"deceitful neighbour, who makes a jest of good faith, "honour, and the most solemn treaties"." The beneficial effects of this revolution to the common cause of the confederates soon appeared in several vigorous measures. The states-general immediately gave orders, That no provisions or warlike stores, should be exported out of their dominions, except for the use of the allied army; that a fleet should be equipped, and the militia regularly armed and disciplined. They sent agents to several German courts, in order to treat for the hire of thirty thousand additional troops to their army; a council of war was established, for inquiring into the conduct of the governors who had given up the frontier-towns; and orders were issued for commencing hostilities against the subjects of France, both by sea and land, though without any formal declaration of war. During all these transactions the duke of Cumberland lay inactive, over-awed by the superior generalship, rather than the superior force, of the French commander, who still continued to watch him. At length the king of France arrived at Brussels, and it was resolved to undertake the siege of Maestricht. With that view mareschal MAY 22. Saxe, having called in his detachments, advanced towards Louvain; and the confederates, perceiving his design, endeavoured by forced marches to get possession of the heights of Herdeeren, an advantageous post in the neighbourhood of the threatened city. But in this they were disappointed. The enemy had occupied the post before their arrival, and were preparing to rush down upon them, in order to get between their main body and Maestricht, by turning their left wing. An engagement was now become unavoidable. The duke of Cumberland, therefore, disposed his army in order of battle, on the evening of the 30th of June; and very judiciously directed some regiments of British infantry, during the night, to take possession of the village of Val, 7. Gontin. of Rapin. vol. ix. in the front of his left wing, which extended to Wirle, within a few miles of Maestricht and was composed of English, Hessians, and Hanoverians. The Austrians, under mareschal Bathiani, who lay at Bilsen, composed the right of the confederate army; and the Dutch, under the prince of Waldeck, occupied the centre. JULY 1. Matters being thus prepared, both armies waited with impatience the approach of morning. As soon as it was light, the French cavalry made a great shew upon the heights of Herdeeren, in order to conceal the motions of their infantry; which appeared, soon after, coming down into the plain, through a valley between the hills, near Rempert formed in a vast column, of nine or ten battalions in front and as many deep, and bearing directly on the village of Val. They suffered severely, in their approach, from the artillery of the confederates; and the British musketry saluted them with so warm a fire, that the front of the column was broken and dispersed. Not discouraged by this repulse, fresh battalions continued to advance to the attack, with wonderful alacrity and preseverance; so that the British troops in Val, overpowered by numbers, and exhausted with fatigue, were at last obliged to give way. Being, however, opportunely supported by three fresh regiments, they recovered their footing in the village, and drove out the enemy with great slaughter. The battle now wore so favourable an aspect, that the duke of Cumberland ordered the action to be made general; and victory seemed ready to declare for the confederates, when certain unforeseen circumstances disappointed their hopes. The motion of the Austrians under Bathiani, on the right wing of the allied army, was so slow as to be equal to an almost total inaction; so that mareschal Saxe, apprehending 8. This inaction of the Austrian general is said to have been occasioned by the following circumstances. On the eve of the battle, when a French detachment only was supposed to have occupied the heights of Herdeeren, mareschal apprehending no danger from that quarter, was able to turn the whole weight of the French army against the village of Val, and not only finally to regain possession of it, after it had been three times lost and won, but to break entirely the left wing of the confederates, in spite of all the efforts of the duke of Cumberland, who exerted himself with great courage, and no inconsiderable share of conduct. The Dutch in the centre, instead of supporting the broken wing, fell back in disorder, and overthew in their flight, five Austrian battalions that were advancing slowly to the charge. The French followed their blow; and having totally routed the centre, divided the right wing of the allied army from the left. At this dangerous crisis, when mareschal Saxe hoped to cut off the retreat of the confederates, and even to make the duke of Cumberland his captive, sir John Ligonier, who commanded the British cavalry, rushed at the head of three regiments of dragoons, and some squadrons of heavy horse, upon the victorious enemy. He bore down every thing before him; and although he was himself taken prisoner, by pursuing too far, he procured the duke of Cumberland time to collect his scattered forces, and to retire without molestation to Maestricht. The con federates lost about five, and the French near ten thousand men9. Such was the obstinate and bloody, but partial battle of Val, or Laffeldt, in which the British troops distinguished themselves greatly: and if properly supported, would have gained a complete victory. Hence the bon mot of Lewis XV. that "the English not only paid all, "but fought all !"