The Mirrour — Concord, N.H., 1794-07-21 00:00:00, page 1

SIR, '„ ,
IN my last letter I mentioned to you bis Impe
rial Majesty's intention of making a general at
tack with bis whole force, in order, by a joint
co-operation with the troops under the command
of Gen. Clairfayt, to compel the enemy to evac
uate Flanders.
On the 16th at night, the army moved for
ward for this purpose, in five columns.
The two columns on the left were intended to
force the pafoge of the Marde, and by a vig
orous attack on the enemy's posts along the riv
er, to cover the operations of the three remain
ing columns ; tbefe were defined to force the
enemy's poss by Roubaix, Waterloo, and Mou
cron, thus to favour Gen. Clairfayt's paffige
of the Lys, and then by a junction with bis
corps, to have cut off the communication be
tween Life and Courtray.
Unfortunately the two columns on the left
forced the passage of the Marque so late, and
were so much fatigued by the length of their
march, that they were not able to acmmplijh the
remainder of the purposed plan, while the col
umnon the right, under Gen. Bufebe,finding
• the enemy at Moucron in much greater numbers
.than bad been expelled, was under the necessity
4 of relinquishing its attack, and of retreating to
its former position al Warcoing.
Lieutenant General Otto proceeded with his
column through Leers and Waterloo, from
whence, after feme refinance, he drove the en
emy, and pushed on to Tourcoing.
My column confined of seven battalions of
British,five of Auftrians,andt woof Hessians,
with 6 squadrons of Light Dragoons, and four
Vof Hussars. We moved forward from Tem
,leave to Lannoy, which we forced the enemy
to evacuate, after a fart cannonade, in which
I bad the misfortune to loje Major Wright, of
the Royal Artillery, a brave and dyerving of
ficer.
Having 4ft the two Hessian battalions at
Lannoy, I proceeded to Roubaix, where we
found the enemy in great frength both of men
and cannon, 'the refinance was proportiona
bly /Wronger,but equally unavailing,as the ene
my soon found themselves compelled to retire,
which the, did towards Moacron.
Having at this time no intelligence of the
two columns on m, right and left, notwith
standing I had made every effort to obtain it, I
did not think it prudent to advance an, further,
but was refolded to have left m, advanced
guard, under the command of Lieut. General
Abercromby, at Roubaix, and, with the re
mainder of my corps to have taken a portion on
the heights behind Lannoy. The orders for
this purpo/e were given, bat having acquaint
ed his imperial Majesty, who bad advanced to
Lannoy, with my intention, the necessity of co
operating with General Clairfayt induced his
- - Majeft, to direfl that 1 Jhould proceed to the
attack of Mouveaux.
I accordingly direaed the attack to be made
by Lieut. Gen. Abercromby with the four bat
talions of guards. He found the enemy strong
-1, entrenched, but having cannonaded it with
vigour and obstinacy for some considerable time,
the good countenance of the flank battalion of
guards, who advanced to form it with the ut
mof order, Supported b, thefirft battalion, and
seconded by the seventh and fifteenth Light
Dragoons under Lieut. Col. Charebell, com
pelled the enemy Jo retire, with the lofi of three
pieces of cannon, and of a conf defable number
of men, who were cut down b, the Light Dra
goons in the purjuit, which was continued as
far as Ronderes.?%!
(Glorious News.
- CT tßtcflmem^^^^^^^^^^Bßßa^mmoßu=B=
t[By an arrival at Boftpn via Halifax.]
(OFFICIAL LETTER, containing partic
ulars of the Defeat of the Allied Army.
England.
WHITEHALL, 7 A Difpatch,of which
may 23. J the following is a
copy, was this morning received from his
Royal Highness the Duke of York, by the
Right Hon. Henry Dundas, his Majesty's
Principle Secretary of State for the home
department.
BY E. RUSSELL.
TOURNAY, MAY 19.
WficOHirrour
Upon maturely confdering the nature of oar
situation, I direfled Lieut. Gen. Abercromby,
to remain in at Mouveaux with the four bat
talions of guards, and having polled four Auj
trian battalions to cover Roubaix, I detached
the jecond brigade of Britijh infantry, under
the command of Maj. Gen. Fox, to take pofi on
my left, on the road leading ftom Life to Red
baix. The cavalry was divided with tbefe
several corps, for the purpoje of patroli ng, the
nature of the country not admitting of their be
%of any other uje. My advanced posts com
municated with tboje of Gen. Otto, on my right,
who I now found bad got-poffffion of Turco
t-
Early the nett morning the enemy attacked 1
the pof of Turcoing in.great force, and I re
ceived alt application from Col. Devay, who
commanded there, to make a diverfon in his'
favour „ for which purpose Ifent two battal
ions of Aufrians, giving them express direc-'
lions if they fbould be preffid, to fall back up
on me, but, by some mistake, infead of doing so,
they joined Col. Devay. From this circum
stance, an opening was left on my right, ( of
which the enemy availed bimfelf, in the attack
upon my corps, which took place soon after, arid
by so doing, obliged me to employ the only bat
talion I bad left, to secure a point which was
of the utmost confluence to us.
