His conjectures and uncertainty did not last long. On the 27th of September, the archduke received, at Schwetzingen, intelligence of the passage of the Limmat, and of other events in Switzerland, which

compelled him to abandon his offensive projects, and to return to Schaffhausen with greater expedition than that with which he had left it in the preceding month.

IN

N conformity with the extensive plan of operations adopted by the cabinets of London and St. Petersburgh, the preparations for an expedition to the north of Holland were rapid, energetic, and ef fectual. Early in August, 20 000 men were assembled on the coast of Kent, and 15,000 men were preparing to reach the same rendezvous. It was imagined that, independently of the utility of the enterprise as a powerful diversion in favor of our allies, it might enable the secret friends of the stadtholder to assert their rights and regain their independence. It was presumed, that even the numerous individuals, who had been seduced for a moment into subservience to the interests of France, would combine with their deliverers as soon as they could act with safety, according to their secret sentiments and wishes. Instead of the benefits 1799. expected from their nominal alliance with France, they had sustained the most enormous exaction, and experienced the most insulting demeanor, from their pretended friends. Their eyes it was imagined, were now opened to their true interests, and their sufferings would induce them to unite in delivering themselves from their miserable thraldom. With a view to the attainment of these objects, admiral Mitchel sailed, on the 13th of August, with a squadron from Deal, on board of which was the first division of the British forces,

consisting of 12,000 men. He was directed to join admiral Duncan in the north seas, and thence to proceed to the mouth of the Zuyder-Zee. The disembarkation was entrusted to the command of the gallant and veteran sir Ralph Abercrombie.

This distinguished officer was the descendant of a very antient and respectable family. Of his father's numerous issue, three sons distinguished themselves in the defence of their country. James, a lieutenant-colonel in the 22nd regiment of foot, fell at the memorable battle of Bunker's Hill, near Boston, in America: another son, Robert, was for some time colonel of the 75th, or Highland regiment, stationed at Bombay, and was entitled to a considerable share of military fame for his vigorous exertions in forming a junction with lord Cornwallis, at the siege of Seringapatam, in 1792. Sir Ralph Abercombie entered the army in 1758, with a cornet's commission in the 3rd dragoon guards. On the 12th of February, 1760, he obtained a lieutenancy in the same regiment, in which he continued till the 24th of April, 1762, when he obtained a company in the 3rd regiment of horse. In this regiment he rose to the rank of major on the 6th of June, 1770, and, on the 19th of May, 1773, he was promoted to that of lieutenantcolonel. In November, 1780, he was a brevet colonel, and, on the 3rd of November, 1781, was made colonel of the 103rd,

or Irish infantry, a newly raised regiment. At the peace of 1783 this regiment was reduced, and the colonel placed on half pay. On the 28th of September, 1787, he was promoted to the rank of major-general; and on the 17th of September, 1790, obtained the command of the sixty-ninth regiment of foot, from which he was removed in April 1792 to the 6th regiment; and on the 5th of November again removed to the 7th regiment of dragoon guards. On the 25th of April 1793, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general, in which station he served under his royal highness the duke of York on the continent. By his military skill and exertions, he acquired the esteem and confidence of that general, who, in his dispatches relative to the action on the heights of Cateau, April 16th, 1794, where sir Ralph commanded the advanced guard, remarks, "I have obligations to lieutenant-general sir William Erskine, as well as to lieutenantgeneral Abercrombie." In his dispatches of the 19th of May, his royal highness further says: "The ability and coolness with which lieutenant-general Abercrombie and major-general Fox conducted their different corps under these trying circumstances require that I should particularly notice them." On the 27th of October following, he was wounded at Nimeguen. In the succeeding winter, when the British army retreated into Holland, the care of the sick and wounded was confided to sir Ralph; and, in the execution of his difficult and important duty, his sensibility and humanity were conspicuous. Early in 1795, the success of the French in the West Indies claimed the attention of the English government; and a military force was sent out, of which the charge was given to sir Ralph Abercrombie, who was also appointed commander of the forces in the West Indies. I have already had occasion to record the various enterprises in which he was engaged in the two years during which he remained on that station, On the 2nd of November, 1796, sir Ralph, who had lately received the honour of knighthood, was presented, notwithstand ing his absence, to the second, or North VOL. I.

