♦4 ANNUAL REGISTER, IIM. 



victorious arnnes that t'.iey might 

 be able continually to overcoiiie. 

 It was more by tenor and multi- 

 tudes that the French had obt:iincd 

 such constant successes, than by su- 

 periority either of valour, disci- 

 pline, or experience. It was tJKrt- 

 fore in fortresses tliat iUt'xr enemies 

 should hencethrth confide for pro- 

 tection against the.r numbers. 

 Here the immensity of those num- 

 bers could n.ot overwhelm oppo- 

 nents secured by fortifications 

 against their violence and impetux)- 

 sityj and here cool and deliberate 

 intrepidity would have due scope 

 and leisure for its utmost exertions. 

 These were the grounds whereon 

 some very judicious and veteran 

 pfficers built thejr hopes of being 

 able to withstand the impetuous 

 torrent of successes that accompa- 

 liied the French armies. Relying 

 pn the precedents of former wars, 

 they flattered themselves, that, 

 through 3 parity of exertions, they 

 V'ould be equally fortunate with 

 the many who, like themselves, 

 had experienced a multiplicity of 

 disasters, but had at length, by a 

 manly perseverance, risen superior 

 to ihcm all. It was time for the allies 

 to act seriously according to these 

 'rnaxims. The French were now 

 complete masters of Austrian Bra- 

 bant, and preparing to invade that 

 part which belonged to thr Dutch. 

 The Heredifary Prince of Orange 

 ■^vas diligently occupied in putting 

 Breda in 2 p)oper posture to re- 

 ceive them ; the British forces in 

 the mean time covered h|s opera- 

 tions J and t-o this end were at his 

 request encamped in tlie neigh- 

 bourhood of that town. Their 

 numbers had, thro' variouR causes, 

 suffered considerable diminutions 

 sipoe the openiiigof the campaign; 



yet; after quitting Antwerp and it* 

 Aiciiiitv, and marching to the fron- 

 tiers of the United Provinces, they 

 were co.mpuied to be ne«ir '.^,,000 

 strong, 'i'hcy remained m the 

 posifK.n they had taken near Breda 

 till about the end (.f August, when 

 the Hereditary Prince of Orange 

 had completed his preparations in 

 that town. They proceeded next 

 to Bois le Due, for its pretection, 

 while measures were taken fur put- 

 ting it in a like state of defence. 

 On their march to tliis place, they 

 were interrupted by a body of 

 French, who retired alter a slight 

 engagement ; their intent being 

 chiefly to reconnoitre the motionj 

 cf the British troops. After Bois Ic 

 Due had been supplied wiUi the 

 necessaries for a a igorous defence, 

 it was garrisoned with near 7,000 

 men. Much expectation was form- 

 ed from the natural strength of 

 this place : it was surrounded not 

 only with good lortifications, but 

 with large bodies of water, which, 

 in case of a siege, could be rendere4 

 a gre,at annoyance to the besiegers, 

 Besides the reduction of Breda 

 and Bois lei Due, the French had 

 formed the design of attacking the 

 army commanded by the Duke of 

 York. As it consisted chiefly of na- 

 tive British, they were the jnore 

 desirous to obtain a victory over i 

 people who had gained so many 

 battles over them, and whom the> 

 considered as the most formidable 

 of all their enemies. They wer< 

 determined however to leave a; 

 little as possible to fortune, and U 

 provide against the chances of wa; 

 by such a superiority as might en 

 sure success. Tlie strength whic] 

 they collfcted for this purpose 

 amounted to 80,000 men. At th' 

 liead of tills inicieiiie body Genere 



flchegri 



