named, for this purpose, the first of May in Persian gulf, and took two frigates of almost Europe, the first of July in Africa and the equal force to his own, besides three other West Indies, and the first of September in vessels belonging to the company. Early in the East Indies; observing, at the same time, the succeeding year, the fort of Natal surthat as those periods might seem too near or rendered to him without any terms, and he too distant for the interests of Great Britain, found two ships in the road. He then struck the court of Versailles was extremely will-over to the island of Sumatra, where he soon ing to enter into an explanation on that sub- reduced Bencoolen, Tappanopoli, and fort ject. Marlborough; which last, though in a good Pitt's answer was, "that his Britannic state of defence, was ingloriously given up majesty would admit of no other epoch, but by the garrison, after they themselves had that of the signing of the peace." To this burned a rich company's ship that lay in the blunt declaration the court of Versailles re- harbor. The count, however, did not gain plied, with that coolness and temper which so much reputation by these exploits, as he ought to govern all such transactions, "That incurred disgrace from having engaged in if not those, already named, at least some them, contrary to the most sacred laws of fixed periods, during the war, ought to be arms; for he was at the very time a prisagreed upon; as the uti possidetis, or mu- oner upon parole. tual retaining of possessions, could not rea- On the coast of Africa there were still sonably have reference only to the time of fewer objects to excite any particular vigisigning the treaty of peace: that if these lance, or exertion. England had become difficulties occurred in the simplicity of a mistress of all the French forts and factories possessory article, they must be increased on the river Senegal, and had also taken tenfold upon every other, and would come the island of Goree, valuable on account of to such a height, as to preclude all possi- its harbor, and its convenient situation, bebility of negotiation on things of so intricate ing within cannon-shot of Cape Verd. She, a nature as exchanges and equivalents." therefore, had nothing more to do in that quarter than to preserve her former acquisitions.

SURVEY OF HOSTILE OPERATIONS.

THIS dispute occasioned some delay, and afforded the French ministry, if they had In America and the West Indies, ever been so disposed, a decent pretext for break- since the taking of Guadaloupe, and the reing off the negotiation. In the mean time duction of Canada, nothing had been athostilities were everywhere carried on, as tempted by land, except the quelling of the if no such negotiation subsisted. But the Cherokees, a very numerous and powerful campaign was distinguished by few memo- Indian nation, who, alike regardless of past rable events. treaties and of past chastisement, had begun to renew their barbarous ravages on the frontiers of South Carolina,

In the East Indies very little remained to be achieved, after the reduction of Pondicherry and some other advantages which The Jamaica and Leeward island squadwere gained about the same time. The day rons did not remain idle rear-admiral before colonel Coote took possession of that Holmes, who had the command on the forfortress, the Mogul army was defeated by mer station, planned some cruises with judg major Carnac in the neighborhood of Guya. ment and success. The squadron off the The hopes of the French in Bengal were Leeward Islands, under the direction of completely blasted; nor was fortune more commodore Sir James Douglas, was not less favorable to them on the coast of Malabar. alert in scouring those seas of the Martinico They still had a garrison at Mihie, which, privateers; and had also the merit of asthough of little consequence as a trading sisting in the conquest of Dominica, one of port, they had fortified at a vast expense, the islands called neutral, but which the and mounted the works with above two hun- French had fortified and settled. dred pieces of cannon. But it did not long Those successes were, indeed, highly hold out against the well-directed efforts of honorable to the small parties by whom they a body of forces sent from Bombay under were obtained; but they fell far short of Hector Monro, to whom Louet, the com- what might have been reasonably expected mander of the fort, surrendered it, with all from the employment of a greater force in its dependencies, in the beginning of Feb- that part of the world where the enemy was ruary. Count d'Estaigne was the only most vulnerable.

