The Reign of George VI/Chapter 5
CHAP V.
When we consider the dispositions of the three principal Sovereigns at this period on the continent, it will not appear wonderful that the peace between them should not be lasting. The ambition of Peter, the cunning policy of Charles, and the weakness of Frederick, formed such contrasts as must necessarily produce no long friendship among them. The Emperor of Russia ever restless, and weary of peace, looked with envious eyes on the fair provinces of Germany. The weakness of the reigning Emperor gave him a fair opportunity to attempt the execution of his schemes. He entered into a negotiation with Charles, which ended in a treaty, aimed at Frederic. It was agreed that Mecklenbourg, Pomerania, and some other of the northern provinces, should be conquered and ceded to Peter, and the southern Austrian duchies, to Charles. This flagrant treaty was no sooner signed, than pretenses were sought for to break with the unsuspecting Frederic. Between ambitious Princes these are seldom wanted long. It would be endless to repeat even the titles of the memorials, answers, and rejoinders that were published between the parties; but the Emperor, finding his enemies were determined to attack him, prepared for his defense. The Duke of Saxony, his General, collected his troops, and found himself at the head of seventy thousand men; with these he marched against the King of France, who, at the head of near one hundred thousand men, had begun the war. The Duke attacked the King near Augsburgh; and, after a desperate and bloody battle, defeated him.[1] This victory stopped the progress of the French arms, and enabled the Duke to direct his march towards Brandenburgh, which was overrun by the Russians. Peter, at the head of ninety thousand men, had taken Berlin, and two other Russian armies were making a rapid progress. The Duke of Saxony, with his victorious army, made flying marches to repel these invaders. It was not long before he had an opportunity of fightin the Czar. About four o'clock in the morning the two armies joined battle, in the very plain where Gustavus Adolphus the great fought the battle of Lutzen. Success hung quivering over each army for a considerable time; at last the Duke was killed, and his death was followed by the total defeat of his whole army. This great victory was hardly gained when Peter was informed that his ally, the King of France, had recovered his late disgrace by gaining a signal victory over the Electors of Hanover and Bavaria, who, with fifty thousand men, had taken arms in defense of the empire.
Frederick's affairs were now fast advancing to ruin; the Russians on one side and the French on the other, pressed him so hard, that he determined, with a strong garrison and plenty of provisions, to shut himself up in Vienna, one of the strongest cities in Europe. He sent Ambassadors to George VI. to implore his protection, and after seeing his enemies in possession of his dominions, shut himself up in his capital; which Peter, with one hundred and fifty thousand men, immediately invested.
The King of England, who panted for glory, when honour pointed out the path, was now moved by humanity: he pitied the condition of the unhappy Emperor, and determined to assist him. He laid before the parliament, ever ready to concur with their Monarch in prosecuting the interest and honour of their country, the state of Europe; displayed the sad situation of the house of Brandenburgh, and asked their concurrence in supporting it. The wishes of the whole kingdom attended the King in this demand; and the commons having granted the necessary supplies, George increased his forces to eighty thousand men, and his fleet was manned and ready for service in case of necessity, and soon after a vast fleet of transports wafted the King, at the head of sixty thousand of the bravest troops in the world, to the coast of Flanders. Had the Emperor been in a less critical situation he could have drawn one of his enemies off by marching to Paris; but nothing could save Frederic except raising the siege of Vienna. George, therefore, lost no time, but began a long and dangerous march, through a country wholely possessed by the enemy. He had with him a vast train of artillery, and a multitude of baggage waggons, yet, thus incumbered, he ventured on one of the most dangerous expeditions that ever was known. All the passes, quite from Flanders to Austria, were in the hands of the French and Russians: he had many fortresses to pass by; and a prodigious number of rivers to cross. Yet all these difficulties so far from slackening the activity of the King, served only to spur him more eagerly on. The particulars of this celebrated march are well known. George, almost without the loss of a man, arrived in Austria, on the banks of the Danube, after one of the most expeditious marches ever known. He slipped by three armies, whose only business was to intercept him; he passed every river in safety, and, to the astonishment of all the world, was in a condition to fight the Czar of Moscovy, almost as soon as that Monarch had heard of his approach.
