HISTORY OF EUROPE, © 
now fully convinced that the con- 
test was very serious, had collected 
an immense army, which was draw- 
ing near the Polish frontiers. Prus- 
sia, deeply alarmed at the progress 
of the Poles, and dreading, were 
they to succeed, an invasion of his 
own, dominions, had concluded a 
peace with France, which left him 
at liberty to carry on his projects 
in Poland. He entered it with a 
powerful army, laid siege to the city’ 
of Cracow, which was obliged to 
“surrender on the fifteenth of June. 
He advanced towards Warsaw, in 
the proximity of which place he 
was joined by the Russian forces 
in these parts, and immediately re- 
solved to besiege that capital. It 
was ina state of great fermentation : 
a number of persons had been tried 
and convicted of treason against 
their country. The citizens eagerly 
demanded their punishment; and 
notwithstanding the endeavours of 
the more moderate to suspend their 
execution, several individuals of 
distinétion were put todeath. Af- 
ter sacrificing those that were re- 
puted the most guilty, they were 
prevailed upon to,permit a respite 
to the others. - 
The king of Prussia was now en- 
camped, with his own and the Rus. 
sian forces, within sight of the Po- 
lish metropolis. He prom sed him- 
self an easy reduction of the city, as 
it had no fortifications. But the in 
habitants were numerous, and weil 
provided. with all necessaries for a 
resolute defence. As it was fore- 
seen, that the. fate of the capical 
would in a great measure influence 
that of the whole kingdom, Kosci- 
usko, resolved to defend it in person. 
To this intent, he approached it on 
that side where the Russians jay. 
He attacked and,forced all their 
: 
[2G 
posts on the eleventh of July, and 
took an advantageous position in 
front of the city, opposite to the 
Prussian encampment. He received, 
in a short time, so many reinforce- 
ments, that he was enabled to sur- 
round Warsaw with intrenchments, 
by which it was so. well protected, 
that the king of Prussia began to 
doubt of the success of his enter- 
prise. The Prussians exerted them- 
selves with their usual skill and bra- 
very ; but they were almost con- 
stantly worsted in all theirattempts. 
They cannonaded and bombarded the 
city without intermission ; but were 
answered with a fire from the in. 
trenchments around it, that made 
prodigious slaughter among them. 
The king and prince-royal of Prussia 
were more than once in great danger. 
The siege continued in this manner 
till the beginning of August, when 
the king wrote a letter to Stanislaus, 
endeavouring to persuade him to a 
surrender ; but the Polish monarch 
returned him a-firm refusal. 
In the mean time, the Polish pro- 
vinces that had been seized by the 
Prussians, were in a state of insur- 
rection. The Poles poured in upon 
them from all quarters, and the ad. 
vices brought every day to the 
Prussian camp before Warsaw, be- 
came so alarming, that the king be- 
ganscriously to think it necessary to 
hastento the succour of his own do. 
minions. The Polish: eapital had 
suffered very little during the siege, 
and was in a condition to hold out 
much longer than he would. be able 
to continue his operations against it ; 
and the auxiliaries, promised to him 
from ~ussia, advanced so siowly, 
that he aporehe: ded they mighrnot 
arrive before his own strength were 
too much impaired for the purposes 
be had in view, Influenced by 
thee 