French adventurer in the east, who had ef- It has been before observed, that although fected anything which might be placed in the great purpose of the early and strenuthe opposite scale to those successes of the ous effort made by prince Ferdinand was English. He began his career towards the not fully answered, it nevertheless produced close of the year 1759; and with only two a very considerable and useful effect. The ordinary frigates under his command, he destruction of the French magazines redestroyed the fort of Bender-Abassi on the tarded their operations in such a manner,

that the greatest part of the month of June of that impetuosity which distinguishes the was spent, before their armies found them- onsets of the French. At last, general Wutselves in a condition to act. But as soon as genau, according to the plan originally prothey had taken proper measures for their sub- jected, got round with a large reinforcement sistence, marshal Broglio assembled his forces to lord Granby's left, and attacking the eneat Cassel, and moved towards the Dymel, in my in flank, obliged them, after an obstinate order to effect a junction with another French struggle which continued till it was quite army under the prince of Soubise, who was dark, to take shelter in the woods behind advancing on the side of Munster. The them. By the next morning, prince Ferdifirst blow was struck by marshal Broglio. nand's disposition of his forces was perfectHe surprised a body of troops commanded ed; and it was evident that the French, far by general Sporken, and very advantage- from being dismayed by repulse, were preously posted on the Dymel, in front of the pared for a more general, and still better allied army. The French took, upon this sustained attack than the former. Marshal occasion, eight hundred prisoners, nineteen Broglio led on their right wing against the pieces of cannon, four hundred horses, and left of the allied army, which, as on the upwards of a hundred and seventy wagons. evening before, was the principal object of The same day, which was the twenty-ninth the enemy: their centre and their left wing of June, they passed the Dymel; and while were commanded by the prince of Soubise, prince Ferdinand, as if discouraged by so who had directed, but failed in the assault sudden a check, fell back to the Lippe, they of the preceding day. The engagement made themselves masters of Warburg, Drin- began at three in the morning, and a severe gleburg, and Paderborn. The allies, how-fire was continued for upwards of five hours ever, soon recovered their spirit; and seve- before the least effect could be perceived on ral parties, conducted by general Luckner either side. The weight of the conflict this and other able officers, undertook some bold day lay on general Wutgenau's corps, who and very distant enterprises, attacked the supported it with a degree of bravery that enemy where they were least upon their rivalled the firm and intrepid stand which guard, routed their convoys, destroyed a had been lately made by the British forces. great many of their magazines, and carried About nine o'clock, prince Ferdinand receivoff their prey, even from the gates of Cas- ing intimation that the enemy were preparsel. These irritating skirmishes hastened ing to erect batteries on an eminence in the the union of the French forces, and made them resolve on a general action.

front of the marquis of Granby's camp, immediately ordered a body of troops to defeat The moment Prince Ferdinand was ap- their purpose. This service was performed prized of the intention of the enemy, he with so much vigor, that the enemy fell into called in all his detachments, and made the confusion, and precipitately quitted the field. most admirable disposition of his army. The Their centre and left, which had not been whole centre and the right wing were cov- able to pass the Saltzbach, after a long and ered in front by the Saltzbach, a small, but ineffectual cannonade, retired with the rest, very deep river, while the flank was well and covered their retreat; so that favored defended by rugged, bushy, and almost im- by this circumstance, and by the closeness practicable ground. The other wing was of the country which was full of hedges, they posted on an isthmus between two rivers, marched off in tolerable order, and were the left extremity leaning to the Lippe, by pursued but a little way. Their loss, howwhich it was perfectly secured, as the right ever, amounted to near five thousand men, was supported by the village of Kirch-Den- including the regiment of Rouge, which kern, situated immediately on the Aest. The consisted of four battalions, and was entirely marquis of Granby had the command of this taken with its cannon and colors by the sinwing; and as it protected a high road which gle battalion of Maxwell. The allies had formed the only communication with the ad- no more than three hundred killed, a thoujacent country, and was also the most ex- sand wounded, and about two hundred missposed in front, so that it would probably be ing. In other respects, the victory would the object of the enemy's most considerable have been attended with little advantage, efforts, the strength and flower of the army, had the enemy continued to act in concert, with the greater part of the artillery, were and to avail themselves of their great supeplaced there. But before all these precau- riority in point of number. But their gentions could be taken, or the necessary ar- erals were said to be influenced by motives rangements made, the enemy, by a rapid of personal pique, and to have mutually motion in the evening of the fifteenth of July, thwarted each other's schemes. It is at came up to the marquis of Granby's posts, least certain, that, after the action of Kirchand attacked them with great fury. The Denkern, their armies were disunited durBritish troops, though then unsupported, ing the rest of the campaign. The party withstood for some hours the whole torrent under the prince of Soubise passed the Lippe,

and made dispositions for the siege of Mun- allies could barely support a system of parster; whilst marshal Broglio's forces turned tial defence, afforded very little cause of off on the other side, crossed the Weser, and threatened to fall upon Hanover.