British dragoons, commonly called the Scotch Greys; in the same year was made lieutenant-governor of the Isle of Wight, and was afterwards further rewarded with the lucrative governments of forts George and Augustus. Upon his return from the West Indies he was selected as a proper person to allay the discontents which prevailed in Ireland. In this, as in every other cause in which he was engaged, he exerted his utmost efforts. Destined to take the chief command of the forces in that kingdom, he paid the strictest attention to the discipline of his army, and was anxious to restore to the soldiers that reputation which they had lost by, repeated acts of licentiousness. It was his frequent declaration, that their irregularity and insubordination had rendered them more formidable to their friends than to their enemies. Shortly after his arrival in Ireland, it was found expedient to unite the civil and military power of that kingdom in one person. Sir Ralph was, therefore, recalled and succeeded by marquis Cornwallis. On leaving Ireland he was appointed to the command of his majesty's forces in Great Britain, and soon afterwards nominated by his sovereign to the command of the troops employed on the present expedition.

The weather proving unusually stormy considering the season of the year, the fleet encountered great difficulties and danger in its voyage. It was not till Wednesday, the 21st of August, that they came in sight of the Dutch coast: on the 22nd they made preparations to land, but were forced out to sea by a heavy gale of wind. On Saturday the 24th, they were again within sight of the Texel; but the wea ther was too boisterous and the sea too high to favour a landing, and it did not abate till the morning of Monday the 26th. On that day they came to anchor near the shore of Helder, a strong point in the northern extremity of the main land of Holland, commanding the Mars Diep, a channel which joins the Zuyder Zee with the German ocean, between the continent and the island of the Texel, and which is the principal passage to Amsterdam. Here they made preparations for effecting a

3. A

narrow

and his serene highness the prince of Orange, as admiral-general, shall be known, for the farther destination of these ships, on account of which dispatches will be immediately sent off. And to make them aware, that in case their conduct should not be such as may be expected from the known loyalty and attachment of the Dutch navy to the illustrious house of Orange on this occasion, any excess or irregularity will be punished with the severity which the disorders that may have been committed merit.

ANDREW MITCHELL."

To this manifesto the following answer was returned:

"Admiral,

On board the Washington, anchored under the Vleiter, Aug. 30, 1799.

Neither your superiority, nor the threat that the spilling of human blood should be laid to my account, could prevent my shewing you to the last moment what I could do for my sovereign, whom I acknowledge to be no other than the Batavian people and its representatives, when your prince's and the Orange flags

have obtained their end. The traitors

whom I commanded refused to fight; and nothing remains to me and my brave of ficers but vain rage and the dreadful reflection of our present situation: I there fore deliver over to you the fleet which I commanded. From this moment it is your obligation to provide for the safety of my officers and the few brave men who are on board the Batavian ships, as I declare myself and my officers prisoners of war, and remain to be considered as

such.

guns; Guelderland, admiral de Ruyter, Utrecht, Cerberus, Leyden, 68; Urwachten, 66; Beschermer, Batavier, Broederschep, 54; Hector, Unie, Bell Antoinette, Diuffee, Expedition, Constitutie, Amphitrite, Mars, 44; Ambuscade, Helder, 32; Follock, Minerva, Venus, Alarm, 24; Galathea, 16; Dreighlerlahn, Howda, Vreedelust, Indiamen, and a sheer hulk. The proclamation of sir Ralph Abercrombie, expressing the same sentiments and objects with the letters of admiral Mitchell, and likewise that of the prince of Orange, which, temperate, dignified, and persuasive, tended so powerfully to impress his countrymen with a sense of their duty and real interest, are worthy of insertion:

Lieutenant-general sir Ralph Abercrombie being intrusted by his majesty the king of Great Britain, the antient and good ally of the United Provinces, with the command of a body of British troops to be employed in delivering these provinces froin the degrading tyranny of the French republic, has received his majesty's commands to make this public and explicit declaration of the intentions of his majesty, and of the august sovereigns who are united with him in this great work.

"It is not as enemies, but as friends and deliverers that the British troops enter into the territory of the United Provinces. It is to rescue the inhabitants of this once free and happy country from the oppression under which they now groan; to protect their religion from the intolerant and persecuting spirit of infidelity and atheism; to deliver their civil government from the despotism of a rapacious anarchy, and to re-establish their antient liberty and independence, by restoring to them the benefits of that constitution for which, under the auspices of the illustrious house of Orange, their ancestors fought and conquered, and in the enjoyment of which they so long flourished in friendship and alliance with Great Britain.

"For this object, and under the same auspices, his majesty doubts not that the antient valour and energy of the Dutch nation