HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



U 



tion, that he seemed persuaded the 

 French would find it impossible 

 to attack him with success. The 

 reputation they obtained by van- 

 quishing the Prince in a pitched 

 battle, the iirst he had lost during 

 the campaign, added a lustra to 

 their arms, and inspired a confi- 

 dence in their officers which never 

 after abandoned them. 



Jourdain, the General who com- 

 manded the French on that day, 

 had now attained a degree of cele- 

 brity, which rendered him the 

 principal favourite of the soldiery. 

 It was he who had first turned the 

 tide of success in favour of France 

 at Dunkirk. Had it not been for 

 his conduct and courage on that 

 occasion, the French Republic must 

 have been reduced to the most se- 

 rious distress. The abilities he had 

 displayed, induced the government 

 to entrust him with the command 

 of the army on the Rhine, where 

 the fortune of war, notwithstanding 

 some very brilliant successes, had 

 not proved so extensively advanta- 

 geous as in the Belgic provinces. 

 The impetuous activity that marked 

 the progress of the war on the part 

 of France, was the principal cause 

 of its success. The French were 

 coetinually forming and executing 

 the boldest enterprizes ; and tho' 

 frequently foiU^d, still returned to 

 the charge j and through theirin- 

 vincible perseverance, seldom failed 

 to succeed. Besides General Jour- 

 dain, two other men began at this 

 lime to attract the public in a most 

 Gonspicuous manner ; the cele- 

 brated Pichegrn, and the no less 

 famous Hoche. 'I'hiough their skill 

 and valour, that experienced war- 

 rior. General Wurmser, had been 

 successively defeated, and the ef- 

 ^rts of the Austriaiu^nd Prussians 



to penetrate into France, had been 

 completely frustrated. 



In addition to the military talents 

 of their commanders, a circum- 

 stance operated to the advantage of 

 the French, of which it seems their 

 enemieswere not sufficiently aware. 

 Though natives of a country less 

 exposed to tiie rigours of winter 

 than either Germany or the low 

 countries, the commonalty in 

 France had long been used to a 

 course of living that qualified them 

 to endure almost every species of 

 hardship. From the high price of 

 fuel, they were particularly inured 

 to the bearing of cold ; and, from 

 their general poverty, were satisfied 

 with very moderated supplies of 

 food. These two qualifications 

 combining with the enthusiasm in- 

 fused by the principles they had so 

 warmly espoused, rendered them 

 capable of enduring the greatest 

 hardships attendant on a military 

 life, and fitted them or the most ar- 

 duous undertaki;igs ihat could be 

 proposed by the many enten^-iziiij 

 and daring leaders with which their 

 armies now abounded. 



In the depth of that rigorous 

 winter which was felt throughout 

 all Europe, from the close of 1/93 

 to the end of the ensuing February, 

 the French tro-i]is began to act in a 

 variety of places in the Netherlands. 

 Their opt;ratioiis were not of an 

 important nature, and were chiefiy 

 calculated to keep them In action, 

 and to fatigue their enemies : nor 

 were they attended with much suc- 

 cess. Their first onsets in the va- 

 rious skirmishes wherein they were 

 continually engaged, were usually 

 so violent and impetuous ;is to bear 

 down all resistance : but the issue 

 of the contest was frequently no 

 less unfavourable to iheni than the 

 B 4 beginning 



