1712. those princes, who had troops in her pay, that, in this juncture, fhe would look upon the conduct of the foreign generals, as a declaration of their Mafters for or against her, fince they muft either follow the plan, which fhe had laid for obtaining a peace, or that, which the • Emperor and the ftates had formed for the breaking it off. That the queen could not but perfuade herself, that those generals, after a little reflection, would obey the duke of • Ormond's orders without the leaft hesitation; but, if they ⚫ did not, she would pay thofe troops no longer. That thofe • minifters had writ to their generals by this courier; and the • duke of Ormond would receive orders, not only to make ⚫ the fame declarations, but to put them immediately in execution, if they refufed. That the queen thought this method could not fail of fucceeding; but, in cafe any of the ⚫ foreign troops perfifted in their design of staying with prince Eugene, the duke of Ormond should retire with the English • forces, and all the foreigners, who would march with him (which to be sure would be the greatest part of them) and ⚫ declare, that her majefty would no longer act against France, nor pay thofe that did. That fhe, who had hitherto ob'ferved measures with her allies, being forced by them to fuch an extremity as this, thought herself juftified before God and man, and at liberty to carry on the negotiation at U⚫trecht, or elsewhere, without regarding, whether they con⚫curred with her or no. So that,if the king would furrender 'the town and forts of Dunkirk into the queen's hands, tho’ ⚫ all the foreign troops, or fome of them, fhould refuse to • obey the duke of Ormond, fhe would no longer make any fcruple of concluding her particular peace, and would set a ❝ time for the others to come in upon those conditions, which 'fhould be agreed upon between her and France. That the peace was now in the king's breaft. If all the army of the • duke of Ormond fhould agree to a fufpenfion of arms, the first project, which was concerted between them, had its effect: if they did not, the duke would withdraw the Englifh from the allies, and the foreign troops would be left to • take service with the Dutch, who were fo far from being • able to furnish this new expence, that they were not in a condition to fupport the charges they were already at. In fhort, that England would retire from the theatre of war, and, fince there would be but a few powers left in a capacity to make head against France, the peace might be concluded ⚫ between those two kingdoms in a few weeks. These were the proposals her majefty made; and the believed the king would 1712. would find his account in them, as well upon the latter Was the former plan; and that, besides, he would think it for Rep. of the com. of Secr ⚫ both their interefts, to make immediately a general ceffation, 6 . This offer was no fooner received in France, but without the loss of one moment's time it was accepted and confented to, as Torcy acquainted Mr. St. John in a letter of the 5th of July, N. S. wherein he mentioned very particularly all the reasons and engagements, which had been fo plainly and explicitly propofed; and upon condition, that the queen immediately made a separate peace, kept no measures with her allies, but only left them a time to fubmit to the conditions, which fhould be agreed upon for them between France and England, the king of France had determined to fend his orders to permit the English troops to enter into Dunkirk. And at the fame time a courier was dispatched to Villars to to carry him thefe orders. And as a general ceffation from all hoftilities both by land and fea between the two nations had been propofed by England, till their treaties could be finished, the king of France with the fame readiness confented to that, Anne. 1712. Hereupon Sir John Leake fet out for Deal, to take upon June 29. him the command of the fleet in the Downs; and to pro- o. s. vide tranfports for the troops, that were appointed to take poffeffion of Dunkirk, under the command of brigadier Hill, brother to the lady Mafham; namely, a battalion of Scots guards, about a thousand men detached from feveral regiments of marines, and the regiments of Hill, Defaulny, and Kane. At the fame time Sir James Abercrombie, a crea◄ ture of duke Hamilton, and colonel King, were sent to Dunkirk, to regulate matters with count d'Aumont, the French governor, who on the 7th of July, N. S. caused a royal order to be published there, by which the French troops in that town, and in the citadel, Risbank, and other forts, were enjoined to be in a readiness to march out on the appearance of the English. The day the earl of Strafford arrived in the duke of Ormond's camp, the duke received advice from Dunkirk, that Sir James Abercrombie and colonel King were come thither from England, whereupon he immediately fent colonel Lloyd, who returned the 15th of July, N. S. in the evening, with an account, that count d'Aumont had received the French king's orders to refign the town and forts as foon as the English came to demand poffeffion. Brigadier Hill having imbarked, Sir John Leake, July 6, with the fquadron under his command, failed early the next O. s. morning, and at two in the afternoon came to anchor off Dunkirk. The next day the troops were landed, and the keys of the town were delivered to brigadier Hill, who took Dunkirk depoffeffion, and the French garrifon marched to Winoxberg. Immediately upon this the queen's colours were hoisted in three feveral places of the town; though not only the civil government was continued in the hands of the French, and feveral of their fhips and gallies