-The action was followed by no mareschal Bathiani asked permission of the duke of Cumberland, to attack the enemy before they were reinforced, declaring he would answer for the success of the enterprise. The duke, instead of acceding to the proposal, asked him, by way of reply, where he should be found, in case he was wanted. "I shall always be found," said Bathiani," at the head of my troops!" and retired in disgust. 9. Contin. of Rapin. ubi sup. London Gazette, July 2, 1747. VOL. V. CC important important consequences. The duke of Cumberland having reinforced the garrison of Maestricht, passed the Maese, in the neighbourhood of that city, and extended his army toward Wist, in the duchy of Limburg. The French army remained at Tongres, near the field of battle; and mareschal Saxe, after amusing the confederates for a while, with various and contracting movements, suddenly detached count Lowendahl, with thirty thousand men, to invest Bergen-op-Zoom, the strongest fortification in Dutch Brabant, and the favourite work of the famous Coehorn. This place had never been taken, and was generally deemed impregnable; as, beside its great natural and artificial strength, it can at all times be supplied with ammunition and provisions, in spite of the besiegers, by means of two canals, called the old and new harbour, which communicate with the Scheld, and are navigable every tide. It was defended by a garrison of three thousand men, under the prince of Hesse Philipstahl, when Lowendahl sat down before it; and the prince of Saxe Hildburghausen, who was sent to its relief, with an army of twenty battalions and fourteen squadrons, took possession of the lines belonging to the fortifications, and from which the garrison could be reinforced on the shortest notice. As soon as the trenches were opened, old baron Cronstrom, governor of Dutch Brabant, assumed the command in the town, and preparations were made for the most vigorous defence. MeanJULY 15. while Lowendahl conducted his operations with great judgment and spirit; and although he lost a number of men, in his approaches, by the warm and unremitted fire of the garrison, he was so effectually and speedily reinforced, by detachments from the army under mareschal Saxe, that he began very early to have hopes of success. He was even attempting to storm two of the out forts, when lord John Murray's regiment of Scottish Highlanders, by a desperate sally, beat off the assailants, and burnt some of their principal batteries. Other sallies sallies were made with effect; mines were sprung on both sides, and every instrument of destruction employed, for the space of six weeks after this repulse. Nothing was to be seen but fire and smoke, nothing heard but the perpetual roar of bombs and cannon; the town was laid in ashes, the trenches were filled with carnage! And the fate of Bergen-op-Zoom, on which the eyes of all Europe were fixed, seemed still doubtful, as the works were yet in a great measure entire, when Lowendahl boldly carried it by assault. That experienced general, and great master in the art of reducing fortified places, having observed a ravelin, and two bastions somewhat damaged, resolved to storm all three at once. As the breaches were not such as could be deemed practicable, the governor had taken no precaution against an assault: and that very circumstance induced Lowendahl, presuming on such negligence, to hazard the attempt. He accordingly assembled his troops in the dead of the night; when the ordinary centinels only were on duty, and the greater part of the garrison was buried in security and repose. The assault was made at four in the morning, by the French grenadiers, who threw themselves into the fosse, mounted the breaches, forced open a sallyport, and entered the place almost without resist ance. The Highlanders, however, assembled in the market-place, and fought like furies, till two-thirds of them were cut in pieces. But that was the only opposition the assailants met with. The troops in the lines instantly disappeared; all the forts in the neighbourhood surrendered; and the French became masters of the whole navigation of the Scheldt o. SEPT. 14. The news of this event occasioned great surprise at London, and threw the United Provinces into the ut most consternation. portionally great. The joy of the French was pro Lewis XV. no sooner received intelligence of the taking of Bergen-op-Zoom, than he 10 Voltaier. Millot, Smollett promoted |