1757.

OFFER TO RESTORE GIBRALTAR.

111

such lofty hopes, and cost, as is alleged, nearly one million of money!

Sir John Mordaunt had supposed, a little too hastily, that if the expedition failed the blame would recoil on the Minister who planned it. He found, on the contrary, when he returned, a loud and general outcry against his own misconduct. A Board of Inquiry was forthwith appointed by the King, composed of three field-officers, the Duke of Marlborough, Lord George Sackville, and General Waldegrave. Many witnesses were examined before them, and Mordaunt was heard in his own defence. Their report, when it appeared, was vague and undecisive, but seemed to imply some degree of censure. A Court Martial was then ordered, and by this last tribunal Sir John was unanimously and honourably acquitted. The public opinion against him remained, however, unaltered. The truth is, as I conceive, that it is easy to draw up in array a long list of insuperable difficulties against almost any great enterprise that can be proposed in war. How strong a case might not Nelson have made against attacking the French fleet at Aboukir or the Danish batteries at Copenhagen! But there will always be some spirits (like Lord Peterborough, and unlike his kinsman Mordaunt), that prefer the chance of a victory to the certainty of an acquittal.

Another scheme of Pitt to effect a diversion against the common enemy was to yield Gibraltar to Spain, on condition of Spain assisting England in the recovery of Minorca, and taking part in the war against France. We learn, from a Minute of the Cabinet Council at this time, that the cession of Gibraltar on such terms had been unanimously approved by Pitt's colleagues. It may remind the reader of a similar overture made by Stanhope in 1718, and like that overture appears open to most serious objection. The English Minister conveyed his proposal in a secret despatch, dated 23rd August 1757, to Sir Benjamin Keene, who was still the English Envoy at Madrid. According to the information of one of his Under-Secretaries, Pitt had bestowed especial care on the style of this despatch, and employed three days in its composition. But happily for us, perhaps, as it proved, the opportunity for such a negotiation at Madrid

was no longer favourable. When Sir Benjamin Keene first opened the important packet, and perused its contents, he flung his cap on the ground, and could not forbear exclaiming, "Are they mad on the other side of the "water? What can they mean! It is now too late! But "I must fulfil my orders, whatever may be the conse""* quence.' He did accordingly fulfil his orders with his accustomed zeal, but found, as he expected, the Court of Madrid resolved to maintain its neutrality, and turning a deaf ear to his suggestion.†

In North America the Earl of Loudoun, lately sent out as Commander in Chief, proved no match for the able and vigilant Marquis de Montcalm, the French General in Canada. An expedition against Louisburg had been planned; and by means of reinforcements from England Lord Loudoun had mustered 12,000 men for that object; but on receiving some exaggerated reports of the enemy's force he became dispirited, and gave orders to retreat. Indecision was the ruling fault of his, as of most weak characters. "He is like St. George upon the signposts," said a Philadelphian to Dr. Franklin, " always on horse"back, but never advances!" In like manner the English troops gave no disturbance to Montcalm in his siege of Fort William Henry, which had been built on the southern coast of Lake George with a view to cover the frontier of New York,—and the fort was accordingly taken and demolished. In the same temper Admiral Holbourne, who commanded the squadron off Louisburg, declined to attack the French, because while he had seventeen ships of the line they had eighteen, and a greater WEIGHT OF METAL, - "according to the new sea"phrase," says Chesterfield, indignantly, "which was un

*These exclamations rest on the unimpeachable authority of Sir Benjamin's chaplain, who was present. See Coxe's Bourbon Kings of Spain, vol. iv. p. 197.

Sir Benjamin Keene to Mr. Pitt, September 26. 1757 (printed in the Chatham Papers). This was the last important business in which Sir Benjamin was engaged; that old and meritorious public servant died at Madrid in the December following. He was brother of Bishop Keene of Ely, who is far less favourably mentioned.

Franklin's Memoirs, part ii. -Grahame's History of the United States, vol. iv. p. 4.

1757.

CAMPAIGN IN GERMANY.

113

"known to Blake!"* It is the peculiar glory of Pitt's administration to have delivered us from these new phrases and new feelings, and awakened-never again to slumber, the ancient spirit of England.

