeable.
8. The impressions that he receives from pain or pleasure are
neither strong nor lasting; and he is utterly unacquainted with all the
punctilios of politeness and good-breeding.
9. As to facts and
places, he sometimes remembers them, and sometimes not; but he seems not
to have the least idea of the mysteries of our holy religion.
10. He delights in childish amusements; and those which are the most
boisterous please him best. He is continually changing them, and shifting
from one thing to another.
Signed by Don Francis Beniore, chief
physician to the king and kingdom; Don Emmanuel de la Rosa, physician to
the queen; and the physicians Cæsar Ciribue, Don Thomas Pinto, Don Francis
Sarrao, and Don Dominique San Severino.]
535 (return)
[ Note 4 G, p. 535. By
this law it was enacted, that if any militia-man, who shall have been
accepted and enrolled as a substitute, hired man, or volunteer, before the
passing of the act, or who shall have been chosen by lot, whether before
or after the passing of the act, shall, when embodied, or called out into
actual service, and ordered to march, leave a family unable to support
themselves, the overseers shall, by order of some one justice of the
peace, pay out of the poor’s rates of such parish a weekly allowance to
such family, according to the usual and ordinary price of labour and
husbandry there; viz. for one child under the age of ten years, the price
of one day’s labour; for two children under the age aforesaid, the price
of two days’ labour; for three or four children under the age aforesaid,
the price of three days’ labour; for five or more children under the age
aforesaid, the price of four days’ labour; and for the wife of such
militia-man, the price of one day’s labour; but that the families of such
men only as shall be chosen by lot, and of the substitutes, hired men, and
volunteers already accepted and enrolled, shall, after the passing of this
act, receive any such weekly allowance. For removing the grievance
complained of in the above petition, it is enacted, that where treasurers
shall reimburse to overseers any money in pursuance of this act, on
account of the weekly allowance to the family of any militia-man serving
in the militia of any county or place other than that wherein such family
shall dwell, they are to transmit an account thereof, signed by some
justice for the place where such family shall dwell, to the treasurer of
the county, &c. in the militia whereof such militia-man shall serve,
who is thereupon to pay him the sum so reimbursed to such overseers, and
the same to be allowed in his accounts.]
536 (return)
[ Note 4 H, p. 536. The
openings to be made, and the passages to be improved and enlarged, were
ascertained by two schedules annexed to the act. With respect to the
houses, buildings, and grounds to be purchased, the mayor, aldermen, and
commons of the city, in common council assembled, or a committee appointed
by them, were empowered to fix the price by agreement, with the respective
proprietors, or otherwise by a jury in the usual manner. With regard to
party-walls, the act ordains, that the proprietor of either adjoining
house may compel the proprietor of the other to agree to its being pulled
down and rebuilt, and pay a moiety of the expense even though it should
not be necessary to pull down or rebuild either of their houses: that all
party-walls shall be at least two bricks and a half in thickness in the
cellar, and two bricks thick upwards to the top of the garret-floor. It
enacts, that if any decayed house belongs to several proprietors, any one
of them, who is desirous to rebuild, may oblige the others to concur, and
join with him in the expense, or purchase their shares at a price to be
fixed by a jury. If any house should hereafter be presented by any inquest
or grand jury in London, as being in a ruinous condition, the court of
mayor and aldermen is, by this act, empowered to pull it down at the
expense of the ground landlords. As to damaged pavements, not sufficiently
repaired by the proprietors of the water-works, any justice of the peace
in London is vested with power, upon their refusing or delaying to make it
good, to cause it to be effectually relaid with good materials at their
expense.]
538 (return)
[ Note 4 I, p. 538. The
following declaration made to the chiefs of the opposition will render the
memory of the late prince of Wales dear to latest posterity:—
His royal highness has authorized lord T. and sir F. D. to give the most
positive assurances to the gentlemen in the opposition, of his upright
intentions; that he is thoroughly convinced of the distresses and
calamities that have befallen, and every day are more likely to befal this
country; and therefore invites all well wishers to this country and its
constitution to coalesce and unite with him, and upon the following
principle only.—
His royal highness promises, and will
declare it openly, that it is his intention totally to abolish any
distinctions for the future of parties; and as far as lies in his power,
and as soon as it does lie in his power, to take away for ever all
proscription from any set of men whatever who are friends to the
constitution; and therefore will promote for the present, and when it is
in his power will immediately grant,—
First, A bill to
empower all gentlemen to act as justices of the peace, paying land-tax for
£300 per annum in any county where he intends to serve.
