raised; that of Glogaw had before been given up; and the Austrian and Imperial armies retired into Bohemia, where they went into winter-quarters, without attempting any thing farther. Nor was this all. The Russians who, in their retreat had invested Colberg, in Prussian Pomerania, were obliged to abandon the undertaking with disgrace; and the Swedes, who had entered the same country, were not more fortunate in their operations than their barbarous allies26. The king of Prussia, triumphant over all his enemies, appeared greater than ever. Equally distinguished by valour and conduct, the exploits of every other commander were lost in the splendour of his victories and retreats. While those illustrious achievements were performing in Germany, the grand theatre of war, the British arms had recovered their lustre, both by land and sea. The vigorous and enterprising spirit of the prime minister seemed to communicate itself to all ranks and classes of men, but more especially to the officers of the army and navy. Patriotic zeal took place of sluggish indifference, prompt decision of wavering hesitation, and fearless exertion of timid caution. The nerve of action was new strung. Every bosom panted for fame, and for an opportunity of retrieving the national honour. That bold spirit of enterprise, which caught fresh fire from the king of Prussia's victories, and the successes of the army under prince Ferdinand, was also inflamed by certain fortunate events at sea, in the beginning of the season. As admiral Osborn was cruising off the coast of Spain between cape de Gatt and Carthagena, he fell in with a French squadron, on the 28th of February, consisting of three sail of the line and a frigate, commanded by the marquis du Quesne. The frigate escaped by swiftness of sailing. But two of the ships of the line, the Foudroyant of eighty guns, and the Orpheus of sixtyfour, were taken after an obstinate resistance; and the third, named the Oriflamme, was driven ashore near the 26. Foreign Gazette, passim. castle castle of Aiglos, where she found shelter under the Spanish neutrality27. This was a sharp blow. The French not only lost two capital ships, but saw them added to the British navy. Nor was that their only misfortune by sea. Sir Edward Hawke, in the beginning of April, dispersed and drove on shore, near the isle of Aix, a French fleet, consisting of five ships of the line, six frigates, and forty transports, having on board three thousand troops, with a large quantity of provisions and stores, intended for the support of their settlements in North-America 28. other convoys were dispersed, and several transports taken; and on the 29th of May, the Raisonable, a French ship of the line, commanded by the prince de Mombazon, having on board six hundred and thirty men, and mounting sixty-four guns, was taken by captain Dennis in the Dorsetshire, an English seventy-gun ship, after a smart engagement. Two Roused to enthusiasm by these victories, and the rising passion for glory, the people of England, who had so lately trembled under the apprehensions of a French invasion, now talked of nothing but carrying hostilities into the heart of France. And the popular minister, instead of regulating that enthusiam, by confining it to its proper element, or directing its energy against important objects, allowed it to take its own wild sweep, and spend the strongest impulse of its force in air. A new expedition to the coast of France was planned, notwithstanding the miscarriage of the former, and the disgrace it had brought upon the British arms; such a descent being represented by the great commoner, as the most effectual means of serving his majesty's German allies, by drawing the attention of the enemy to their own internal defence, and consequently of weakening their efforts upon the Rhine. Two strong squadrons, destined 27. Letter from admiral Osborne, March 12, 1758. for for this service, were accordingly equipped; the greater, consisting of eleven ships of the line, commanded by the admirals Anson and Hawke, and the smaller of four sail of the line, seven frigates, six sloops, two fire-ships, two bomb-ketches, ten cutters, twenty tenders, ten store-ships, and one hundred transports, under the direction of commodore Howe. The forces embarked, for the same purpose, consisted of sixteen regiments of foot, nine troops of light-horse, and six thousand marines, under the command of the duke of Marlborough, assisted by lord George Sackville. That great armament sailed from the isle of Wight (where the troops had been for some time encamped) in the beginning of June, leaving every heart elated with the highest hopes of its success. Nor did these hopes seem ill-founded. The admirals Anson and Hawke, with the fleet under their command, proceeded to the bay of Biscay, in order to spread more widely the alarm, and watch the motion of the French squadron in Brest harbour; while commodore Howe with the transports, and the squadron appointed for their protection, steered directly to St. Malo, a sea-port town on the coast of Brittany, against which the armament seemed to have been destined, if it had any particular object. As the place appeared too strong to admit of any attempt on the side next the sea, the troops were disembarked in Cancalle bay, about two leagues distant, with a view of attacking it on the land-side. But it was found, when reconnoitred, to be equally inaccessible on that side, except by regular approaches, for which the invaders were not prepared. They, therefore, contended them. selves with destroying the shipping and naval stores at St. Servan, a kind of suburb of St. Malo, and returned to Spithead without attempting any thing farther. 