370 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 207. 



In the Rectory House at Whitchurch, In Shrop- 

 shire, built by Richard Newcome, D.D., rector of 

 that place, and afterwards Bishop of St. Asaph, 

 there is a valuable library left as an heirloom by 

 the bequest of Jane, Countess Dowager of Bridge- 

 water; who, in the year 1707, having purchased 

 from his executors the library of the Reverend 

 Clement Sankey, D.D., rector of Whitchurch, for 

 305/., left it for ever for the use of the rectors for 

 the time being. The number of the volumes was 

 2250 : amongst which are a fine copy of Walton's 

 Polyglott Bible, some of the ancient Fathers, and 

 other valuable theological works. This collection 

 has been subsequently increased by a bequest 

 from the late Rev. Francis Henry, Earl of Bridge- 

 water (of eccentric memory), rector of Whitchurch, 

 who by his will, dated in 1825, gave the whole of 

 his own books in the Rectory House at Whitchurch, 

 to be added to the others, and left also the sum of 

 150?. to the rector to be invested In his name, and 

 the dividends thereof expended by him, together 

 with the money arising from the sale of his lord- 

 ship's wines and liquors in his cellars at Whit- 

 church, in the purchase of printed books for the 

 use of the rectors of that parish for the time being. 



The same noble earl presented to the rector of 

 Middle, In the county of Salop, a small collection 

 of books towards founding a library there : and 

 bequeathed by his will the sum of 800?., to be ap- 

 plied, under the direction of the rector of Middle 

 for the time being, for augmenting this library. 

 He also left a farther sum of 150?. to be invested 

 in the name of the rector ; and the dividends 

 thereof expended by him in the purchase of books 

 for the continual augmentation of the library, In 

 the same manner as he had done at Whitchurch. 



It Is to this Eai-1 of Bridgewater that we are 

 indebted not only for those valuable works the 

 Bridgewater Treatises, but also for large be- 

 quests of money and landed property to the trus- 

 tees of the British Museum, for the purchase of 

 manuscripts, in addition to those from his own 

 collection, which he had already bequeathed to the 

 same institution. Thos. Cokser. 



Stand Rectory. 



BATTLE OF VILLEKS EN COtJCHE. 



(Vol. vIII., pp. 8. 127.) 



I am in a position to furnish a more complete 

 account of this skirmish, and of the action of 

 April 26, in which my grandfather, General 

 Mansel, fell, from a copy of the Evening Mail of 

 May 14, 1794, now In the possession of J. C. 

 Mansel, Esq., of Cosgrove Hall, Northamptonshire. 

 Your correspondent Mr. T. C. Smith appears to 

 have been misinformed as to the immediate sup- 

 pression of the Poetical Sketches by an officer of 



the Guards, as I have seen the third edition of that 

 work, printed In 1796. 



" Particulars of the Glorious Victory obtained hy the 

 English Cavalry over the French under the Command 

 of General Chapnis, at Troisoille, on the 26th of April, 

 i794. 



" On the 25th, according to orders received from the 

 Committee of Public Safety, and subsequently from 

 General Pichegru, General Chapuis, who commanded 

 the Camp of Caesar, marched from thence with his 

 whole force, consisting of 25,000 infantry, SOOO cavalry, 

 and seventy-five pieces of cannon. At Cambray he 

 divided them into three columns ; the one marched 

 by Ligny, and attacked the redoubt at Troisoille, 

 which was most gallantly defended by Col. Corigreve 

 against this column of 10,000 men. The second 

 column was then united, consisting of 12,000 men, 

 which marched on the high road as far as Beausois, 

 and from that village turned off to join the first column ; 

 and the attack recommenced against Col. Congreve's 

 redoubt, who kept the whole at bay. The enemy's 

 flank was supported by the village of Caudry, to de- 

 fend which they had six pieces of cannon, 2000 in- 

 fantry, and 500 cavalry. During this period Gen. 

 Otto conceived it practicable to fall on their flank 

 with the cavalry ; in consequence of which, Gen. 

 Mansel, with about 1450 men — consisting of the 

 Blues, 1st and 3rd Dragoon Guards, 5th Dragoon 

 Guards, and 1st Dragoons, 15th and 16th Dragoons, 

 with Gen. Dundas, and a division of Austrian cuiras- 

 siers, and another of Archduke Ferdinand's hussars 

 under Prince Swartzenburg — after several manoeuvres, 

 came up with the enemy in the village of Caudry, 

 through which they charged, putting the cavalry to 

 flight, and putting a number of infantry to the sword, 

 and taking the cannon. Gen. Chapuis, perceiving the 

 attack on the village of Caudry, sent down the regi- 

 ment of carabineers to support those troops; but the 

 succour came too late, and this regiment was charged 

 by the English light dragoons and the hussars, and 

 immediately gave way with some little loss. The 

 charge was then continued against a battery of eight 

 pieces of cannon behind a small ravine, which was soon 

 carried ; and, with equal rapidity, the heavy cavalry 

 rushed on to attack a battery of fourteen pieces of 

 cannon, placed on an eminence behind a very steep 

 ravine, into which many of the front ranks fell ; and 

 the cannon, being loaded with grape, did some execu- 

 tion : however, a considerable body, with Gen. Mansel • 

 at their head, passed the ravine, and charged the can- 

 non with inconceivable intrepidity, and their efforts 

 were crowned with the utmost success. This event 

 decided the day, and the remaining time was passed 

 in cutting down battalions, till every man and horse 

 was obliged to give up the pursuit from fatigue. It, 

 was at the mouth of this battery that the brave and ; 

 worthy Gen. Mansel was shot : one grape-shot enter- 

 ing his chin, fracturing the spine, and coming out be- 

 tween the shoulders ; and the other breaking his arm 

 tosplinters ; his horse was also killed under him, his 

 Brigade- Major Payne's horse shot, and his son and 

 aide-de-camp, Capt. Mansel, wounded and taken pri- 

 soner ; and it is since known that he was taken into 