Secondly, His royal highness promises, in like manner, to support, and
forthwith grant, whenever he shall have it in his power, a bill to create
and establish a numerous and effectual militia throughout the kingdom.
Thirdly, His royal highness promises, in like manner, to
promote and support, and likewise grant, when it is in his power, a bill
to exclude all military officers in the land-service under the degree of
colonels of regiments, and in the sea-service under the degree of
rear-admirals, from sitting in the house of commons.
Fourthly,
His royal highness promises that he will, when in his power, grant
inquiries into the great number of abuses in offices, and does not doubt
of the assistance of all honest men, to enable him to correct the same for
the future.
Fifthly, His royal highness promises, and will
openly declare, that he will make no agreement with, or join in the
support of, any administration whatever, without previously obtaining the
above-mentioned points in behalf of the people, and for the sake of good
government. Upon these conditions, and these conditions only, his royal
highness thinks he has a right not to doubt of having a most cordial
support from all those good men who mean their country and this
constitution well, and that they will become his and his family’s friends,
and unite with him, to promote the good government of this country, and
that they will follow him, upon these principles, both in court and out of
court; and if he should live to form an administration, it should be
composed, without distinction, of men of dignity, knowledge, and probity.
His royal highness further promises to accept of no more, if offered to
him, than £800,000 for his civil list, by way of rent-charge.
Answer to the foregoing proposal.
The lords and
gentlemen to whom a paper has been communicated, containing his royal
highness the prince’s gracious intentions upon several weighty and
important points, of the greatest consequence to the honour and interest
of his majesty’s government, and absolutely necessary for the restoring
and perpetuating the true use and design of parliament, the purity of our
excellent constitution, and the happiness and welfare of the whole nation,
do therein with the greatest satisfaction observe, and most gratefully
acknowledge, the uprightness and generosity of his royal highness’s noble
sentiments and resolutions. And therefore beg leave to return their most
dutiful and humble thanks for the same: and to assure his royal highness
that they will constantly and steadily use their utmost endeavours to
support those his wise and salutary purposes, that the throne may be
strengthened, religion and morality encouraged, faction and corruption
destroyed, the purity and essence of parliament restored, and the
happiness and welfare of our constitution preserved.
When the
above answer was returned to the prince, there were present, The Duke of
B.—The Earl of L.—The Earl of S.—The Earl of T.—The
Earl of W.—The Earl of S.—Lord F.—Lord W.—Sir Wat.
Wil. Wynne.—Sir John H. C—Sir Walter B.—Sir Robert G.—Mr.
F.—Mr. F.—Mr. C.]
547 (return)
[ Note 4 K, p. 547.
Ultimo die Octobris anno ab incarnationo
MDCCLX.
Auspicatissimo principe Georgio Tertio
Regnnm jam ineunte,
Pontis hujus, in reipublicæ commodum
Urbisque
majestatem
(Latè turn flagrante bello)
à S. P. Q. L.
suscepti,
Primum lapidem posuit
Thomas Chitty,
miles,
Prætor;
Roberto Mylne, architecte
Utque apud posteros extet monumentum
Voluntatis suæ erga virum,
Qui vigore ingenii, animi constantia,
Probitatis et
virtutis suæ felici quâdam contagione,
(Favente Deo,
Fautisque Georgii Secundi auspiciis!)
Imperium Britannicum
In Asia, Africa, et America
Restituit, auxit, et
stabilivit;
Necnon patriæ antiquum honorem et auctoritateni
Inter Europæ gentes instauravit;
Gives Londinenses,
uno consensu,
Huic ponti inscribi voluerunt nomen
GULIELMI PITT.]