At this period a very considerable column of
the enemy which we have face learnt amount
ed to 15,000 men, appeared advancing from
Life, wobilf another corps having forced its
way through Gen. Otto's portion by Waterloo,
attacked us on the rear. The few troops that
remained with me, Jbon gave way before such
fufeeriour numbers, nor was it in my power,
with every effort I could use, affifed by tboje of
the officers who were about me to rally them.
At that moment the advanced parties of the col
umn from Life,foewed themselves also upon the
road between Roubaix and Mouvaix, and I
found 'it impossible to faceted in the attempt
which I made to join the brigade of guards.
Thus circumfianced, I turned my attention
to join Gen. Fox's brigade; but upon proceed
ing to Roubaix, for that purpose, Ifoundit in
the possession of the enemy.
Thus completely cut off from every
part of my corps, nothing remained for
me to do but to force my way to that of
Gen. Otto, and to concert measures with
him to free my own troops.
This I effected, accompanied by a few
dragoonsrof the 16th regiment, with great
difficulty, but the project of marching
upon Lannoy, to which Gen. Otto had
consented, as a measure which would
greatly facilitate the retreat of my corps,
being given up, upon finding that the
Hessians had been obliged to abandon
that place, I found myfelf under the pain
ful necessity of continuing with General
Otto's column the remainder of the day.
Previous to this I had sent orders to
Gen. Abercromby to retire from Mou
veaux, to the heights behind Roubaix,
where it was my intention to have afiem
bled my corps ; and the Coldftream bat
talion had been polled to cover the com
munication till he effected his retreat. In
consequence of these directions, General
Abercromby began his retreat, and on his
arrival upon the heights of Roubaix, find
ing himfelf surrounded upon all sides with
out a possibility of assembling the corps,
determined to continue it to Lannoy. —
This he effected amidst the repeated at
tacks of the enemy, who poured ufon him
from all parts. Gen. Abercromby found
Lannoy also in possession of the enemy,
but he avoided the town by marching
round it under a very heavy fire, and soon
after reached Templeuve.
J Major Gen.- Fox, after sustaining, with
great rtfolution, a very vigorous attack
from the principal part of the column
which came from Lille, began hisjetreat
also, and finding himfelf cutoff from the
brigade of guards, and Lannoy occupied
by the enemy; he directed his march upon
the village of Leers, at which flace he
joined thetedumn of Diehl Geh/Otk).
I enclose you a returfi of our lo'fs upon
this occasion. I'rcgretthat it is 6 great,
MONDAY, July 21, 1794.
but when the nature of the adion is con
idered, and that it was conduced in a
country the most favourable to the views
of the enemy that they could have wished
or, while their perfect knowledge of these
parts enabled them to take every advan
tage of it, it might have been expected
to have been more considerable. From
the badness of the roads, the loss of the
horses, and the timidity of the drivers, the
leaving a part of our artillery became in
evitable..
I am to desire that you will assure his
tfajefty that the officers and men shewed
all the firmnefs and resolution on this oc
casion that could be expeded from them ;
and it would be an injustice due to the rest
to diftinguilh any particular corps. The
abilities And coolness with which Lieut.
Gen. Abercromby and Major Gen. Fox,
condufted their different corps under these
trying circumstances, require, however,
that I should particularly notice them.
It is a peculiar consolation to me that
the column under my command executed
to the full extent their intended part ofthe
operation ; and that in the check which
they afterwards sustained, the condua of
the British troops has entitled them to the
warmest expressions of gratitude and ad
miration on the part of his Imperial Maj
esty. I am, &c. FREDERICK.
Right Hon. Henry Dundas, ^c. t^c.
7th Light Dragoons. 6 rank and file
wounded ; 15 rank and file miffing—four
horses killed, 10 horses wounded, 32 hors
es miffing.
iith Light Dragoons. One rank and
file killed ; one quarter-master and one
rank and file wounded—one horse killed,
twehorfes wounded.
Return of killed, wounded, and miffing on the
igth Light Dragoons. One surgeon
and five rank and file killed ; I surgeon's
mate and 14 rank and file wounded, two
rank and file miffing— 9 horses killed, 9
horses wounded, 18 horses miffing.
16th Light Dragoons. One rank and
file killed ; two-rank and file wounded—
§ rank and file miffing—2 horses killed, 5
horses wounded, 3 horses miffing.
Royal Artillery. One sergeant and 4
rank and file killed ; two officers, one ser
geant and 17 rank and file wounded ; one
officer, one drummer, and 26 rank and
file miffing— 31 horses killed, fix horses
wounded, 64 horses miffing.