triumph to the advocates for a German war; they must have been still more mortified at Prince Ferdinand had not troops sufficient the disappointment of all their hopes in the to form two distinct armies; but he chose a king of Prussia's enterprising genius. That central position for his main body, and con- impetuous hero, as if fatigued by indecisive tented himself with sending out such de- victories, seemed now to adopt the caution tachments as he could spare to the relief of and slowness which had been so long opposany places that might be attacked. The ed to his vivacity. This change of conduct wisdom and vigor of his measures prevent- on his part was, indeed, rendered almost uned the enemy from making any important avoidable by circumstances. Count Daun conquests, but could not guard so wide a seat with a powerful army lay upon the watch at of war against their destructive ravages. A Dresden, ready to seize the first favorable successful attack upon the French garrison opportunity of recovering Saxony. It was at Dorsten, where ovens and other prepara- therefore necessary that prince Henry, the tions had been made for the siege of Mun- king's brother, should remain in his intrenchster, put an effectual stop to their project, ments under Leipsic, to counteract the deand compelled the prince of Soubise to re- signs of so vigilant an enemy. The king tire from the Lippe. But as his formidable himself was obliged to adopt a similar plan opponent, the hereditary prince, was soon of defensive measures by the alarming proafter called off to another quarter, the French gress of the Russians and Austrians in other commander spread his army all over Lower parts of his dominions. The Russian army Westphalia, pillaging some towns and sub- was divided into two strong bodies, one of jecting others to ruinous contributions. Mar- which, commanded by general Romanzow, shal Broglio was also obliged to relinquish penetrated through Pomerania, and laid his designs upon Hanover, in order to protect siege to Colberg; the other, under general Hesse, where his chief subsistence lay, and Butterlin, marched into upper Silesia, where where some of the smaller magazines had the king was strongly posted; and advanced been destroyed by the incursions of the alli- towards Breslau. Laudohn entered the same ed army. His brother the count de Broglio, province on the opposite side, with a view and prince Xavier of Saxony, having made of joining the Russians, in order to attack a forced march with a strong body of troops, the king, or to take Breslau or Schweidnitz took possession of Wolfenbuttle on the tenth in his presence. A remarkable drought in of October, and then invested Brunswick; the beginning of the season, which had but at the approach of the hereditary prince, greatly lowered the Oder, facilitated the joined by general Luckner, they abandoned proposed junction. The Russians spread their enterprise and evacuated Wolfenbuttle themselves over all the open country of Siwith such precipitation as to leave some of lesia, and exacted heavy contributions. A their cannon behind, and above five hundred considerable party of them appeared before men who were made prisoners. The sea- Breslau, on the first of August, and began son being now far advanced, nothing more to cannonade the town from seven batteries. was attempted by any part of the marshal's Laudohn exerted the whole of his skill to forces, except in the way of depredation, draw the king from his strong hold, and to which was severely felt by the wretched in- engage him in a disadvantageous action: habitants of the country to the eastward of sometimes he advanced, as if he meant to the Weser. The marshal himself remained join the Russians: sometimes his motions strongly encamped at Eimbeck till the begin- indicated a design on Schweidnitz: these ning of November, when prince Ferdinand, attempts failing, he turned off, and made a by a variety of bold and skilful manœuvres, feint, as if he proposed to fall upon lower reduced him to the alternative of retreating, Silesia, in hopes that he might at least oblige or coming to an engagement on equal terms. the king to divide his forces: but all his He chose the former, and marched with stratagems proved for some time ineffectual. more booty than laurels into winter-quarters The sagacious Frederic continued immovain the neighborhood of Cassel. The forces ble in his post, which protected Schweidof Soubise were distributed at Dusseldorp nitz: and with regard to the lower parts of and along the Lower Rhine. The allies Silesia, he had already filled the fortresses fixed their cantonments at Hildersheim, there with such garrisons as put them out Munster, Hamelen, and Eimbeck. The of the reach of any sudden insult. British cavalry wintered in East Friesland, The king of Prussia was not equally free and the infantry in the bishopric of Osna- from alarm at the danger of Colberg, the burgh. key of his northern possessions; and though Though the issue of the campaign in he had full employment for all his forces Westphalia, where the utmost efforts of the nearer home, he resolved to send a large de

carious.