549 (return)
[ Note 4 L, p. 549. This
attempt was conducted in the following manner, having doubtless been
concerted with the two-and-twenty hostages who resided in the fort. On the
sixteenth day of February, two Indian women appearing at Keowee, on the
other side of the river, Mr. Dogharty, one of the officers of the fort,
went out to ask them what news. While he was engaged in conversation with
these females, the great Indian warrior Ocunnastota joined them, desired
he would call the commanding officer, to whom he said he had something to
propose. Accordingly, lieutenant Cotymore appearing, accompanied by ensign
Bell, Dogharty, and Foster the interpreter, Ocunnastota told him he had
something of consequence to impart to the governor, whom he proposed to
visit, and desired he might be attended by a white man as a safeguard. The
lieutenant assuring him he should have a safeguard, the Indian declared he
would then go and catch a horse for him; so saying, he swung a bridle
twice over his head, as a signal; and immediately twenty-five or thirty
muskets, from different ambuscades, were discharged at the English
officers. Mr. Cotymore received a shot in his left breast, and in a few
days expired: Mr. Bell was wounded in the calf of the left leg, and the
interpreter in the buttock. Ensign Milne, who remained in the fort, was no
sooner informed of this treachery, than he ordered the soldiers to shackle
the hostages; in the execution of which order one man was killed on the
spot, and another wounded in his forehead with a tomahawk; circumstances
which, added to the murder of the lieutenant, incensed the garrison to
such a degree, that it was judged absolutely necessary to put the hostages
to death without further hesitation. In the evening a party of Indians
approached the fort, and firing two signal pieces, cried aloud in the
Cherokee language—“Fight manfully, and you shall be assisted.” They
then began an attack; and continued firing all night upon the fort,
without doing the least execution. That a design was concerted between
them and the hostages appeared plainly from the nature of the assault; and
this suspicion was converted into a certainty next day, when some of the
garrison, searching the apartment in which the hostages lay, found a
bottle of poison, probably designed to be emptied into the well, and
several tomahawks buried in the earth; which weapons had been privately
conveyed to them by their friends, who were permitted to visit them
without interruption. On the third day of March, the fort of Ninety-six
was attacked by two hundred Cherokee Indians with musketry, which had
little or no effect; so that they were forced to retire with some loss,
and revenged themselves on the open country, burning and ravaging all the
houses and plantations belonging to English settlers in this part of the
country, and all along the frontiers of Virginia. Not contented with
pillaging and destroying the habitations, they wantoned in the most
horrible barbarities; and their motions were so secret and sudden, that it
was impossible for the inhabitants to know where the storm would burst, or
take proper precautions for their own defence; so that a great number of
the back settlements were totally abandoned.]
550 (return)
[ Note 4 M, p. 550. The
garrison of Quebec, during the winter, repaired above five hundred houses
which had been damaged by the English cannon, built eight redoubts of
wood, raised foot-banks along the ramparts, opened embrasures, mounted
artillery, blocked up all the avenues of the suburbs with a stockade,
removed eleven months’ provisions into the highest parts of the city, and
formed a magazine of four thousand fascines. Two hundred men were posted
at Saint Foix, and twice the number at Lorette. Several hundred men
marched to Saint Augustin, brought off the enemy’s advanced guard, with a
great number of cattle, and disarmed the inhabitants. By these precautions
the motions of the French were observed, the avenues of Quebec were
covered, and their dominions secured over eleven parishes, which furnished
them with some fresh provisions, and other necessaries for subsistence.
Sixteen thousand cords of wood being wanted for the hospitals, guards, and
quarters, and the method of transporting it from the isle of Orleans being
found slow and difficult, on account of the floating ice in the river, a
sufficient number of hand-sledges were made, and two hundred wood-fellers
set at work in the forest of Saint Foix, where plenty of fuel was
obtained, and brought into the several regiments by the men that were not
upon duty. A detachment of two hundred men being sent to the other side of
the river, disarmed the inhabitants, and compelled them to take the oath
of allegiance: by this step the English became masters of the southern
side of St. Laurence, and were supplied with good quantities of fresh
provision. The advanced posts of the enemy were established at Point au
Tremble, Saint Augustin, and Le Calvaire; the main body of their army
quartered between Trois Rivieres and Jaques Quartier. Their general,
having formed the design of attacking Quebec in the winter, began to
provide snow-shoes or rackets, scaling-ladders, and fascines, and make all
the necessary preparations for that enterprise. He took possession of
Point Levi, where he formed a magazine of provisions; great part of which,
however, fell into the hands of the English; for, as soon as the river was
frozen over, brigadier Murray despatched thither two hundred men; at whose
approach the enemy abandoned their magazine, and retreated with great
precipitation. Here the detachment took post in a church until they could
build two wooden redoubts, and mount them with artillery. In the meantime,
the enemy returning with a greater force to recover the post, some
battalions, with the light infantry, marched over the ice, in order to cut
off their communication; but they fled with great confusion, and
afterwards took post at Saint Michael, at a considerable distance farther
down the river. They now resolved to postpone the siege of Quebec, that
they might carry it on in a more regular manner. They began to rig their
ships, repair their small craft, build galleys, cast bombs and bullets,
and prepare fascines and gabions; while brigadier Murray employed his men
in making preparations for a vigorous defence. He sent out a detachment,
who surprised the enemy’s posts at Saint Augustin, Maison Brûlée, and Le
Calvaire, where they took ninety prisoners. He afterwards ordered the
light infantry to possess and fortify Cape Bouge, to prevent the enemy’s
landing at that place, as well as to be nearer at hand to observe their
motions; but when the frost broke up, so that their ships could fall down
the river, they landed at Saint Augustin; and the English posts were
abandoned one after another, the detachments retiring without loss into
the city.]