Royal Military Artificers. Five rank
and file miffing.
Flank Battalion of guards. One ser
geant and 17 rank and file killed ; three
officers, one sergeant, and §4 rank and file
wounded ; two sergeants, 3 drummers,
and 25 rank andfile miffing.
Ift Regiment of guards. Five rahk and
file killed ; 7 rank and file wounded ; 20
rank and file miffing.
Coldftream guards One drummer &
6 rank and file wounded— 9 rank and file
miffing.
3d Regimentof guards. One rank and
file killed ; one sergeant and 8 rank and
file wounded ; 32 rank and file miffing.
I4th Foot. 8 rank and file killed ;22
rank'and file wounded ; one officer, three
sergeants, 2 drummers, and 63 rank and
file miffing.
37th Foot. 2 sergeants and 11 rank
and file killed ; two officers, 4 sergeants,
and 34 rank and file wounded ; two offi
cers, 4 sergeants, one drummer, and 140
rank and file miffing.
53d Foot. 3 officers, 1 sergeant, and
14 rank and file wounded ; pne officer, 8
sergeants, 2 drummers, and 191 rank and
file miffing.
Total, i surgeon, 4 sergeants, and 53
rank and file killed ; 10 officers, 1 quar
termaftef, 1 furgeop's mate, 8 sergeants,
^drummer, and 18; rank and file wound
;^officers, 17 sergeants, 9 drummers,
arid $ 3'B raVik and file miffing—47 horses
killed, 32 horses wounded, 117 horses
miffing.
17th and 13th of May, 1794.
Officers killed, wounded, and miffing.
Artillery. Major* Wright wounded—
ince dead ; Lieutenant Boger wounded ;
Jeut. Dowman miffing.
Flank Battalion of the guards. Lieut.
Dol. Ludlow, Lieut. Col. Manners, Capt.
Drummond, wounded.
14th Foot. Major Brown wounded
and miffing.
37th Foot. Lieut. Murray, Lieut.
Cunningham, wounded ; Captain Cook,
Lieut. M'Kenzie miffing.
53d Foot. Major Scoot, Capt. Bris
bane, Ensign Pierce, wounded ; Lieut.
Rynd, miffing.
Further corroborating Particulars of the DE-
FEAT of the Duke of York. -
tournay, may 17. A general at
tack by the allied army at this place hav
ingbeen concerted for this day, a column,
consisting chiefly of British and Hanove
rians,marched last night towards Lannoy,
where they arrived about midnight, and
lay all night on their arms.
Early this morning they attacked the
French, who, after a short resistance, re
treated in confusion. The British troops
pursued them through Lannoy to Rou
baix, where a masked battery was opened
upon them, which did considerable mif
chief ; they, however, maintained their
ground with more bravery, perhaps, than
prudence ; and although they found
Roubaix strongly defended both by horse
and foot, they pushed on to several other
villages, and took the post of Mouvaux.
The left wing of his Royal Highness's
army was equally fuccefsful for some time.
The main body of them obtained possess
ion of Watlaw, while a large detachment
proceeded to Moucron. This last post is
of great importance. It was the loss of it
that laid the foundation of all Clairfayt's
disasters. - The possession of it by the Al
lies would probably have enabled them
to cut off the retreat of the French Army.
It commands both Courtray and Menin.
Its value appears to have been well un
derstood, as the French defended it with
great obstinacy, and baffled our attempts
to take it.
Sunday Evening i&b May.
From the following detail, there is
great reason to believe that the French
permitted the-column under the com
mand of the Duke of York to advance yes
terday further than force could have car
ried them, and to have allowed them to
obtain possession of several posts, which
only tended to intoxicate our troops, and
to render them the more easy vidims of
the disasters which have taken place this
day.'
The Britifharmy, elated with their
faccefles of yesterday, obstinately retained
possession this morning of all they had
conquered, andwere preparing to proceed
towards Turcoiri. During last night,
however, the French poured out an im
mense quantity of troops from Lisle, who
endeavoured to turn our left flank, while•
a laige detachment of troops from Cour
tray, actually passed our right—a very
strong body also faced us in the centre, fo*>
that in the forenoon we were nearly sur
rounded. The British Troops, however
intoxicated with their successes on the
day before, were not fully aware of their
firuation, fill its peril was considerably
increased. The Austrians and Hanove
rians on their left were kept in check by
(Continued to the last ,age.J
This night the Britilh troops keep pof-'
session of alLthe posts they have taken,
although they have fuffered very severely,
particularly from the masked batteries
opened at Roubaix. We have taken 3
pieces of cannon, and the Austrians on
our left have taken a considerable quan
tity of artillery.
15th Light Dragoons. Surgeon Brad
ey killed, and surgeon's mate wounded.
S. H. CRAIG, Adj. Gen.
N. B. Some ofthe men returned miff
ing are hourly coming in.
Vol. IL=Num. 91.