and the inhabitants. The French having completed their approaches, and effected sufficient breaches, were preparing to give a general assault, when the magistracy of the place waited on the Governor, to request he would not deliver them to certain death, by continuing a resistance which could only terninate in a massacre of the garrison and people. These remonstrances induced him to consent to a capitulation; by which the garrison were to be considered as prisoners of war till exchanged. On these terms Maestricht surrendered to General Kleber on the 4th of November, after having stood a siege of forty days, and suffered a loss of more than 2000 houses and public buildings, either totally demolished or materially damaged.

The capture of two cities of such high consideration as Nimeguen and Maestricht, filled the ruling party in Holland with the most evident consternation; they now began thoroughly to despair of being able to make head against France, espeeially as their domestic enemies were well known to have formed the resolution of taking an active part in favour of the French, the moment they could do it with any prospect of personal safety.

The invasion of Holland was an object of universal expectation in Europe. The force under the command of General Pichegru, who was placed at the head of this great expedition, amounted to no less than 200,000 men. His abilities, and those of the officers who were to serve under him, annexed

a security to the enterprize, which equally elated the French and depressed their enemies. In less than two years from the accession of the governing powers in the United Provinces to the confederacy which was to have reduced France, they found themselves on the point of becoming the subjects of that irritated power, by the most humiliating and disgraceful of all means, those of subjugation and conquest.

The strength which was to oppose this vast and victorious army, consisted in the remains of the British troops and those in their pay, and of the Dutch troops. But their numbers were beneath consideration, when compared to the multitude of their enemies; and though far from deficient in military knowledge any more than in spirit, they did not appear adequate to the arduous task of preserving Holland from the designs in agitation against it.

A neutral party subsisted in Holland, which, without inclining to the Stadtholder or to his enemies, were decidedly averse to the entrance of the French; which they foresaw must put an end to the independence of the Dutch as a nation. But their remonstrances on the necessity of a reunion of all parties against a foreign invasion, were lost in the fixed deter mination of those in authority to trust none but their adherents, and in the no less obstinate resolution

of their antagonists to destroy their authority through the assistance of the French.

CHAP.

HILE the armies of France

WHI

were victorious in the Low Countries, and on the frontiers of Germany, they were no less successful on the borders of Spain. A singular change had now taken place in the fortune of this once mighty monarchy. Destined for the space of near two centuries to figure at the head of christendom, and to disturb by its ambition the peace of all Europe, it was now reduced to the necessity of courting the alliance of other powers, in order to preserve the remains of its own importance. The loftiness and dignity which used to charac. terize its transactions with other states, impressed little weight on them; and it was with difficulty that the court of Madrid maintained its rank, and some portion of its former influence in other countries. The war in which it had united with the coalition of other sovereigns against France, had deeply tried its resources both in men and money. Hitherto the balance of war had inclined to Spain; but it was through the most violentexertions it stood its ground. The narrow population of a country larger than France, but not containing half the number of its

inhabitants, was a constant drawback on all its efforts to recruit the armies requisite to face such numerous forces as the French were preparing to bring into the field; their intention being to crush Spain with the weight of their multitudes, as soon as they had overcome some difficulties which retarded the proper organization of those numbers that were ready in the southern provinces of France to embody themselves, and to strengthen the French armies employed in that country. The close of the campaign in 1793 had been favourable to the Spanish arms; upwards of 5,000 French had fallen, either slain or wounded, in the battle of the 22d of September, won by General Ricardos, in the neighbourhood of Perpignan; and the campaign terminated with another defeat of their forces, not far from Collioura, on the 28th of December. But although these were unpropitious events, the French government was not in the least apprehensive of their consequences. Relying on the strength which would be added to the French forces employed against Spain at the opening of the next campaign, they entertained a sanguine hope that

it

it would prove entirely different from the former. The French army took the field early in the month of February. Impatient to recover the credit they had lost by their preceding defeats, they at tacked the Spaniards that were posted near St. Jean Deluz, and routed them with great loss on the 5th of that month. Encouraged by this success, the French forces stationed on the castern frontiers, marched, in the beginning of April, against the Spanish army encamp ed at Cerat, and obliged them to abandon it, together with the town of Boulon: they again attacked them, on the 1st of May, near the former of those places, of which they had attempted to retake possession, and gained advantages over them of the utmost importance: they took an immense quantity of artillery, together with 2,000 men; the slain and wounded were also very numerous.

