112] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1702. 
on the 26th: but the General‘ find- 
ing that the intention was delay; 
and that allowing for the extreme 
badness of the reads, which were 
every where'cut up by the French 
peasantry, in the first instance on 
the advance of the Prussians, and 
lastly by the Prussians themselves, 
on their retreat, and made worse by 
the heavy rains that had fallen, he 
could bring up the whole of his force 
against Longwy in the course of 
three days, demanded that the gates 
of the town should be put in posses- 
sion of the French troops on the 
22d: on which day the combined 
forces should finally quit the terri- 
tory of the republic. To this pro- 
position the Duke assented; and 
General’ Valence was directed to 
settle the terms of capitulation. 
They were very short, and consisted 
of no more than the usual formali- 
ties necessary and proper on such 
_ occasions. One thing indeed is re- 
markable, that while the Duke of 
Brunswick was eagerly bent on the 
restoration of royalty, and endea- 
vouring to enter into negociation 
for the purpose, he consented, or 
rather perhaps was under the ne- 
cessity of consenting, by article 4th 
ofthe capitulation, thatto give more 
authenticity to it, it should be seal- 
edwith the seal of the French people; 
and that of his Majesty the King of 
Prussia, This appears to have been 
the first step on the part of the coa- 
lition, to acknowledge, and in some 
measure to guarantee the independ- 
ence of the republic, and. even: to 
sanction the trial and death of the 
King. The Duke does not appear 
to‘have been compelled to enter in- 
*Yet it must be acknowledged, that we are not acquainted with all the cireums 
to this capitulation; he had it in his 
power either to evacuate the place 
altogether, or otherwise to have left 
it in the hands of a garrison, who 
might have given it up when com- 
pelled by the exigencies ofa siege. 
But as Verdun and Longwy appear 
to have been treacherously given 
up, so Longwy, for aught that has 
yet appeared, seems to us to have 
been foolishly given away.* ~~ 
The Prussians were now retired 
into Germany, and the states of 
France free from the invaders. The. 
French National Convention de- 
creed, that the armies of the repub- 
lic had saved their country, and 
that it was no longer in danger.— 
We cannot pass over without cen- 
sure, the rhodomontade stile of the 
French Generals, and the vaunting 
manner in which they severally de-~ 
scribed their successes: but this 
is, In a great measure, to be ascrib- 
ed to the genius of the French 
nation. 
General Valence still continued 
to force the enemy to evacuate 
Remy. Chenoy, Lotom, St. Mare, 
and New Virton. In the attack of 
the important post of Virton, the 
Prussians left 200 men.on the field 
of battle, while the loss of the 
French only amounted to fifteen: 
Virton was appointed by the 
combined armies, as the general 
point of retreat, and where they 
were again to collect and form 
their armies. 
It has been already. observed, 
that General Custine had weaken- 
ed his army by imprudent detach- 
ments. Flushed with success, he 
went.on from one step of success 
e 
Stalices of the case; and that it was not the manner of the Duke of Brunswick to 
act foolishly, or from unjustifiable motives, 
to 
