their commander, who extricated himself with slight loss from the dilemma. July 2d.-Reverses now followed fast; the Prince of Coburg was defeated at Mons; again at Soigniers; and the Duke of York pursued his retreat to Grammont, (3d,) sending forward his sick to Antwerp. Tournay and Ghent were now occupied by the enemy, (6th,) who were at this time twenty miles nearer to Antwerp than the British general. He therefore hurried his retreat to Asche, reached Malines, where he was joined by Lord Moira, crossed the Neethe, (9th,) and encamped at Konticq, while Lord Moira took a position at Waerloos. But they were not permitted the short respite from continual toil and battle, which the troops so much required. They formed the rear guard of the allies; and were repeatedly attacked by the enemy with very superior numbers. (12th and 13th.) Constant skirmishes, and brilliant affairs with the cavalry, were the order of the day. The dragoons, headed by Colonel Churchill, overthrew a superior body of the enemy (15th), and the French colonel fell, gallantly fighting with the Englishmen hand to hand. 16th. The attacks of the next day were repulsed with equal gallantry, and the skill and intrepidity of Lieutenant-general Abercromby, who succeeded to the command of Lord Moira, were the theme of every tongue. (22d.) The retreat was continued on Bergen-op-Zoom; the stores of Antwerp were destroyed, and it was not till (24th) they reached the plains near Rosendale that the army, worn out with incessant attacks, were enabled to enjoy a brief repose. The enemy were pushing to gain the plains of Breda before them; and the army resumed its march. (August 4th.) There it took up so formidable a position, that the French general declined to disturb it; and the Dutch had sufficient time to put the garrison in defence. It was near Breda that those frequent skirmishes occurred in which the light dragoons so much distinguished themselves, and captured a picket of the enemy. In most of these affairs, and during part of the retreat from Antwerp, Lieutenant-colonel Wellesley was present with his regiment, and, in protecting the retreat, had the advantage in some sharp skirmishes with the enemy. 28th. The enemy now attacked in formidable numbers, attempted to turn the British left, and to cut off their retreat on Bois le Duc. This was prevented only by great promptness and resolution, and without the loss of a single man. (30th.) Such was the expedition, that the army encamped within four miles of Bois le Duc, upon the same ground which had been occupied in the year 1746. Had it remained another day upon the plains of Breda, the French, with one hundred thousand men, would inevitably have surrounded and destroyed it, having received strong reinforcements. 1st September. The head-quarters were removed to Berlicom, where the army again breathed, freed from fresh attacks till the 14th, when the outposts along the Dommel, and at Boxtel, were forced with considerable loss. Here the spirit and judgment of Lieutenant-colonel Wellesley, who checked the advance of the enemy and restored order, were brought into active display. But, pursued by an overwhelming force under Pichegru, the army continued its retreat, arrived near the old lines of Velpen, about three miles from Grave, and the next day crossed the Meuse. 1st October.-Meantime the Austrians had been driven across the Rhine with tremendous loss; and fresh troops were pouring down upon the devoted English. Forced marches were renewed, (3d,) and the army at length were enabled to take up a position near Nimeguen. (17th.) Many severe conflicts were now renewed, in which the 33d, being the covering party, and forming part of a brigade, commanded by Lieutenant-colonel Wellesley, bore a conspicuous share. In some spirited actions upon the Waal, also, in which Major Hope performed several brilliant feats, the covering force, under the Colonel's immediate direction, proved extremely useful in checking the temerity of the enemy's incessant attacks. With an address little honourable to them, the French formed corps equipped in the exact uniform of the emigrants, and of the Rhoan hussars, by means of which they often surprised, and cut off both officers and detachments, and it required every man to be on the alert to avoid the deceitful snare. 27th and 28th.-In some affairs of outposts, and the attack on Fort St. André, before Nimeguen, Lieutenant-general Abercromby, Sir William Clarke, and Captain Picton, performed wonders against very superior numbers, and were all wounded. A powerful sortie from Nimeguen, (November 4th,) supported by the British at this time, was crowned with perfect success; but the loss on both sides was severe, and it failed to check the enemy's progress. It was with difficulty that the garrison were drawn off, (6th and 7th,) the Dutch were made prisoners, and the army, thinned by sickness and suffering every kind of privation, went into cantonments along the Waal. (9th.) The season was extremely inclement; the mortality continued to spread; (14th ;) a contagious fever, fierce as the plague, burst forth in both armies, and the hospitals were filled. Still the enemy continued their attempts upon Bommel, but invariably without effect. December 6th.