558 (return)
[ Note 4 N, p. 558. A
translation of the Declaration delivered by the Austrian minister residing
at the Hague, to his serene highness Prince Louis of Brunswick, in answer
to that which his highness had delivered on the part of his Britannic
Majesty and the King of Prussia, on the 25th of November, 1759, to the
ministers of the belligerent powers.
“Their Britannic and
Prussian majesties having thought proper to make known, by the declaration
delivered, on their part, at the Hague, the 25th of November last past, to
the ambassadors and ministers of the courts of Vienna, Petersburgh, and
Versailles, residing there:
“‘That being sincerely desirous of
contributing to the re-establishment of the public tranquillity, they were
ready to send plenipotentiaries to the place that shall be judged the most
convenient, in order to treat there of this important object with those
which the belligerent parties shall think proper to authorize on their
side for attaining so salutary an end:’
“Her majesty the
empress queen of Hungary and Bohemia, her majesty the empress of all the
Russias, and his majesty the most Christian king, equally animated by the
desire of contributing to the re-establishment of the public tranquillity,
on a solid and equitable footing, declare in return,—
“That his majesty the Catholic king having been pleased to offer his
mediation in the war which had subsisted for some years between France and
England; and this war having besides nothing in common with that which the
two empresses, with their allies, have likewise carried on for some years
against the king of Prussia;
“His most Christian majesty is
ready to treat of his particular peace with England, through the good
offices of his Catholic majesty, whose mediation he has a pleasure in
accepting;
“As to the war which regards directly his Prussian
majesty, their majesties, the empress queen of Hungary and Bohemia, the
empress of all the Russias, and the most Christian king, are disposed to
agree to the appointing the congress proposed. But as, by virtue of their
treaties, they cannot enter into any engagement relating to peace but in
conjunction with their allies, it will be necessary, in order that they
may be enabled to explain themselves definitively upon that subject, that
their Britannic and Prussian majesties should previously be pleased to
cause their invitation to a congress to be made to all the powers that are
directly engaged in war against the king of Prussia; and namely, to his
majesty the king of Poland, elector of Saxony, as likewise to his majesty
the king of Sweden, who ought specifically to be invited to the future
congress.”]
561 (return)
[ Note 4 O, p. 561. Copy
of a Letter from the marquis of Granby to the earl of Holdernesse. My
Lord, It is with the greatest satisfaction that I have the honour of
acquainting your lordship of the success of the hereditary prince
yesterday morning.
General Sporcken’s corps marched from the
camp at Kalle to Liebenau, about four in the afternoon of the
twenty-ninth; the hereditary prince followed the same evening with a body
of troops, among which were the two English battalions of grenadiers, the
two of Highlanders, and four squadrons of dragoons, Cope’s and Conway’s.
The army was under arms all day on the thirtieth, and about
eleven at night marched off, in six columns, to Liebenau. About five the
next morning, the whole army be assembled, and formed on the heights near
Corbeke. The hereditary prince was, at this time, marching in two columns,
in order to turn the enemy’s left flank; which he did by marching to
Donhelbourg, leaving Klein-Eder on his left, and forming in two lines,
with the left towards Dossel, and his right near Grimbeck, opposite to the
left flank of the enemy, whose position was with the left to the high hill
near Offendorf, and their right to Warbourg, into which place they had
flung Fischer’s corps. The hereditary prince immediately attacked the
enemy’s flank, and, after a very sharp dispute, obliged them to give way,
and, by a continual fire, kept forcing them to fall back upon Warbourg.
The army was at this time marching with the greatest diligence to attack
the enemy in front, but the infantry could not get up in time: general
Waldegrave, at the head of the British, pressed their march as much as
possible: no troops could show more eagerness to get up than they showed.
Many of the men, from the heat of the weather, and overstraining
themselves to get on through morassy and very difficult ground, suddenly
dropped down on their march.
General Mostyn, who was at the
head of the British cavalry that was formed on the right of our infantry
on the other side of a large wood, upon receiving the duke’s orders to
come up with the cavalry as fast as possible, made so much expedition,
bringing them up at full trot, though the distance was near five miles,
that the British cavalry had the happiness to arrive in time to share the
glory of the day, having successfully charged several times both the
enemy’s cavalry and infantry.
