The Reign of George VI/Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
George could not have left France at a more critical time. His prodigious successes had kindled the jealousy of several of his neighbours, who wished to see the rapidity of his conquests stopped. A series of victories had raised his character as a commander to an extreme high pitch; he possessed the reputation of not only being the greatest General of his time, but even one of the most celebrated that ever existed. He was the sovereign of a powerful kingdom, and was equally formidable, both by sea and land. He had given France a terrible blow by one successful battle, and bid fair to conquer the whole kingdom in another campaign; these circumstances, at the same time that they raised the jealousy of his neighbours, equally occasioned a dread of his power: all wished to clip his soaring wings, but no one singly dared to attempt it.
His old enemy, the Czar Peter was engaged in a second war with the Turkish Emperor Bajazet, which had been carried on with various success two campaigns; and a late rebellion of the Danes, under Count Stormer, had obliged him to divide his land forces; yet engaged as he was, he was ready to come into any alliance against the King of Great-Britain: indeed, he could no longer be the enemy he formerly proved; for the Russian fleet, as its rise was swift, so its declension was rapid; and powerful as Peter had lately been at sea, yet he was now by no means in a condition of making any naval opposition of consequence to the fleets of England.
Charles the IIId. who at this time sat on the throne of Spain, was a weak Prince, but governed by the Count de Leon, a Minister of great abilities and unbounded ambition. From the moment George distinguished himself on the continent of Europe, he became his enemy professed, and by his intrigues, endeavoured to unite the whole force of Europe against him. He had supplyed the late King of France with immense sums of money, he had put the whole force of Spain in motion, and waited only for a proper opportunity to declare openly against the King of Great-Britain. Spain was in a flourishing condition; the acquisition of Portugal and Brazil was very considerable; and having been so fortunate as to possess a succession of able ministers, her revenues were in good order, and her forces well disciplined and numerous: she had besides a fleet of forty sail of the line ready manned, besides frigates.
Italy at this time enjoyed a profound peace, the Kings of Sicily and Venice, having for some time compromised all their disputes. The Emperor Frederick was in close alliance with George, and the German Princes neutral, but ready to let their troops to whoever would hire them. The Swiss cantons was also in friendship with Great-Britain[1].
Such was the state of Europe, when the battle of Alençon struck a terror into most of its Sovereigns. The Count de Leon had sometime before entered into a negotiation with the Czar, to form an alliance against George, This battle hastened their proceedings, and a treaty was soon agreed on between them, for the protection of Philip, and signed at Madrid. Peter engaged to join the Spanish fleet with sixty sail of the line, and send ten thousand foot and five thousand horse to assist Philip. Spain was to march an army of sixty thousand men into France, to act against the English. In return, Philip engaged as soon as George was drove out of his dominions, to assist Charles with all his forces, to recover Milan from the King of Sicily. The last article was secret; but his Sicilian Majesty found means to come at the designs of his enemies. The first of October the King of Spain declared war against Great-Britain, and on the ninth he was followed by the Czar.
George in the mean time was not dilatory in opposing both preparations, and negotiations against those of his enemies. He no sooner arrived in England, than he dispatched orders to Milford, for a squadron of twenty ships of the line, and fourteen frigates, to be equipped with all expedition; another of ten sail, and eleven frigates, at Portsmouth; twenty line of battle ships, and nine frigates, at Hull; fifteen sail were almost ready for sea at Plymouth; nine at Cork in Ireland, and five at Lynn; in all, seventy-nine sail of the line, besides frigates: he had a squadron of fifteen sail off Toulon, under Admiral Tonson; and ten in the Channel, commanded by Philips. The Duke of Grafton hasted down to Hull, to quicken the preparations for fitting out the grand squadron, which was to sail for the Baltick, from thence. Orders were given for the fleets at Plymouth, Portsmouth, and Lynn, with the squadron in the Channel, to rendezvous at Hull, as fast as they were got ready for service, that a powerful fleet might sail from thence early in the spring, before a Russian one could come out of the Baltick. Never were such prodigious preparations carryed on in a more spirited manner. New ships were building at all the ports of Great-Britain and Ireland, and even in the immense colonies of America; four ships of 40 guns each, were on the stocks at Quebeck; ten at Boston, and five at Philadelphia. Nor was the King's attention only carryed towards his navy; twenty new regiments were raised in Great-Britain, and eight in Ireland. All sorts of military preparations went on with equal vigour.
