CHAP. of order, resumes its place by her side; she gives to a suffering, what she refused to a ruling cause. The 1797. indignation of virtue, the satire of talent, comes to be bestowed on the panders to popular gratification; the sycophancy of journals, the baseness of the press, the tyranny of the mob, employs the pencil of the Tacitus who portrays the decline and fall of the nation which has been torn by such convulsions. It is this reaction of Genius against Violence which steadies the march of human events, and renders the miseries of one age the source of elevation and instruction to those which are to succeed it; and whatever may be the temporary ascendency of violence or anarchy, there can be but one opinion as to the final tendency of such changes to mankind, how fatal soever they may be to the people among whom they arise; we can discern the rainbow of peace, though not ourselves destined to reach the ark of salvation; and look forward with confidence to the future improvement of the species, from amidst the storm which is to subvert the Monarchies of Europe. CHAPTER XVI. CAMPAIGN OF 1794. ARGUMENT. Military strength and naval weakness of France, in consequence of the Revolution-State of the respective Navies of the two Powers-Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act-Treason Trials in England and Scotland-Supplies voted for the year 1794, and Forces put on foot by Great Britain-British Conquests in the West Indies, and in the Mediterranean-Great naval Victory on 1st June, by Lord Howe-Tactics by which the Victory was gained-Its great moral effect in England-Vast military Preparations of France-Talent with which it was wielded-Forces of the Allies and of the French-Plan of Allied Campaign-Landrecy taken-Ineffectual efforts of the Republicans to raise the Siege-Defeat of Clairfait-Jourdan ordered up from the Rhine to the Sambre with forty-five thousand men-Various indecisive Actions on the SambreFrench at length driven over the River-Battle of Turcoin-Pichegru takes the command in West Flanders-French indecisive Actions-The French again cross the Sambre; invest Charleroi, and are driven across the River againArrival of Jourdan with forty thousand Men-Sambre again crossed, and Charleroi reinvested-Separation of the Austrians and English-Pichegru attacks Clairfait-Imperialists assemble to succour Charleroi-Battle of Fleurus -Allies, though not defeated, retreat-Picl:egru drives back Clairfait in West Flanders-Jourdan and Pichegru unite at Brussels-English retreat towards Holland-Inactivity of the French-Decree of the Convention to give no quarter is not executed by the Generals-Noble Proclamation by the Duke of York-Operations on the Rhine-Inactivity of the Prussians-Operations in Piedmont-Mont Cenis is carried by the French-Great successes of Napoleon and Massena in the Maritime Alps-The Piedmontese are driven over the ridge of the Alps-War in the Eastern Pyrenees-Great difficulties of the Spaniards-They are totally defeated in their Lines by the French-Collioure taken -Invasion of Spain by the Western Pyrenees-Great successes of the Republicans-Siege of Belgrade, which is taken-Great Defeat of the Spaniards near Figueras-Invasion of Biscay, and defeat of the Spaniards-They sue for Peace-Renewal of Hostilities in Flanders-British retire to the right bank of the Meuse-Battle of Ruremonde, and Defeat of the Austrians-They cross the Rhine-Active pursuit of the English by the Republicans British take a position behind the Waal-Venloo is taken-Siege of Nimeguen, which also falls-Misunderstanding of the Dutch and English-Winter Campaign of Pichegru-He makes a general Attack on the Allied Position-Walmoden retires towards Hanover-Dutch in vain sue for Peace-French cross the Waal Stadtholder embarks for England-Revolution at Amsterdam, which CHAP. admits the French troops-Dutch Fleet captured by the French cavalry—Violent measures of Spoliation adopted by the French towards the Dutch-Concluding operations on the Rhine-Army of the Moselle occupies TrevesAllies driven over the Rhine, and Mayence invested-Conclusion of the Campaign in Savoy-Renewal of the war in La Vendée-Storming of Thureau's intrenched Camps-Rise of the Chouan War-Its vast extent-Immense results of the campaign-The prodigious Forces of the Republic-Great issues of Assignats to support the enormous expenditure of Government-Progressive increase of the French forces during the Campaign-The period of success for the Allies was past—General Reflections on the Campaign—Great military effect of the French frontier Fortresses. "THE war," says Jomini, "so rashly provoked by the declamations of the Girondists, was not com1794. menced in good earnest; and it was already evident that all the established relations and balance of power in Europe were to be dissolved in the struggle. France and England had hardly yet joined in mortal conflict, and yet it