76] 
success, the army under Pichegru 
was immediately put in motion, and, 
crossing the Rhine near Manheim, 
easily took possession of that city. 
By his position on the right bank of 
the Rhine, he was now master of 
all the country lying between Clair- 
fait’s army onthe north, and Wurm- 
ser’s to the south of the Mayne, and 
a junction between them was 
thought impracticable. The siege 
of Mentz was in consequence re- 
solved upon, and all the previous 
preparations were made for this 
purpose. The Austrians were so 
dispirited, that they were beginning 
to retreat on all sides; and the 
French were, at the same time, be- 
come so confident and presumptu- 
ous, thatit was difficult to retain 
them under discipline. General 
Wurmser was, in the mean time, 
advancing by rapid marches to the 
relief of Manheim. Pichegru, in 
order to intercept his junction with 
Clairfait, who was retiring before 
Jourdan, and on his march to join 
Wormeer, posted alarge division of 
his army in the midway between 
them. This division fell upon the 
Austrians with its usual impetuo- 
sity, and put them to such a rout, 
that they fled precipitately from the 
posts they had taken, not thinking 
them tenable against the strength by 
which they were assailed. But the 
spirit of plunder was so predominant 
among the French, that as soon as 
they had defeated this part of 
Wurmser’s army, they dispersed on 
all sides in quest of pillage. The 
peasantry, to whom they had be- 
come extremely odious, on account 
of their irregularities andextertions, 
gave immediate notice to the 
Austrians of the disorder of the 
French. The Austriancavalry lost 
po time in returning upon the 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
French ; who were so completely 
surprised, that they were compelled 
to betake themselves to flight in all 
directions; their infantry, which 
endeavoured to rally, and made as 
good a resistance as their disordered 
situation would permit, lost a great 
number ct their best men. Thé 
whole of this French division, at 
first so victorious, was compelled, 
after a fruitless resistance, to hasten 
back to Manheim, with the utmost 
precipitation, 
This unexpected reverse of for- 
tane decided the fate of the ensuing 
campaign. Clairfait, having re- 
ceived additional reinforcements, 
resumed his operations, and ad. 
vanced upon fourdan’s army, which 
had crossed the Main, and invested 
Mentz on the right side of the 
Rhine, according. to the plan pro- 
posed. But this army was thrown 
into disorder at the approach of 
Clairfait, who, falling upon its rear, 
took a large quantity of cannon des- 
tined for the siege. The march of 
Clairfait was represented by the 
French as a violation of neutral ter- 
ritory. Not expecting he would 
come upon them from that quarter, ; 
it was not guarded against a surprise, 
by means of which alone he effe@ted 
his designs+ But this complaint, 
however justly founded, did not 
clear the French from the imputation 
ofbeing deficientin precaution. The 
nature of the war was such, that no 
commander should have relied on 
agreements framed between men 
who considered each other as guilty 
of the most heinous infrattions of 
ali laws both human and divine, 
and who, in the violence of their 
reciprocal antipathy, would be little 
disposed to observe any stipulations, 
when they stood in the way of ma- 
nifest advantages. ' 
The 
