va 
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HISTORY OF EUROPE 
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{93 
the retaking of which was con- Churchill hastened, by forced march- 
, ‘sidered as a matter of importance. es, to their relief. ‘The enemy had 
_ He selected for this purpose twelve taken possession of the fort and dis- 
~~ hendred of his best troops, and as- . trictof Mirebalais, which afforded _ 
ee saulted it with the utmost fury. The them great advantages in the prose~ 
Bet garrison did uot consist, at this junc- cution of the siege. Expecting the 
_- ture, of more than‘fifty men: but English general would attempt the 
they made so determined and skilful. retaking it, they posted atarge body 
__adefence, that after being thricere- on bis way. but as soon as he had 
pulsed, and returning as often tothe been joined by a sufhicient reinforce. 
bY charge, the enemy, was obliged to ment, to cope with their numbers, 
ae draw off to a distance, in order to he attacked them with suck resola- 
recover himself before another re- tion, that. they were immediately 
“newal of the attack. But, inthe broken, and fled with the utmost 
mean while, a reinfurcement of precipitation. The siege of St. 
some hundred men came to the as- .Mark had, in the mean while, Decm 
sistance of the garrison, and forcing carried on with much vigour, and 
their way through the assailants, en-* some of the out-works bad beex 
tered the fort. Thus strengthened, taken: but this deieat encouraged 
the garrison sallied out, upon the the'garrison to so resolute 4 defeuwr, 
besiegers, who were driven to a that it disconcerted all their mea- 
distance; but gaining possession of sures, and they were Criven irom 
an eminence, they madeastand,and this place, on the arrival of the wie~ 
through the great superiority of their torious troops, with very considers 
numbers, maintained their position able loss. 
_ some days: when receiving a fresh The transactions in the West in- 
supply of men, they again proceeded dies, during the remainder of the 
_ to Trois, intending a regular siege. year, were remarkably favourable to 
> It was then that captain Rickets the English, both) at sea and land. 
| opportunely arrived, and totally Numbers of the enemy"s armed 
‘completed the defeat of the ene- ships were taken, and Jictle damage 
\ my, after losing a thousand of their done to the English trade. the 
> choicest troops. They sustained French were not either in the dis- 
~ another defeat, about the same time, “position or in force to execute any 
om colonel Deysources, who at- . plan against the English possessions. 
tacked and carried several posts and In Europe the expectations of the 
» , Works of great strength.and conse- French bad been highly rased, by. 
/. quence, and routed a large body of the, great preparations made against 
“the enemy, part of tie army under England, in the ports of Holiand 
_ the command of their principal ge- and of Spain. Im this kingdom, 
_neral, Toussaint. their influence over the ministry 
~ Inthe month of June ensuing, the ‘was such, that they procured the 
|: French laid siege to the town of St; 
| Mark,aplaceofconsequence,detend- 
_ éd bya body of those French p'ant- 
~ ers that had joined the English, and 
‘by a small number of these. As 
_ they were.closely pressed, general 
-» 
equipment of a very large number 
of ships, to act conjoinUy with their 
remaining strengtliatsea, agalist that 
of England, which they boped would 
find it extremely .difneuit to make 
head against so vast an accessiNo of 
furce 
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