that town, which was of great consequence to the Russians, as they could make it a military station, and a magazine of provisions and stores, that might be constantly supplied by means of their navy.

The whole Russian army, consisting of sixty-two thousand foot and nineteen thousand horse, beside Tartars, Calmucks, and Cossacks, now advanced toward the Pregel, under the command of Apraxin. Lehwald, on the approach of the enemy, retired to Wehlau, where he continued until he received positive orders to hazard a battle. Having reconnoitred the position of the Russians, who were encamped at Gros-Jagersdorff, near Norkitten, he attacked them with great fury. Though in a manner surprised, they received the shock with Aug. 30. firmness; and, after a warm conflict of three hours, he was forced to retreat, though his loss was not very great.

Unacquainted with the valour and discipline of the Russian infantry, since found to be the best in Europe, Lehwald deprived himself of the power of making a vigorous or successful effort in any one point, by extending his little army in a line opposed to that of the enemy, which he in vain endeavoured to break, as they had every where, through this mistaken disposition, a much greater number of men in action than he could present. In vain did he attempt to divide their army, and take them in flank, by penetrating through some openings. They received the Prussians on the point of the bayonet, and forced them to give way. He drew off his troops, however, in good order, and reoccupied his former camp at Wehlau'.

While the Russians, now victorious, were ravaging Frederic's dominions on one side of Germany, the French were stripping him of his possessions on the other, and laying the electorate of Hanover under contribution. After the duke of Cumberland had passed the Weser, he continued to retreat before maréchal d'Estrées, until he reached the village of Hastenbeck. Having chosen an advantageous post, he there attempted to make a stand, on the 26th of July; but being worsted, after a spirited resistance, he was obliged to quit his station. Instead, however, of marching immediately after the action, as prudence seemed to dictate, toward Wolfenbuttel, Halberstadt, or Magdeburg, where he might have formed a junction with the Prussian forces, he retired to Hoya, under pretence of covering Bremen and Verden, though in reality, in order to keep up a communication with

1 Lloyd, vol. i P. 145.

Stade, whither had been removed the archives, and most valuable effects of Hanover.

In the mean time that electorate, abandoned to the enemy, was laid under contribution. And the duke de Richelieu, the celebrated conqueror of Minorca, having succeeded to the chief command of the French army, soon saw himself master of Bremen and Verden, and obliged the duke of Cumberland to take refuge under the cannon of Stade. There, encamped between the Weser and the Elbe, it was supposed that his royal highness would be able to maintain his ground till the close of the campaign, as the season was already far in the decline. But the enemy having taken effectual measures for cutting off his communication with the Elbe, he was under the necessity of signing the singular convention of Closter-seven; by which thirtySept. 8. eight thousand Hanoverians, Hessians, and other Germans, were distributed into different quarters of cantonment without being disarmed', or considered as prisoners of war. The French were left, "till the definitive reconciliation of the two sovereigns'," in full possession of the countries they had

The court of France afterward insisted on the disarming of the troops, though the convention had observed a profound silence on that head. It only stipulated that, on the cessation of hostilities, the auxiliary troops should be sent home, and that such part of the Hanoverian army as the duke of Cumberland could not place in the city of Stade should take quarters in the country beyond the Elbe, and not be recruited. (See the Articles of the Convention itself and the Vindication of the King of England's conduct as Elector of Hanover, published by authority.) Notwithstanding the notoriety of this fact, two contemporary authors have affirmed, that, in consequence of the convention of Closter-seven, "thirty-eight thousand Hanoverians laid down their arms!" Contin. Hist. Eng. vol. ii.- Annual Reg. 1758.

* This indefinite mode of expression gave rise to one of the most intricate disputes that ever employed the pens of political writers; and, as self-interest dictated the arguments on both sides of the question, much ingenuity and force of reasoning were displayed. The French with great plausibility maintained, that no other meaning could reasonably be affixed to the words of the convention (which however they attempted to mend by certain Jesuitical explications) than that which was natural and obvious; that the suspension of arms was to continue, and they were consequently to remain in possession of their conquests, till a general pacification. (Parallel of the Conduct of the King of France with that of the King of England.) The English ministry, on the other hand, affirmed, that the suspension of arms was a mere military regulation, which was to continue in force only till the issue of a negotiation then depending (begun by his Britannic majesty, in quality of elector of Hanover), and the expected declaration of the courts of Vienna and Versailles relative to such negotiation; that this was the reason why it was not thought necessary to state a precise time for the duration of the armistice. The agreement was drawn up, they said, by the generals of the two armies, who agreed that it should be of force without the ratification of the two courts; a thing impossible, if it be supposed that the German dominions of the king of Great Britain were to be delivered up into the hands of foreigners till a general peace, of which there was not the least prospect. "But it is evident," added they, "that France herself did not understand the hands of the Hanoverians to be tied up till a general peace, by the suspension of arms concluded at Closter-seven, from her insisting on having that stipulated, as an express condition, in her artful scheme of explication, proposed by the count de Lynar, the Danish minister." Vindication of the King of England's Conduct as Elector of Hanover.

conquered, though under the express condition of abstaining from future violence, hostilities being immediately to cease on both sides.