I should do injustice to the
general officers, to every officer and private man of the cavalry, if I
did not beg your lordship would assure his majesty that nothing could
exceed their gallant behaviour on that occasion.
Captain
Philips made so much expedition with his cannon, as to have an
opportunity, by a severe cannonade, to oblige those who had passed the
Dymel, and were formed on the other side, to retire with the utmost
precipitation.
I received his serene highness’s orders
yesterday, in the evening, to pass the river after them, with twelve
British battalions and ten squadrons, and am now encamped upon the heights
of Wilda, about four miles from Warbourg, on the heights of which their
grand army is encamped.
M. de Muy is now retiring from the
heights of Volk-Missen, where he lay under arms last night, towards
Wolfshagen. I cannot give your lordship any account of the loss on either
side. Captain Faucitt, whom I send off with this, shall get all the
intelligence he can upon this head before he sets off. I am, &c,
GRANBY.
Saturday morning, six o’clock.
P.S.—As
I had not an opportunity of sending off captain Faucitt so soon as I
intended, I opened my letter to acquaint your lordship that I have just
joined the grand army with my detachment.]
564 (return)
[ Note 4 P, p. 564. The
Germans are in general but indifferent engineers, and little acquainted
with the art of besieging. On this occasion the Austrian general had no
other prospect than that of carrying the place by a sudden attack, or
intimidating count Tavenzein, the governor, to an immediate surrender: for
he knew the Russian army was at a considerable distance; and judged, from
the character of prince Henry of Prussia, that he would advance to the
relief of the place long before it would be taken according to the usual
forms. Influenced by these considerations, when he had invested the town,
he sent a letter to the governor, specifying that his army consisted of
fifty battalions, and fourscore squadrons; that the Russian army,
amounting to seventy-five thousand men, was within three days’ march of
Breslau; that no succour could be expected from the king of Prussia,
encamped as he was on the other side of the Elbe, and overawed by the army
of count Daun; that prince Henry, far from being in a condition to bring
relief, would not be able to stand his ground against the Russians; that
Breslau, being an open mercantile town (not a fortress), could not be
defended without contravening the established rules of war; and therefore
the governor, in case of obstinacy, had no reason to expect an honourable
capitulation, the benefit of which was now offered. He, at the same time,
sent a memorial to the civil magistrates, threatening the town with
destruction, which could by no other means be prevented than by joining
with the inhabitants in persuading the governor to embrace immediately the
terms that were proposed. Count Tavenzein, instead of being intimidated,
was encouraged by these menaces, which implied an apprehension in Laudolm
that the place would be relieved. He therefore replied to the summons he
had received, that Breslau was not simply a mercantile town, but ought to
be considered as a place of strength, as being surrounded with works and
wet ditches; that the Austrians themselves had defended it as such after
the battle of Lissa, in the year one thousand seven hundred and
fifty-seven; that the king his master having commanded him to defend the
place to the last extremity, he could neither comply with general
Laudohn’s proposals, nor pay the least regard to his threat of destroying
the town; as he had not been intrusted with the care of the houses, but
with the defence of the fortifications. The Austrian convinced him that
same evening, that he threatened nothing but what he meant to perform. He
opened his batteries, and poured in upon the town a most terrible shower
of bombs and red-hot bullets, which continued till midnight. During this
dreadful discharge, which filled the place with horror and desolation, he
attempted the outworks by assault. The Croats attacked the covered way in
different places with their usual impetuosity; but were repulsed with
considerable loss, by the conduct and resolution of the governor and
garrison. These proceedings having made no impression on Tavenzein, the
besieging general had recourse again to negotiation; and offered the most
flattering articles of capitulation, which were rejected with disdain. The
governor gave him to understand, that the destruction of the town had made
no change in his resolution; though it was a practice contrary to the law
of arms, as well as to the dictates of common humanity, to begin the siege
of a fortress by ruining the inhabitants; finally, he assured him he would
wait for him upon the ramparts, and defend the place to the utmost of his
power. His observation was certainly just: nothing could be more
infamously inhuman than this practice of making war upon the helpless
unarmed inhabitants of a town which has the misfortune to be beleaguered;
yet the besieger pleaded the example of the Prussian monarch, who had
before acted the same tragedy at Dresden. Laudohn being thus set at
defiance, continued to batter and bombard; and several subsequent assaults
were given to the fortifications.]