Siege, Prince _Vaudemont_ being posted at _Watergaem_, with about fifty
Battallions, and as many Squadrons, the Mareschal _Villeroy_ laid a
Design to attack him with the whole _French_ Army. The Prince imagin'd
no less, therefore he prepar'd accordingly, giving us Orders to fortify
our Camp, as well as the little time we had for it would permit. Those
Orders were pursu'd; nevertheless, I must confess, it was beyond the
Reach of my little Reason to account for our so long Stay in the Sight
of an Army so much superior to ours. The Prince in the Whole could
hardly muster thirty Thousand; and _Villeroy_ was known to value himself
upon having one Hundred Thousand effective Men. However, the Prince
provisionally sent away all our Baggage that very Morning to _Ghent_,
and still made shew as if he resolv'd to defend himself to the last
Extremity in our little Entrenchments. The enemy on their Side began to
surround us; and in their Motions for that Purpose, blew up little Bags
of Gun-powder, to give the readier Notice how far they had acomplish'd
it. Another Captain, with my self, being plac'd on the Right, with one
Hundred Men (where I found Monsieur _Montal_ endeavouring, if possible,
to get behind us) I could easily observe, they had so far attain'd their
Aim of encompassing us, as to the very Fashion of a Horse's Shoe. This
made me fix my Eyes so intently upon the advancing Enemy, that I never
minded what my Friends were doing behind me; though I afterwards found
that they had been fileing off so very artfully and privately, by that
narrow Opening of the Horse-Shoe, that when the Enemy imagin'd us past a
Possibility of Escape, our little Army at once, and of a sudden, was
ready to disappear. There was a large Wood on the Right of our Army,
through which lay the Road to _Ghent_, not broader than to admit of more
than Four to march a breast. Down this the Prince had slid his Forces,
except to that very small Party which the Captain and my self commanded,
and which was designedly left to bring up the Rear. Nor did we stir till
Captain _Collier_, then _Aid de Camp_ to his Brother, now Earl of
_Portmore_, came with the Word of Command for us to draw off.
When _Villeroy_ was told of our Retreat, he was much surpriz'd, as
thinking it a Thing utterly impossible. However, at last, being sensible
of the Truth of it, he gave Orders for our Rear to be attack'd; but we
kept fireing from Ditch to Ditch, and Hedge to Hedge, till Night came
upon us; and so our little Army got clear of its gigantick Enemy with
very inconsiderable Loss. However, the _French_ fail'd not, in their
customary Way, to express the Sense of their vexation, at this
Disappointment, with Fire and Sword in the Neighbourhood round. Thus
Prince _Vaudemont_ acquir'd more Glory by that Retreat than an intire
Victory could have given him; and it was not, I confess, the least Part
of Satisfaction in Life, that my self had a Share of Honour under him to
bring off the Rear at that his glorious Retreat at _Arfeel_.
However, in further Revenge of this political Chicane of the Prince of
_Vaudemont_, and to oblige, if possible, King _William_ to raise the
Siege from before _Namur, Villeroy_ enter'd into the Resolution of
Bombarding _Brussells_. In order to which he encamp'd at _Anderleck_,
and then made his Approaches as near as was convenient to the Town.
There he caus'd to be planted thirty Mortars, and rais'd a Battery of
ten Guns to shoot hot Bullets into the Place.
But before they fir'd from either, _Villeroy_, in complement to the Duke
of _Bavaria_, sent a Messenger to know in what Part of the Town his
Dutchess chose to reside, that they might, as much as possible, avoid
incommoding her, by directing their Fire to other Parts. Answer was
return'd that she was at her usual Place of Residence, the Palace; and
accordingly their fireing from Battery or Mortars little incommoded them
that Way.
Five Days the Bombardment continu'd; and with such Fury, that the Centre
of that noble City was quite lay'd in Rubbish. Most of the Time of
Bombarding I was upon the Counterscarp, where I could best see and
distinguish; and I have often counted in the Air, at one time, more than
twenty Bombs; for they shot whole Vollies out of their Mortars all
together. This, as it must needs be terrible, threw the Inhabitants into
the utmost Confusion. Cartloads of Nuns, that for many Years before had
never been out of the Cloister, were now hurry'd about from Place to
Place, to find Retreats of some Security. In short, the Groves, and
Parts remote, were all crowded; and the most spacious Streets had hardly
a Spectator left to view their Ruins. Nothing was to be seen like that
Dexterity of our People in extinguishing the Fires; for where the
red-hot Bullets fell, and rais'd new Conflagrations, not Burghers only,
but the vulgar Sort, stood stareing, and with their Hands impocketted,
beheld their Houses gradually consume; and without offering prudent or
charitable Hand to stop the growing Flames.
But after they had almost thus destroy'd that late fair City,
_Villeroy_, finding he could not raise the Siege of _Namur_, by that
vigorous Attack upon _Brussels_, decamp'd at last from before it, and
put his Army on the March, to try if he could have better Success by
exposing to Show his Pageant of one Hundred Thousand Men. Prince
_Vaudemont_ had timely Intelligence of the Duke's Resolution and Motion;
and resolv'd, if possible to get there before him. Nor was the Attempt
fruitless: He fortunately succeeded, though with much Fatigue, and no
little Difficulty, after he had put a Trick upon the Spies of the Enemy,
by pretending to encamp, and so soon as they were gone ordering a full
March.