-Early in December the Duke of York quitted the army and returned to England, leaving the command to General Walmoden, as senior officer. 14th. At this time, owing to the severity of the season, the ice upon the Waal was so strong, that regiments of cavalry, with the heaviest cannon, could cross without the least fear of its giving way. The English had erected batteries on the Waal dyke, notwithstanding which the enemy crossed near the Tuyl, and took possession of the port of Tiel. (27th.) It was retaken, however, in the most gallant style in a general attack, where the batteries at the town of Bommel were also carried; and with this gallant action the campaign of 1794 may be said to have closed. Jan. 1, 1795.-Upon the opening of the year, there was, technically speaking, a daily alert along the lines; indeed, the whole of the army below the Waal and Lech had the appearance of one picket. Tuyl, however, was again lost; and General Dundas, when about to assume the offensive, was himself attacked at Geldermalsen, (5th,) the village of which was carried by the 33d regiment, and the brigade commanded by Lieutenant-colonel Wellesley. The enemy advanced against the village, both in front and flank, but were repulsed by the steadiness of the brigade and the troops in reserve, and driven upon Metteren with the loss of some hundreds.* 6th.-General Dundas now fell back upon Bueren, and in some severe skirmishes which ensued, to the advantage of the British, Lieutenant-colonel Paget, who highly distinguished himself, was wounded, with sixty-five men. (Jan. 8th.) Every officer in the 27th regiment was hit; but not one who was only slightly wounded quitted his post. The attack was conducted by Lord Cathcart. - 14th. The enemy, now greatly reinforced, attacked the whole line from Arnheim to Amerongen; and upon the same night, the army began their retreat towards Amersford and Deventer. From this period the sufferings of the soldiers became extreme, and many afflicting scenes, and deeds, and outrages, revolting to humanity displayed war in its most terrific forms. In retaliation for casual excesses committed by the soldiers, the inhabitants not only closed their hearts and their doors against the unfortunate, the lost, or the sick, but are said to have rifled and not unfrequently despatched them. 19th. The banks of the Yssel were at length gained; and the army, for the moment, went into cantonments along the Ems (27th.) (February 10th.)—During the succeeding days * See despatches by General Walmoden, General William Harcourt, and General Dundas. The government bulletins. the enemy having prepared to renew the pursuit, General Abercromby, and other able leaders, continued to retire; (11th ;) but the emigrants suffered severe loss; (26th ;) and the French pressing on, attacked Lord Cathcart's brigade, which was compelled, in some confusion, to fall back. At this time, when all the corps were in full retreat, (March 5th,) the Prussians, forty thousand strong-and bound to have made their appearance long before-entered Westphalia to protect their own frontiers, (16th,) while the British army marched to Bremen, (April 14th,) from whence they proceeded to Bremerleche, where they embarked for England, with the exception of General Dundas and Lord Cathcart, with a detachment of artillery and all the British cavalry, who remained some time in the same position. Such was the close of a campaign in which the army, under circumstances of great difficulty, conducted itself with uniform steadiness and gallantry, and in which the enemy mainly owed their success to the ability of their leaders and their very superior numbers. The foregoing sketch will enable the reader to form some idea of the kind of warfare in which Lieutenant-colonel Wellesley was first engaged; and it is a remarkable fact that, although only present during part of this disastrous retreat, he was placed in the post of honour, and acquitted himself with judgment and spirit. Always on the alert, in the midst of incessant peril and alarm, he learned to unite coolness and caution with that happy daring so signally developed in his future campaigns. To discharge his duty, and to serve his country to the best of his ability, under every difficulty and in every emergency, was the animating principle which guided his conduct; and from that moment the eye of fortune was upon him; he persevered in it with unshrinking fortitude, and it became the talisman of his success. Without that principle, talent, rank, promotion-even the gigantic errors committed by Napoleon himself-could never have raised Wellington to the pinnacle of fame upon which he now stands. For never-like the fortunate Greek, who refused longer to acknowledge the power of Fortune, or in other words, of Providence, over his actions |