The parliament meeting the beginning of the winter, the session was opened with a very sensible speech from the throne, in which his Majesty laid before them the state of affairs, both at home and abroad; explained the necessity of prosecuting the war in the most vigorous manner, and repelling all attacks that might be made by the members of the alliance which was formed against him. There were two parties at this time in the parliament, the one was for making a peace as soon as possible, to avoid a war with all Europe; these urged, that the conquests his Majesty had made in France, however glorious they might seem, were certainly contrary to the interest of the kingdom, as it would be highly absurd to think of keeping them, even if it was in our power; this was their chief argument, and the Duke of Bedford, who was in disgrace, was at their head; but as the opposite party, who were entirely guided by the pleasure of the King (so great was his reputation, and so universal was the good opinion entertained of him) were much the strongest, after a few debates, it was determined to address his Majesty, and to thank him for his design of prosecuting the war with vigour; and before they were prorogued, they granted him thirteen millions, every shilling of which was raised by taxes within the year, to the surprise of all Europe. So extensive was the British trade at this time.
His Majesty's negotiations were as spirited as his military preparations: he sent the Earl of Chesterfield his Ambassador to the Emperor Frederick; the Duke of Marlborough to the King of Sicily; and Mr. Wharton to the states of Swisserland. A treaty was soon signed between himself, the Emperor, and his Sicilian Majesty; in opposition to the alliance: Frederick engaged to attack the Russians, if they entered the Empire, and George took ten thousand of his men into his pay; the King of Sicily furnished him with ten thousand more at his own expence, on condition, that they should be recalled if that Monarch was attacked himself, and that the King of Great-Britain should send an army of twenty thousand men to his assistance: moreover, George hired eight thousand Bavarians, and six thousand Swiss infantry. Such were the measures this vigilant Monarch took to repulse the attempts of his powerful enemies.
No sooner was these treaties signed, than the ten thousand troops furnished by the King of Sicily, marched from the neighbourhood of Turin, and crossing the Alps near Bornico, joined the Swiss troops, and remained encamped till the Imperialists and Bavarians arrived, when they formed an army of thirty-four thousand men. The King sent the Duke of Devonshire orders to detach the Earl of Bury with five thousand men, to put himself at their head, and lead them into France. This was no easy talk. Philip, who had recruited his army, and was re-enforced with fifteen thousand Spaniards, laid in his way to intercept. Franche Compté, part of Lorraine, and Alsace, were in his possession; so that the road to Swisserland was entirely blocked up, but this able General, deceived the French King (or rather the Marshal Siletta, who had the command) and making a flying march, passed by his army, and entered Swisserland in safety. The allied troops were in the neighbourhood of Zurick, Bury placed himself at their head, entered Franche Compté without opposition; Siletta was too weak, though far superior in numbers, to prevent him. Perceiving the weakness of the enemy, he laid siege to Besançon; expecting an easy conquest, but a brave Governour commanding in it, he was obliged to open the trenches against it.
In the mean time, his Grace of Devonshire was not idle; he had collected forty thousand men to drive Philip from Lyons, and and attack that city; but an unforeseen event changed his design. General Sommers, who commanded ten thousand men in Hainault, was unfortunately surprised in a dark night, by a small body of the enemies troops in that province, and the Frenchman pursuing his blow, was attended with some success: this affair called off the attention of the Duke from the southern parts, and pointed out the necessity of first reducing all the northern provinces. Instead therefore of marching to Lyons, he moved with his army towards Flanders. The French army although elated with their success, did not dare to stand their ground: the Commander very prudently gave up all thoughts of keeping the field against the Duke, and conjecturing that his Grace would not make so long a march, without attempting to reduce the country, he divided his troops into small parties, and threw them into the strong towns in the Flemish provinces. The sea coast was already in the hands of the English, quite to Blankenburgh, with the whole province of Artois. Devonshire being joined by General Sommers and his scattered troops, divided his army into two parts; with one, Sommers advanced towards Namur, with design to take that City, and afterwards to reduce all the adjacent provinces. The Duke at the head of the other, made a flying march to Antwerp, and surprised that city. His detachments by the way conquered all Dutch Brabant, and Dutch Flanders: this country, so famous in history, was no longer the strongest spot in Europe; many of that vast list of fortresses, which in the great Marlborough's time, took so much time to master, now opened their gates to the Duke of Devonshire on the first summons.—Having secured the provinces in his rear, he advanced into Liege, and coasting along the Meuse, took Nimeguen; nothing now opposed the most rapid conquests; whole provinces were over-run in a few days. The French garrisons in Holland were weak to the last degree, and the Dutch, whose spirits were sunk in their slavery, had no inclination to assist their cruel masters. Rotterdam, the Hague, Utrecht, and even Amsterdam itself, opened its gates to the conqueror. In one word, all the Seven Provinces were in the hands of the English by the end of the campaign.
General Sommers had no less success in his expedition; Namur surrendered in five days, and Luxemburg, part of Champagne, and Lorraine, were immediately conquered. This prodigious success, struck a damp into George's enemies; while Philip was lieing inactive, and waiting for reinforcements, the English had conquered an immense territory, and were every day extending their possessions. The Duke leaving twenty thousand men under Sommers, to take up their quarters in the conquered country, returned with the rest of his army to winter in Paris.
- ↑ Stephenson, vol. 1. p. 63.