29. Lond. Gazette, June 17, 1758. See also a Letter from an officer on board of the Essex, commodore Howe's ship. The The success of this expedition, though considerable, by no means answered the ardour of public expectation. But that ardour was again excited, by the most vigorous preparations for a new armament, which sailed from St. Helens on the first of August; the land forces commanded by lieutenant-general Bligh, (the duke of Marlborough, and lord George Sackville having been sent to command the British forces in Germany) and the fleet and transports under the conduct of commodore Howe. The troops were disembarked in the neighbourhood of Cherburg, which being an open town on the land-side, was entered without opposition. A neglected mole was demolished; a contribution of three thousand pounds was levied upon the inhabitants; and twenty-one pieces. of cannon were carried off in triumph, and pompously exhibited to the view of the English populace, as the spoils of France. After they had been shewn in HydePark to gaping multitudes, they were drawn through the principal streets of London with the greatest military parade, and formally lodged in the tower. But the British ministry had soon reason to repent of this empty ovation, which flattered so highly the prejudices of the vulgar, and gratified, for a moment, the national passion for glory and conquest. While the people of England were exulting over the taking of a place less considerable than many of their own fishing-towns, the victorious battalions were exposed to the most imminent peril. Having reimbarked the troops at Cherburg without molestation, the commander in chief, (for reasons best known to himself) made his second landing in the bay of St. Lunar, two leagues to the westward of St. Malo, against which he seemed determined to hazard an attempt; though the town was now in a better state of defence than when an attack had been judged impracticable by the duke of Marlborough, and the number of the assailants much fewer!-General Bligh, accordingly, soon discovered his mistake. The design upon St. Malo was laid aside; but it was resolved to penetrate into the country, country, and do something for the honour of the British arms, before the troops were put on board the transports. In conformity with this resolution, the fleet which could not ride with safety in the bay of St. Lunar, quitted that station, and anchored in the bay of St. Cas, about three leagues to the westward; while the land-forces proceeded by Guildo, to the village of Matignon, where they dispersed a small body of French troops, and encamped within three miles of the transports, in order to prevent their retreat being cut off. Here the British commanders were informed, that the duke d'Aguillon, governor of Brittany, had advanced from Brest to Lambale, within six miles of their camp, at the head of twelve battalions and six squadrons of regular troops, and two regiments of militia. A retreat was immediately judged necessary; but the measures of carrying it into execution were slow and injudicious. Instead of decamping in the night without noise, by which they might probably have reached the shore before the French had the least intelligence of their army being in motion, the drums were beat at two o'clock in the morning, as if with intention to give notice to the enemy, who instantly repeated the same signal; and, although the march was begun soon after, so many were the obstructions, that they did not reach the bay of St. Cas till nine o'clock. Six hours were spent in marching three miles; yet might the embarkation have been effected without loss, if it had been properly conducted. But in this, as in every thing else, the greatest blunders were committed. The English commanders, filled with delusive confidence, seem to have flattered themselves that no Frenchman durst look an Englishman in the face. Hence, from the moment they had intelligence of the approach of the enemy, they appear to have been under the influence of fear or infatuation; like all men who have over-rated their own courage, or undervalued that of an antagonist. All the troops, however, were embarked before the French began to press hard upon them, except the gre nadiers |