tachment under general Platen, to the re- for the relief of Colberg, an event happened lief of that valuable city. The fertility of just by him, and, as it were, under his eye, his genius proposed two ends from this sin- almost as distressing as the loss of that gle expedient. He ordered Platen to direct place, and so much the more distressing as his march through Poland, and to destroy it was entirely unsuspected. After the rethe Russian magazines, which had been treat of the Russians out of Silesia, the king amassed on the frontiers of that kingdom, feeling some inconvenience with respect to and from which their army in Silesia drew provisions in his camp near Schweidnitz, their whole subsistence. This service might, and concluding that there was nothing to be he hoped, be performed without any consid- dreaded from the Austrians, now almost deerable interruption to the progress of the serted by their powerful auxiliaries, apdetachment towards Colberg. The event proached nearer to the Oder, for the sake was so far answerable to his wishes. Gene- of procuring supplies more easily. He was ral Platen ruined three principal magazines so little in fear of any hostile annoyance, of the enemy, attacked a great convoy of that, on making this movement, he drafted their wagons, five hundred of which he de- four thousand men from the garrison of stroyed, and having killed or made prison- Schweidnitz: he thought that the preparaers the greater part of four thousand men tions necessary to a siege would give him who defended them, he pursued his march sufficient notice and sufficient leisure to prowith the utmost diligence into Pomerania. vide for the safety of that place, from which, The news of this blow struck the Russians after all, he had removed but to a very small in Silesia with consternation: they imme- distance. Laudohn, who watched the king diately relinquished all the objects of their with a steady and penetrating eye, did not junction with the Austrians: their main let slip this, single instant of opportunity. body repassed the Oder, and hurried back He formed a plan of sudden attack on the into Poland, lest some more of their maga- uncovered fortress, and accomplished his zines should share the same fate with the purpose with a facility that far exceeded his three above mentioned, and their future most sanguine hopes. On the first of Octosubsistence be thereby rendered wholly pre-ber, at three in the morning, the troops selected for this service made their approach Notwithstanding this gleam of good for- with so much precaution, under the favor of tune, the king of Prussia's difficulties were a thick fog, that they fixed their scalingso multiplied, that his wisest schemes and ladders to all the four outworks of the fortihappiest successes could hardly answer any fications, before they were perceived by the other end than to vary the scene of his dis- garrison, who scarce had time to fire a few tress. The storm which had been diverted cannon at the assailants. A short contest from Silesia by general Platen's expedition, was, however, maintained with small-arms, was only removed thence to be discharged until a powder magazine in one of the outwith irresistible fury on Colberg. The Rus- works blew up, which killed very near sian army which had retreated into Poland, three hundred on each side. The Austrians, no sooner established its convoys, than it di- taking advantage of the confusion occasionrected its course towards Pomerania, in or- ed by this accident, rushed forward, and der to co-operate with the other forces un- bursting open the gates, made themselves der general Romanzow, and to wipe away, masters of the town before daybreak, with by a conquest of much greater importance, only the loss of about six hundred men, inthe disgrace of having failed at Breslau. cluding those who perished in the explosion. As Butterlin was also master of Landsberg, Lieutenant-general Zastrow, the governor, he sent out several parties from thence, that and his whole garrison amounting to three cruelly wasted all the adjoining marche of thousand men, were made prisoners; beBrandenburgh, without diverting himself, sides a quantity of artillery and a large by these ravages, from his grand object. It magazine of meal, which added to the value was impossible for the king to spare such a of this important capture. The king of Prusnumber of troops as could contend with the sia felt the blow to the quick. In the first enemy in the field; but he ordered general agitations of his mind, he was disposed to Knoblock to make the most rapid advances attribute the misfortune to treachery; but with another detachment, and hoped that by recovering his temper, he sent the following the union of these several corps, and by lines to the unfortunate governor: "We their intercepting, or at least retarding the may now say, what Francis the first of Russian convoys of provision, the place France said to his mother, after the battle might be enabled to hold out, until the se- of Pavia, We have lost all except our honor. vere setting in of winter should render the As I cannot comprehend what hath happenoperations of a siege impracticable. ed to you, I shall suspend my judgment: But while the king's attention was thus the affair is very extraordinary." wholly taken up in studying new methods Schweidnitz was lost suddenly; but Col