Having thus subdued the German dominions of his Britannic majesty, the French could act with greater vigour against the king of Prussia. The duke de Richelieu accordingly made his way into Halberstadt and the Old Marche of Brandenburgh, exacting contributions, and wantonly plundering the towns. The troops of the empire, under the prince of Hildburghausen, reinforced by the French under Soubise, were in full march to enter Saxony. Twenty thousand Swedes, commanded by general Ungern Stornberg, had already entered Prussian Pomerania, under pretence of guaranteeing the treaty of Westphalia; and having taken the towns of Demin and Anclam, and reduced the islands of Usedom and Wollin, they laid the whole country under contribution, without meeting with the smallest resistance, as the garrison of Stettin, consisting of ten thousand men, could not leave that important fortress, in order to check their progress. The kingdom of Prussia was still a prey to the barbarities of the Russians. One Austrian army had entered Silesia, and formed the siege of Schweidnitz; while another, penetrating through Lusatia, passed the Prussian armies, and suddenly presenting itself before Berlin, laid that capital under contribution. The ruin of his Prussian majesty seemed inevitable.

This illustrious prince, driven out of Bohemia, was surrounded by powerful armies; and in consequence of the convention of Closter-seven, he seemed to be deserted by the only ally on whom he could place any dependence. In what manner he extricated himself out of these difficulties, and what line of policy was pursued, in such delicate circumstances, by his Britannic majesty, we shall soon have occasion to see.

LETTER XXXIII.

A Survey of the State of Europe, and History of the general War, continued from the Convention of Closter-seven, to the Battle of Minden, in 1759.

THE affairs of England, where tumult, clamour, and discontent had long prevailed, were still in disorder, when intelligence

June 29.

arrived of the humiliating convention of Closter-seven, which overwhelmed the court with shame and confusion. Pitt and Legge, the two popular ministers, had been restored to their respective offices, in compliance with the general wish of the nation expressed in many warm addresses to the throne. But they had not yet had time to plan any regular system of measures; and their first enterprise miscarried, to the no small mortification of their friends, and the severe disappointment, sorrow, and surprise of the whole kingdom.

This was an expedition to the coast of France, projected with a view of raising the spirits of the people by an appearance of vigour, and the credit of the British arms, so sunk in the eyes of all Europe, by some great blow; and of inducing the French monarch to withdraw part of his troops from Germany, for the defence of his own dominions, instead of prosecuting foreign conquests. Its ultimate purpose was the relief of the electorate of Hanover, and its immediate object was the destruction of the French shipping and naval stores at Rochefort. The destination of the armament, however, was kept a profound secret. But the highest expectations of success were formed from the magnitude of the preparations, and the confidence which the public had in the abilities of Mr. Pitt, by whom the enterprise was said to have been planned.

Sept. 8.

These expectations, however, began in some measure to abate, in consequence of unforeseen delays, before the sailing of the fleet. At length, on the ill-omened day that the duke of Cumberland signed the convention of Closter-seven, the formidable armament put to sea. It consisted of eighteen ships of the line, under sir Edward Hawke, beside frigates, fireships, bomb-ketches, and a number of transports, carrying ten regiments of land forces, commanded by sir John Mordaunt. The hopes of the people were now revived: their petitions to Heaven were fervent; and imagination, warmed by vows and wishes, fondly looked forward to some important conquest. What then was the astonishment of the nation, when this very expensive armament, after beating off the coast of France for three weeks, and filling the inhabitants of the sea-ports with terror, returned to England, without having taken even a fishing town!-without having attempted or effected any thing, except destroying some half-finished fortifications on the isle of Aix, situated at the mouth of the river Charente, which leads up to Rochefort.

Language cannot paint the expressions of disappointment that appeared in every countenance. Every heart seemed to feel the

national disgrace, and every eye to lighten with indignation at the conduct of those who were employed in the expedition. The officers endeavoured to throw the blame of their miscarriage on the ministry, for having planned an impracticable enterprise. The ministers, supported by the voice of the people, retorted the charge, by accusing the officers of cowardice or incapacity. A court of inquiry, appointed by his majesty, slightly censured the conduct of sir John Mordaunt: while a court-martial, composed of officers of reputation, acquitted him of the charge of disobeying his instructions. The public opinion remained the same.

In the course of this trial and inquest it appeared, that the ministry had reason to believe, on good information, that an attempt upon Rochefort would be very practicable. Nor was there any thing offered to prove the impracticability of such an attempt, if it had been made when the fleet first arrived before that port. But it was proved to the satisfaction of every unprejudiced mind, and to the severe regret of all lovers of their king and country, of every man who had any pride in the military glory of England, that the time which ought to have been employed in action was spent in consultations and councils of war, and the proposed descent relinquished without any sufficient cause'. In a word, the principal officers, admiral Hawke excepted, seemed desirous of avoiding a disembarkation. And their frequent consultations, notwithstanding the ardour of the troops, who were impatient to retrieve the honour of their country, seemed to have been more intended to frame a concerted apology for not making a descent than to plan any scheme of attack, or hostility.

While the people of Great Britain were mourning over this shameful miscarriage, which, joined to the accumulating misfortunes of the king of Prussia, and the mortifying convention of Closter-seven, exhibited a most melancholy picture of their affairs in Europe, those in America did not afford a more flattering prospect. Although a considerable reinforcement had been sent thither, with a great supply of warlike stores, the third campaign served only to swell the triumphs of the enemy.

The attack upon Crown Point, so long meditated, was laid aside for an expedition against Louisbourg. The earl of Loudon accordingly left New York in July, with a body of six thousand men, and sailed for Halifax: where he was joined by admiral Holbourne with a considerable fleet, and about five thousand

1 See the printed Evidence in the publications of the times.