Peter immediately raised the siege, and, drawing up his forces in the plains of Vienna, prepared to fight the King of England, who was also engaged in the same employment. The Russian army had a superiority of above sixty thousand men, consequently their numbers were two to one; but no dangers could depress the heart of George. Having, with moving batteries, secured the rear and wings of his army from being surrounded; he placed his artillery in the most advantageous manner, and dividing his front into two lines, at the head of the first he began the attack; after his artillery had played on the enemy an hour, with great success. The Russian infantry, animated by the presence of their Czar, under whom they had so often conquered, repulsed him with some loss. The King hereupon made a second and still more furious attack, but yet without success. At that critical moment the Duke of Devonshire, who commanded his left wing, sent for immediate assistance, as he was hard pressed by the superior numbers of the enemy. George flew like lightning to his weakened troops, and placing himself at the head of six regiments of dragoons, made such a furious attack on the eager Russians as threw them into disorder, and following his advantage, pushed them with great success. Thus, having given his left time to rally and renew the attack, he returned to the centre; where his presence was equally wanted. The Czar, having repulsed his two first attacks, and finding the English at a stand, not knowing the reason, he made a violent and well directed assault on them, which being repulsed, he renewed it with still greater vigour. The King of England coming up at that moment, and placing himself at the head of fifteen thousand horse, attacked the centre of the Russian army with such irresistable impetuosity that he bore down all before him. Every effort the Czar could make proved ineffectual, the King pursuing his success, renewed his attacks on a broken enemy; which threw their whole army into the utmost confusion. The Czar ordered a retreat, but it was made in miserable order; the King dispatched the Duke of Devonshire to pursue the enemy with thirty thousand men, who made a prodigious slaughter; the vast numbers of the Russians, only increasing their confusion.
Thus did this magnanimous Monarch gain this glorious victory, against double his own number, over some of the best troops in Europe, who had been used to victory. Never could General show more distinguishing proofs of a most heroic courage, than the King in this great day. This victory was thoroughly complete, thirty-five thousand Russians were left dead in the field of battle, twenty-four thousand made prisoners, and thirteen thousand wounded; in short, the Czar before he arrived in Denmark, had lost above eighty thousand men, a loss in one battle almost unparalleled. The trophies were two hundred pieces of brass cannon, besides colous and drums, &c. without number; and their military chest was taken, containing above thirty millions of roubles, a prodigious sum.
But the greatness of the King's victory was best seen in its consequences; the Emperor Frederick embraced him as his deliverer, ———Germany was entirely cleared of both Russians and French; for Charles on the news of the battle of Vienna, which was like a thunder-bolt to him, had abandoned all his hasty acquisitions, and retired into France, to prepare for King George's reception, as he every day expected an attack. Nor was he mistaken; the King had no sooner seen the Emperor firm on his lace tottering throne, than he directed his march towards France, determining to punish Charles for his unjust attack on Frederick. He met with no opposition, and entered France, as he would have entered England. In three weeks the whole duchy of Lorraine was subdued; and Rheims opened its gates to the conqueror. George advanced towards Paris with hasty marches; the Court in the greatest terror retired to Orleans, and on the sixth of September, 1918, the King of England entered Paris at the head of his victorious army.
The whole French nation were astonished at the success of George, and a general despondency ensued every where, but in the breast of Charles. That Prince was in the neighbourhood of Lyons, at the head of a powerful army; but in doubt whether he should fight the English or no; his very crown was at stake; a defeat must inevitably strip him of his dominions; and on the other hand, a pusillanimous conduct could not but sink the spirits of his people still lower, and be attended with perhaps as fatal consequences; but the rapid success of the King of England, hardly allowed him time to think: that Monarch had divided his army into two parts; with one he was over-running Normandy, and the Duke of Devonshire with the other was conquering Picardé, the Isle of France, and Champagne; by the end of October, all the northern provinces of France were in the hands of the English. In the mean time, Charles had increased his army to one hundred and thirty thousand men, but the greatest part were but indifferently disciplined; a large body of French troops were in the service of the King of Venice, and were now on their march home; but without staying for these, Charles advanced towards Paris. George immediately collected his forces, and prudently entrenched himself in a very advantageous spot; here the King of France attacked him, and fought in that desperate manner which might be expected from a brave man, whose kingdom was at stake. But the genius of George prevailed. The English cannon were placed so advantageously, and so well served, that every attack the French could make, served but to increase the prodigious number of their slain. Charles at last drew off his men from the attack, when the King of England, letting loose ten thousand horse, on the weakened, and almost vanquished enemy, completed his victory, with the total defeat of the French. Orleanois, Britany, and Burgundy, were immediately over-run by the English troops. But winter comeing on, the King left the command in France to the Duke of Devonshire; and crossing the water, landed in England; where he was received by all his expecting subjects with the loudest acclamations of unfeigned joy.
- ↑ 1917.