Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/76

 62 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1758.

By thefe certificates it appears alfo, that the people were not furprifed, but had fufficient notice of the go- vernor's intention';, to enable them to provide for their fafety. In a word, all the charges of cruelty againft the Pruflian commander, and foldiery, were fully over- thrown.

This fire made a coup dc main im- prafticable ; regular operations de- manded time, and the King of Pruflia was now in full miirch to- wards Saxony. M. Daun retired from before the place on the 17th. The King after crofling Lufatia, pafling the Elbe, and joining his troops under Count Dohna and General Wcdcl, arrived trium-

was touched with a very deep and general forrow. The Duke of Marlborough died in Munfter, the 20th of Odlober, of a {Q.\tr., con- tradled by the fatigues of the cam- paign. Never did the nation lofe in one man, a temper more candid and benevolent, manners more a- miable and open, a more primitive integrity, a more exalted genero- fity, a more warm and feeling heart. He left all the enjoyments, which an ample fortune and an high rank could bellow in the public eye ; and which every milder virtue, every difpofition to make and to be made happy, could give in a do- meftic life : he left thefe for the fervice of his country, and died for

phantly at Drcfden on the 2otli. its defence, as he had lived for its The armies of M. Daun and the ornament and happinefs.

Empire gave way towards Bohe- mia, into which kingdom they foon after finally retreated, without enterpnfing any thing further. Six fieges were raifed almoft at the fame time ; that of Colberg, car- ried on by General Palmbach, un- der the orders of Marlhal Fermor, that of Niefs, by M. de Harfch ; that of Cofel ; that of DrefJcn, by Marlhal Daun; the blockade of Torgau, by M. Haddic ; and that of Leipfic, by the Prince of Deux- Ponts.

About the time that the Auftrlans retired inco winter quarters, the French did the fame ; and the Ha- noverians permitted them to do it without molellation, the feafon be- ing too far advanced, and their army perhaps not of fufficient ftrength for offenfive operations ; and Piince Ferdinand kept the field no longer. The Britilh troops had no occafion of fignalizing their bravery daring this year ; but without a bat le the nation fuf- fered a very conliderable iofs, and

If we compare the events of this year with thofe of the laft, we fhall find in the adlions of the prefent year, perhaps fomething lefs of that aftonilhing eclat; fewer bat- tles ; not fo many nor fo ftriking revolutions of fortune ; but we may dlfcover upon all fides far greater management, and a more lludied and refined conduft; more artful movements, a more judicious choice of polls, more quick and vigorous marches. If in the laft year, the King of Pruflia was the hero of the imagination, he is this year the hero of the judgment; and we have, I think, reafon to admire him upon juiler principles. Obliged to evacuate Moravia, he throws him- felf into Bohemia, and executes a re- treat with all the fpirit of an inva- fion. He marches more than an hun- dred miles thro' an enemy's coun- try, followed and harafled by large annies, wno are unable to obtain any advantages over him. Gaining at length his own territories, he engages the vail army of the Ruf- fians,