The History of the Campaign of 1796 in Germany and Italy

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1797. Excerpt: ... NOTES FOR THE CAMPAIGN Of GERMANY. Note 1. Page 6. Tthe Elector of Brandenburg and the Duke de Bournonville penetrated into upper Alsace in 1674, and established themselves there in winter quarters. M. de Turenne, who they imagined was at a great distance from them, secretly pasted the Vosges and came unawares upon the quarters of the Imperial army. After having taken some of them, he marched rapidly to Colmar, where the Elector and the Duke were stationed. He attacked them on the 5th of January, defeated them, and obliged them to return in disorder to Strasburg, where they repassed the Rhine. Thus in a few days M. de Turenne, whose forces did not amount to 30,000 men, drove from Alsace 60,000, who had imagined themselves to be secure. These events were without doubt to be attributed as much to the position which the Imperialists occupied, and which lay between the mountains of the Vosges Vosges and the Rhine, as to the superior talents of M. de Turenne. This position would be at this time more dangerous, Strasburg belonging at present to France. It is in the memory of every one, that at the end of 1793 Marshal de Wurmser was not more fortunate in lower Alface, and that after having refilled forty-two successive attacks, he was obliged to yield to the French, and was under the necessity of repafsing the Rhine. Note 2. Page 11. This General had served in the French army first as a private, and afterwards as a Serjeant, before the revolution. When that took place, he followed the business of a Fencing Master, and his wise that of a Milliner. He was then appointed an officer of the National Guard, went to the frontiers when the war broke out, and was advanced gradually to the command of an army. It was he, who commanded the French at the tattle of Maubeuge, ...