Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/72

 5^ ANNUAL REGISTER, 1758.

iking obliged to rclinquiili his

country on this occafioii, he en- tered into the troops of Spain, and attcrwards paffing into Ruflia, he obtained a coniidcrable command, aod performed many fignal fer- vices in their wars with Turkey and Sweden; and fervcd them alfo in peace by feveral embaffics. But iindirg the honours of that country no better than a fplcndid lervitudc, and not meeting with th> fe re- wards, which hii long and faith- ful fervices deferved, he left that court for one wheie merit is better knoAH and better rewarded; and having been employed fince the beginning of the war, in a dif- tinguiflied command in the King of Prufila's armies, he fell at lali in a fervice that was worthy of him.

If the King of Pruffia loft fome reputation in fuffering himlelf to be furprifed in this affair ; he fuDy retrieved it by his extraordinary conduct in the courfe of the ac- tion, and his admirable ctrorts after it. On tlie whole, perhaps, when all circumllances are confi- dered, the King of PrufTia will appear greater in this defeat, than in any victory he ever yet ob- tained. The wing of his army that was attacked, was furprifed at a diflance from him, the two generals that commar.ded it flain in the firil onfet, his other princi- pal generals wounded, the whole wing in confufion without a leader ; to come, in thefe defperate cir- cumftances, in haJle from another quarter; to recover all; twice to repulfe the enemy, and at lalt to retire, overborne only by numbers and fatigue, without being pjrfued, is fuch an inllance of great gene- rallhip, as perhaps has never been exceeded.

Whllft thefe tilings were doing in Saxony, the RuiTians made no farther attempts on the fide of Brandenburg; they remained in their camp near Landfperg, until thezill of September; when, after feveral feigned motions, made to cover their real defign, they be- gan their retreat towards Pome- rania, where they arrived on the 26th.

It was impoffible that they fliould keep their ground in that province during the winter, unlefs they could fecure fome fea-port, from whence they might be lupplied with provifions. The little town of Colberg was very opportune for that purpofe, as it is a fea- port on the Baltic, and fo meanly fortified that the reduiSion of it appeared to be as eafy as expe- dient. On the 3d of Oclcber, they formed the iiege of this in- confiderable place, with a body of 15,000 men. But fuch was the bravery of IVIajor Heydcn the go- vernor, and fuch the incapacity of the Ruflians for operations of this nature, that this little town, de- fended only by a rampart, without any outwork, and lip.ed with a very feeble garrifon, held out againft the repeated attacks of the enemy twenty- fix days, and then obliged them to raife the fiege, ^o without any fuccours * "'

v/hatfoever from without. This was the lalt enterprife of the Riillians. Their vail army retired with difgrace, lirll from Branden- burg, and then from Pomerania ; not having been able to mafter one place of flrength in either country ; but having deilroyed with the moll; favage barbarity both the open towns and defencelefs villages, leav- ing as ftrong imprellions of con- tempt