HISTORY OF EUROPE, 
The projects of the French on the 
right banks of the Rhine, were now 
entirely defeated. © Jourdan was 
unable to continue the blockade of 
Mentz, and forced to re-cross the 
Main. He retreated to Dusseldorf, 
harassed by Clairfait, who kept 
close to him during the whole of his 
march, which was perpetually in. 
terrupted by skirmishes, wherein the 
Austrians had almost Ronptantliy the 
advantage. Sostrongly was the tide 
of success now turned against the 
French, that the army which had 
crossed the Rhine at Manheim, un- 
der Pichegru, was obliged in like 
manner to return to the other side, 
leaving in that city a garrison of ten 
thousand men. ‘The garrison of 
Mentz, was, in the mean while, 
reinforced by large divisions of the 
Austrian army, while others were 
“making good their passage over the 
Rhine, in order to attack the French 
encamped before that city. The 
intention of Pichezru had been, to 
put the French camp into such a 
posture of defence, as to repell the 
attacks which he toresaw, would be 
made against it by the victorious 
enemy. He hastened accordingly 
his march from Manheim: bat be- 
fore the preparations he had formed 
against the Austrians were com- 
pleted, these attacked the French 
with so superior a force, that they 
were unable to resist it. They 
were assailed in front by the garri- 
son, and taken in flank on the right 
and left by two numerous divisions. 
‘Their works and batteries were de- 
molished, all their artillery taken, 
and they were driven from every 
post they occupied. It was not 
without difficulty, and through the 
most obstinate exertions, that they 
were able at last to effe€t.a retreat. 
Jourdan was no longer in a con. 
[77 
dition to act offensively on the right 
side of the Rhine. He had lost a 
considerable part of his artillery, 
and numbers of his. best troops. 
The remainder was much dispirited. 
Clairfait was now master of the 
field. Leaving a sufficient force to 
guard the County from which he 
had expelled the French, he crossed 
the Rhine, and formed a jaar tion 
with Wurmser. They retook the 
Palatinate and mést of the coun- 
tries between the Rhine and the 
Moselle. Alarmed at their progress, ’ 
Jourdan colleéted all the troops thas 
were stationed in the proximity of 
the Rhine, and by forced marches 
reached, ina short time, the scene 
of action. United with Pichegru, 
he had the good fortune to put a 
stop to the rapid career of the Aus. 
trians. 
They could not, however, pre- 
erve the city of Manheim. It was, 
on the departure of Pichegru, im- 
mediately besieged by the Austri- 
ans. The French garrison made a 
resolute defence ; but as the town 
was invested on every side, and cut 
off from all hope of succour, it 
was thought proper, m order to 
prevent it from total destruction, 
to capitulate with the enemy, who 
had already greatly damaged it, by 
a terrible bombardment, in revenge 
for the facility with which it had 
been surrendered to the French. 
The reduétion of Manheim hap. 
pened about the close of Novem. 
ber, Lhe number of French who 
were made prisoners, amounted to 
eight thousand. 
The successes of the Austrians 
emboldened them to form the pro- 
ject of penetrating as far as Luxem- 
burg. hey made _ preparations 
to this intent; anda large division 
of their best ‘troops was provided 
with 