But the theatre of the greatest warlike scenes was Germany. Frederick, undismayed at the numbers gathering against him, was the first in the field. He knew that forward movements are often the best foundation for a successful system of defence. He resolved to strike a blow against the Austrian army, while the French, the Russian, and the Swedish were still in winter quarters. Early in April his troops, in different divisions, came climbing through the mountain passes that guard the frontier of Bohemia. They reunited near the walls of Prague, and there, on the 6th of May, gave battle to the Austrians under Marshal Brown and Prince Charles of Lorraine. The numbers engaged were nearly 70,000 on the Prussian, and nearly 80,000 on the Austrian, side. Seldom in modern times has there been a conflict so long and so bloody. The fighting continued from nine in the morning till eight at night, and, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, the loss of the Royal army was 18,000, of the Imperial 24,000 men.† The chiefs on both sides vied with each other in courage and self-exposure; Marshal Brown fell mortally wounded; the King of Prussia, his brother, Prince Henry, and his general, Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, appeared in the thickest of the fight. more conspicuous was the conduct of Marshal Schwerin, a veteran, seventy-two years of age, the first instructor of Frederick in the art of war. Seeing the Prussian infantry waver, he sprung from his horse, snatched a standard from an Ensign, and led back his troops to the charge with the words, "Forward! forward! my chil"dren!" Forward they rushed accordingly at the well known voice and the bright example, but in the midst of their onset four musket balls pierced the heroic breast of

Still

* Letter to his son, September 30. 1757. He adds, "I hear that "letters have been sent to both (Holbourne and Loudoun), with very severe reprimands."

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† Archenholtz, Geschichte des Sieben-jährigen Kringes, vol. i. p. 53.

VOL. IV.

Schwerin. Still he held up the colours in his dying grasp, still they waved over his lifeless features*, and his standard became as it were the shroud of this gallant soldier.

The victory, though dear-bought, was decided in favour of Frederick. It would have been complete, but for the want of a few more pontoons to enable another body of Prussians which had remained beyond the river Moldau, and had borne no part in the battle, to pass over, and take the enemy in the rear. Had there been these few more pontoons, the Prussian writers confidently state that not a single man of the Imperialists could have escaped, -that the whole aspect of the war would have changed, -that within a few weeks their King might have dictated terms of peace to the Empress Queen under the walls of Vienna. As it was, the remains of the defeated army had time to scatter along the open country, or to seek refuge within the ramparts of Prague, where Frederick hastened to besiege them. Heavy cannon were brought from Dresden, and the city was bombarded. But another Austrian army under Marshal Daun was now advancing from the side of Moravia, and had been reinforced by 16,000 fugitives from the recent conflict. Frederick, mindful of his own exploit of the preceding year at the siege of Pirna and the battle of Lowositz, determined to try once more the same hazardous venture. He left a part of his army to continue the circumvallation, and with the remainder marched against Daun. He found the Austrian Marshal at the head of a superior army, and, moreover, intrenched along the steep heights of Kolin. Nothing daunted, Frederick led up his troops to an assault on the morning of the 18th of June. Again and again were they driven back with dreadful slaughter; again and again were they urged forward to the charge; but at sunset their repulse became irretrievable; 13,000 of their bravest comrades had fallen, and the survivors, yielding the victory, withdrew from the fatal field. Their officers were deeply dejected. "This is our Pultawa!" muttered several as they went along.

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* "Das Panier seines Monarchen deckte ihn, und verhüllte seine todes-züge." (Archenholtz, vol. i. p. 50.)

1757.

FORTITUDE OF KING FREDERICK.

115

The mind of the King himself was scarcely less overwhelmed at his disaster. It is still recorded of him, how next day at the rallying place, a village on the road to Prague, he was seen to sit for many hours on one of the hollowed trees which throughout Germany and Switzerland serve to collect and convey the mountain rills; his head had sunk upon his breast, he uttered no word, he made no sign to his attendants, but with his cane was mechanically drawing figures in the sand. From his gloomy reveries he was roused by the necessity of action. He found himself compelled to raise the siege of Prague, and to retire beyond the frontiers of Bohemia. Never did he appear more vigilant in his own duties, or more severe against the officers who failed in theirs. His brother, Prince William, the heir presumptive to the Crown, and the great grandfather of the present King, having committed some errors, and incurred some losses, in the retreat, was so harshly upbraided by His Majesty that he threw up his command, and retired almost heartbroken to his country seat, where he died a few months afterwards. Yet still amidst all these cares and sorrows, these taunts and these partings, Frederick could find delight in composing stanza after stanza of mawkish French verses; and his private correspondence preserves a tone, not only of composure, but of cheerfulness. Thus he writes to his friend, the Earl Marischal, after the battle of Kolin :- "Fortune, my dear Lord, has this day "turned her back upon me. I ought to have expected it; "Fortune is female, and I am not a man of gallantry. "Fortune now declares in favour of the ladies who are carrying on war against me. What do you say to this "combination against a Margrave of Brandenburg? How "would the Great Elector, Frederick William, be as"tonished, could he now from his grave see his grandson "assailed by the Russians, the Austrians, nearly all Germany, and a hundred thousand French! I know not "whether it will be a disgrace to me to fail before such "odds, but this I do know, that there will be no glory in overcoming me."

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His enemies, indeed, were now closing upon him from every side. The provinces beyond the Vistula became the prey of Russian hordes, to which only one division of