berg made a long and noble defence. The could make no motion for the relief of any Swedish and Russian fleets blocked it up by other part of his dominions, without expossea, for several months, till the boisterous ing Breslau and the whole of upper Silesia season forced them to retire, and afforded to certain and irrecoverable conquest. The the garrison an opportunity of receiving a Russians, on the other hand, by possessing large supply of provisions from Stetin. In Colberg, possessed almost everything. They the mean time the siege by land was push- were masters of the Baltic; and they now ed on with incredible perseverance; and acquired a port, by which their armies could Romanzow having reduced a fort that com- be well provided, without the necessity of manded the harbor, any repetition of the tedious, uncertain, and expensive convoys former succors was totally cut off. Still, from Poland. The eastern parts of Pomehowever, the garrison and its brave com- rania afforded them good winter-cantonmander, Heyde, seemed determined to hold ments; and nothing but the advanced seaout to the last extremity. Their efforts son could save Stetin from their immediate were well seconded by the prince of Wur- grasp, or obstruct their progress into the temburg, who was strongly intrenched with very heart of Brandenburg. Thus, after six or seven thousand men, under the can- having suffered and inflicted so many dreadnon of the town, and by general Platen who ful calamities in the course of five years, found means to join him in that post. But Frederic had no prospect before him but to as there was soon a necessity for revictual- perish in a flame of his own kindling; and ling the garrison, at every risk, Platen quit- all that he could reasonably expect was to ted the intrenchments in order to hasten give it brilliancy by some act of heroism, as and protect the arrival of some convoys, his absolute salvation seemed far beyond which the numerous scouting parties of the the reach of any human endeavors. Such Russians had hitherto kept at a distance. events were also very ill suited to the His spirited enterprise did not succeed: he haughty tone of the English minister in his had the misfortune to be met by an infinite- negotiation with France. But several acly superior body of the enemy; was beaten, tions happened at sea, between single ships and escaped with some loss and great diffi- and small squadrons, greatly to the honor culty, to Stetin. General Knoblock, whom of the British flag; and a naval armament, the king had also sent to the relief of Col- which had excited the highest hopes while berg with a second detachment, proved still its destinatian remained a secret, was premore unsuccessful. Having established him- pared early in the spring, and crowned with self at Treptow, which was to serve as a success. resting-place to the convoys, he was attack- The armament fitted out for this entered there, soon after Platen's defeat, by a prise consisted of ten ships of the line under force to which his numbers were so unequal, commodore Keppel, and near ten thousand that with the utmost skill and intrepidity he land forces commanded by major-general could only protract for five days the ulti-Hodgson. They sailed from Spithead on mate necessity of a surrender. After these the twenty-ninth of March, and came to disasters the prince of Wurtemburg became anchor in the great road of Belleisle, on the apprehensive lest his troops, by delaying any seventh of April. A descent was immelonger under the walls of the town, would diately attempted at three different places. only share its fate, or be driven by famine Major Purcel and captain Osborne, at the into humiliating terms. He therefore re-head of a party of grenadiers, got on shore, solved, whilst his men retained their vigor, and advanced for some time with great into break through a part of the Russian army, trepidity. But the enemy, who had intrenchand leave a place, which he could no longer ed themselves on the heights, appeared suddefend, to make the best capitulation its cir- denly above them, and poured in such a secumstances would admit. He effected his vere fire as threw them into confusion, and purpose with inconsiderable loss; but the intimidated the rest of the troops from landgarrison, now hopeless of relief, exhausted ing. The major and captain were both by fatigue, their provision low, and the for- killed: and all their brave followers shared tifications in many places battered to pieces, the same fate, or were made prisoners. The surrendered to the Russians on the sixteenth flat-bottomed boats, and two large ships that of December, after a peculiarly distressing convoyed them to the landing-place, were siege of near six months. obliged, in spite of their most vigorous ef The loss of two such places as Schweid- forts, to retire, with the loss of five hundred nitz and Colberg, at the two extremities of men. Some tempestuous weather, which his dominions, were decisive against the immediately followed this first failure, preking of Prussia. The Austrians took up vented a second trial for several days. At their winter-quarters in the former and its length the wind having abated, and the neighborhood; and the king was fully sen- whole coast having been diligently examin sible, that, whilst they held that place, heled, proper dispositions for landing wer