But the event which gave a decisive turn to the war in Spain, was the splendid victory obtained on the 23d of May by General Dugommier, an officer of great celebrity, over a Spanish army near Collisare. Besides those that fell in action, 7000 men laid down their arms; and all the baggage and cannon fell into the hands of the French. This event was so satisfactory to the Convention, that it was proposed to erect a colum on the field of action, withan inscrip

tion to commemorate it.

Inthe meantime, the strong town of Bellegrade, which the Spaniards had taken in the preceding campaign, was invested by a large body of French troops. Count De L'Union, a Spanish General of great eminence, formed a plan for its

relief. At the head of some chosen regiments he attacked the besiegers with such impetuosity, that they were at first driven from their posts; but they soon rallied and recovered them. The fight continued with obstinacy for a long time. General Mirabel, a French officer of merit, and who contributed by his exertion to the success of his countrymen on this day, was killed with a number of them; but they were at length successful, and the Spaniards were totally routed, with the loss of near 3000 men. This brave but unfortunate attempt of the Spaniards to raise the siege of Bellegrade, took place on the 30th of August. The garrison still hoping to be relieved, held out till the 29th of September; when, despairing of any effort in their faveur, they surrendered to General Dugommier. On the very next day Count De L'Union, unapprized of this event, made a very resolute attack on the French; but was again compelled to retreat with considerable loss. The number of Spanish troops made prisoners at Bellegrade, amounted to 6000; a heavy loss in such a scarcity of able soldiers as Spain now daily experienced.

The continual failures of the Spanish commanders in their repeated attacks of the French, roused them to a determination to collect such a force as might, through the goodness of the troops, as well

as

their numbers, afford better hopes of success. With a strength thus selected, they advanced against Dugommier, the most formidable of their enemies, and whom for that reason they were chiefly desirous of having the honour of defeating. He met them at Spanilles on the

17th of October. The victory was disputed with great valour on both sides, but after a bloody conflict declared for the French, who made a dreadful slaughter of the enemy, and particularly of their emigrated countrymen in the Spanish service. A great number of cannon and warlike stores, with tents for 12,000 men, fell into their hands.

But the glory of this day was heavily clouded by the loss of the General to whom it was owing. Dugommier, zealous to reconnoitre the motions of the enemy, in order to complete the plan he had formed to cut off his retreat, was slain by a cannon-ball in the moment of victory. No officer seems to have been more respected for his various great qualities. The convention decreed that his name should be in cribed on a column in the pantheon of Paris, among those warriors who had deserved well of their country, and fallen in its service. Three days after this great victory, another still greater was obtained. Exasperated at their continual defeats, the principal heads of the Spanish army resolved to concentrate their whole strength in a position strong by nature, and which they had rendered still stronger by a chain of entrenchments and batteries, to the number of near 100. These stupendous works had employed six months of assiduous labour. They were defended by an army of 40,000 men; and it was thought by adequte judges in military affairs, that the French would certainly be worsted, if they attempted to force them. In this hope, some of the most eminent officers in the service of Spain had repaired to this army, in order to contribute VOL. XXXVI.

their exertions on the critical day that was shortly expected.

Convinced of the necessity of overcoming the obstacles thus thrown in their way, before they cold make a farther progress, the French commanders drew together the best troops that could be mustered from the various posts they occupied, resolving to make the utmost trial of their valour. On the 20th of October they marched to the attack of the Spanish entrenchments; and after three hours fight penetrated them in every quarter, to the utter astonishment of the Spanish commanders. Indignant at so unexpected and humiliating a disappointment, after using every effort that bravery and skill could employ to retrieve the fortune of the day, they seemed determined not to survive it. Count De L'Union and three other general officers were amongst the slain; and their army was completely defeated and put to flight. This great and decisive battle was fought in the nighbourhood of St. Fernando de Figueres, a place of great strength, and garrisored by near 10,000 men: but the loss of such a battle in their sight, filled them with such dismay, that they surrendered to the victors in three days. The booty found in this fortress, and in the encampment that had been forced, was immense. Among other articles of high value, twelve founderies for cannon, with all the materials in readiness, were taken. The importance of this victory was such, that all resistance fell before the French in those parts. They followed the retreating Spaniards with so much expedition, that overtaking them at a place where

F

they