was easy to foresee that the one was destined to become irresistible at land, and the other to 1 Jom. v. 3. acquire the dominion of the seas." It was not the mere energy of the Revolution, nor Military the closing of all other avenues of employment, which strength and naval weak-produced the fearful military power of France. These causes, while they alone were in operation, proved consequence totally insufficient to withstand the shock of the dislution. ciplined armies of Germany. It was the subsequent ness of France in of the Revo despotism of the Committee of Public Safety which consolidated the otherwise discordant materials of the Revolution, and, by superinducing the terror of authority on the fervour of freedom, favoured the growth of military prowess. Liberty without discipline would have perished in licentiousness; discipline without spirit would have proved inadequate to the struggle; it was the combination of the two which became so fatal to the European monarchies, and by turning all the energies of France into one regulated channel, converted the Reign of Terror into the school of conquest. XVI. 1794. But while these changes were in progress on the CHAP. continent of Europe, a very different fate awaited the naval armaments of France. Power at sea, unlike victory at land, cannot spring from mere suffering, or from the energy of destitute warriors with arms in their hands. Fleets require nautical habits, commercial wealth, and extensive credit; without an expenditure of capital, and the gradual formation of a nursery of seamen, it is in vain to contend with an established power on that element. The destruction of the capital and commerce of France during the fury of the Revolution, while it augmented by the misery it produced, the military, destroyed by the penury it occasioned, the naval resources of the Republic. Before the English fleets had issued from their harbours, the flag of France had already disappeared from the seas; commercial wealth, private enterprise, were extinguished; and the sanguinary government found that victories were not to be acquired at sea as conquest at land, by merely forcing column after column of conscripts on board their vessels.1 1 Jom. v. 4. Th. vi. 271. Navies of The consequence was, that from the very first, the naval superiority of England became apparent. France, at the commencement of the war, had seventy-five ships of the line, and seventy frigates; but the officers, chiefly drawn from the aristocratical classes, had in great part emigrated at the commencement of the Respective Revolution; and those of an inferior order who sup- the two plied their place, were deficient both in the education Powers. and experience requisite in the naval service. On the other hand, England had one hundred and twentynine ships of the line, and above one hundred frigates, of whom ninety of each class were immediately put in commission, while seamen of the best description, to the amount of eighty-five thousand, were drawn CHAP. from her inexhaustible merchant service. Unable to face their enemies in large squadrons, the French navy 1794. remained in total inactivity; but their merchants, 1 New Ann. destitute of any pacific employment for their money, fitted out an immense number of privateers, which, Jov 278, for a considerable time, proved extremely injurious to the British commerce.1 Register, 1794, pp. 336-342. Jom. v. James, i. App. No. 6. The efforts of Government at the same period were vigorously directed to the suppression of sedition in Great Britain. The great extent and obvious danger of the illegal and revolutionary societies which had been formed in every part of England, in close alliance with the French Convention, left no room for doubt that vigorous measures were necessary to arrest the Suspension contagion. For this purpose the suspension of the of the Ha-Habeas Corpus Act was proposed in Parliament, by Government, and excited the most angry discussions both in the legislature and the nation. beas Corpus Act. Mr Fox objected in the strongest manner to the proposed measure, as destructive to the best principles of English liberty. "Were the Government about," he exclaimed," in their rage at the hatred excited by their tyranny, to erect tribunals to punish the indignant public? Was terror, as in France, to be made the order of the day, and not a voice to be allowed to be lifted against Government? Was it resolved to demolish the British Constitution, one part after another, under pretence of preventing its destruction by French principles? The object of the societies, which they did not scruple to avow, was to obtain universal suffrage. The word Convention was now held up as an object of alarm, as if from it some calamity impended over the country; and yet, what was a Convention, but an assembly? If the people did any thing illegal, they were liable to be imprisoned and punish |