permitted to stay in the harbour, with two or three battalions of marines in the town, on pretence of guarding the ftores; but the privateers of that place were indulged the liberty of going in and out, provided they brought no English prizes into the port. livered up. On the 14th of July, N. S. prince Eugene fent the duke Cond, of the of Ormond word, that he intended to march on the 16th. D. of Or The next morning the duke fent to let the prince know, he mond. was furprized at his meffage, there having not been the leaft Rep. of the com, of fecr, VOL, V. Na pre Anne. previous concert with him, nor any mention made, which 1712. way, or on what defign he was to march; and therefore he could not refolve to march with him; much less could the prince expect any affiftance from the queen's army, in any defign thus undertaken. That he thought fit to acquaint him of this beforehand, that he might take his measures accordingly, and not attribute to him any misfortune which might happen. The duke likewise let him know, that, when he marched, he himself should be obliged to take the best care he could for the fecurity of the queen's troops, and, in order to that, to change his camp. The fame day, marfhal Villars giving the duke of Ormond an account, that he had fent by colonel Lloyd orders for the delivery of Dunkirk, fays, permit me, Sir, to have the honour to tell you, tho' it be very advantagious not to be obliged to engage the braveft and boldest of our enemies, yet it is very important to know those, that remain fo; and I take the liberty to defire you would do me the honour to fend me word what troops and what generals will obey your orders; because, the first attempt the enemy makes, I will not lofe one moment to meet them. The king gives me a liberty to fight, which nothing but the negotiations have hitherto prevented, and which the army under my command has a great defire to make use of. I think the work is finished, if the army, which is under your orders, obeys them. This then, Sir, is no indifcreet curiofity, that I prefume to defire you to give me some lights upon the doubts which I am in. I fhall be very much obliged to you, Sir, if, by the return of this trumpet, you will honour me with one word of anfwer upon the lights, which I have defired of you. You will give me leave to join to this packet, a letter for my lord Strafford.' On the 15th of July, the duke, in anfwer to this letter, wrote: I should be glad I were at present in a capacity to give you all the infight you defire; but it is impoffible for me. Notwithstanding, I was unwilling to delay fending back the trumpet, to let you know, I am well affured, I fhall be capable of telling you to-morrow particularly what troops will remain under my command. As to the fufpenfion of arms, you already know, Sir, that according to my orders I cannot declare it in form, till I am affured the governor of Dunkirk shall have executed all the king's orders for the evacuation of the place. In the mean time, you will agree with me, Sir, that the fufpenfion has already its effects on my fide, fince I have just now informed prince Eugene and the States deputies, that, in in cafe they fhould undertake any new operation, I could Anne. not give them any affiftance from the queen's army. 1712. gene mar On the 16th of July, N. S. prince Eugene broke up from his camp at Hafpre, and marched off with the troops under Prince Euhis command; being followed by all the Danes, Pruffians, hes with Saxons, Hanoverians, and other auxiliaries in British pay, the British except four fquadrons of Vander Nath, and a battalion of auxiliaries. Berner, of the troops of Holftein Gottorp, and baron Walef's regiment of dragoons (i). He incamped at Atre near Landrecy; which place the prince of Anhault-Deffau invefted the next day, with thirty-four battalions, and as many fquadrons; whereupon the duke of Ormond decamped the fame morning from Chateau-Cambrefis, and came to Avefne le Secq. The day before, he wrote to the marthal Villars: Your trumpet juft now put into my hands the honour of your letter of the 15th, and I am now to acquit myself of the promise I made you yesterday. Prince Eugene is marched this morning, and all the foreign troops have quitted us, except one battalion and four squadrons of Holftein, and two fquadrons of Walef. Things having paffed, as I have the honour to tell you, I thought myself obliged to acquaint you of it as foon as poffible; and, as I obferved to you yesterday, the fufpenfion of arms has already its effect on my part, by the feparation I have made of the queen's troops, and all her artillery, from thofe of prince Eugene, and by my declaring to him, I could give him no affistance; and that the payment of the foreign troops is stopped; and that by confequence there is fallen upon the emperor and Holland, a burthen they will not be long able to fupport. I truft, Sir, to your good faith, and fhall, to-morrow, make a movement to put myself in another fituation; and, I hope, I'fhall have news from Dunkirk, that will authorize me to declare the fufpenfion of arms.' On the fame day, Villars acquainted the duke, that the governor of Dunkirk was making the neceffary preparations to evacuate that place; and told him, for my part, Sir, as I already reckon you for our ally, I am not at all in hafte to have you further off. You are at your own liberty to come near us, and incamp on the king's territories, wherever you shall think proper. Upon this the (i) Voltaire obferves, upon the Hanoverians following prince Eugene, 'that the elector of Honover, who was to fucceed queen Anne, fhewed plainly this proceeding, that if his fa- by duke July 17. |