The Castle of _Namur_ had been all this Time under the Fire of the
Besieger's Cannon; and soon after our little Army under the Prince was
arriv'd, a Breach, that was imagin'd practicable, being made in the
_Terra Nova_ (which, as the Name imports, was a new Work, rais'd by the
_French_, and added to the Fortifications, since it fell into their
Hands in 1692 and which very much increas'd the Strength of the Whole) a
Breach, as I have said, being made in this _Terra Nova_, a Storm, in a
Council of War, was resolv'd upon. Four entire Regiments, in conjunction
with some Draughts made out of several others, were order'd for that
Work, my self commanding that Part of 'em which had been drawn out of
Colonel _Tiffins_. We were all to rendevouze at the Abbey of _Salsines_,
under the Command of the Lord Cutts; the Signal, when the Attack was to
be made, being agreed to be the blowing up of a Bag of Gun-powder upon
the Bridge of Boats that lay over the _Sambre_.
So soon as the Signal was made, we march'd up to the Breach with a
decent Intrepidity, receiving all the Way we advanc'd the full Fire of
the _Cohorn_ Fort. But as soon as we came near enough to mount, we found
it vastly steep and rugged. Notwithstanding all which, several did get
up, and enter'd the Breach; but not being supported as they ought to
have been, they were all made Prisoners. Which, together with a Wound my
Lord _Cutts_ receiv'd, after he had done all that was possible for us,
necessitated us to retire with the Loss of many of our Men.
_VILLEROY_ all this while lay in fight, with his Army of One Hundred
Thousand Men, without making the least Offer to incommode the Besiegers;
or even without doing any thing more than make his Appearance in favour
of the Besieged, and reconnoitring our Encampment: And, at last, seeing,
or imagining that he saw, the Attempt would be to little purpose, with
all the good Manners in the World, in the Night, he withdrew that
terrible Meteor, and reliev'd our poor Horses from feeding on Leaves,
the only Inconvenience he had put us to.
This Retreat leaving the Garrison without all Hope of Relief, they in
the Castle immediately capitulated. But after one of the Gates had been,
according to Articles, delivered up and Count _Guiscard_ was marching
out at the Head of the Garrison, and _Bouflers_ at the Head of the
Dragoons; the latter was, by order of King _William_, arrested, in
reprize of the Garrison of _Dixmuyd_ (who, contrary to the _Cartel_, had
been detain'd Prisoners) and remain'd under Arrest till they were set
free.
At the very Beginning of the Year 1696 was discover'd a Plot, fit only
to have had its Origin from Hell or _Rome_. A Plot, which would have put
_Hottentots_ and Barbarians out of Countenance. This was call'd the
_Assassination Plot_, from the Design of it, which was to have
assassinated King _William_ a little before the Time of his usual
leaving _England_ to head the Army of the Confederates in _Flanders_.
And as nothing could give a nobler Idea of the great Character of that
Prince than such a nefarious Combination against him; so, with all
considerate Men, nothing could more depreciate the Cause of his
inconsiderate Enemies. If I remember what I have read, the Sons of
ancient _Rome_, though Heathens, behav'd themselves against an Enemy in
a quite different Manner. Their Historians afford us more Instances than
a few of their generous Intimations to Kings and Generals, under actual
Hostilities, of barbarous Designs upon their Lives. I proceed to this of
our own Countrymen.
Soon after the Discovery had been made, by Persons actually engag'd in
that inhuman Design, the Regiment, in which I served, with some others
then in _Flanders_, receiv'd Orders, with all Expedition, to embarque
for _England_; though, on our Arrival at _Gravesend_, fresh Orders met
us to remain on board the Transports, till we had surther Directions.
On my going to _London_, a few Days after, I was told, that two
Regiments only were now design'd to come a-shore; and that the rest
would be remanded to _Flanders_, the Danger apprehended being pretty
well over. I was at _White Hall_ when I receiv'd this Notice; where
meeting my Lord _Cutts_ (who had ever since the storming of the _Terra
Nova_ at _Namur_ allow'd me a Share in his Favour) he express'd himself
in the most obliging Manner; and at parting desir'd he might not fail of
seeing me next Morning at his House; for he had somewhat of an
extraordinary Nature to communicate to me.
At the time appointed, I waited on his Lorship, where I met Mr. _Steel_
(now Sir _Richard_, and at that time his Secretary) who immediately
introduc'd me. I found in company with him three Gentlemen; and after
common Salutations, his Lordship deliver'd into my Hands, an Order from
the King in Council to go along with Captain _Porter_, Mr. _de la Rue_,
and Mr. _George Harris_ (who prov'd to be those three with him) to
search all the Transports at _Gravesend_, in order to prevent any of
the Conspirators getting out of _England_ that Way. After answering,
that I was ready to pay Obedience, and receiving, in private, the
further necessary Instructions, we took our Leave, and Oars soon after
for _Gravesend_. 'Twas in our Passage down, that I understood that they
had all been of the Conspiracy, but now reluctant, were become
Witnesses.
When we came to _Gravesend_, I produc'd my Authority to the Commanding
Officer, who very readily paid Obedience, and gave Assistance; But after
our most diligent Search, finding nothing of what we look'd for, we
return'd that very Night to _London_.
Next Day a Proclamation was to come out for the apprehending three of
four Troopers, who were sent over by King _James_, with a thousand
Pounds Reward for each: Mr. _George Harris_, who was the fourth, being
the only Evidence against the other three. No sooner were we return'd
from _Gravesend_, but _Harris_ had Intelligence brought him, that
_Cassells_, one of the three, was at Mr. _Allens_ in the _Savoy_, under
the Name of _Green_. Upon which we went directly to the Place; and
enquiring for Mr. _Green_, we were told he lodg'd there, and was in his
Room.
I was oblig'd by my Order to go along with them, and assist 'em; and
very well was it that I was so: For in consideration of the Reward in
the Proclamation, which, as I have said, was to come out the next Day,
_Harris_ and the rest were for deferring his Seizure, till the coming
out of that Proclamation; but making answer, that in case of his Escape
that Night, I must be responsible to my Superiors; who, under the most
favourable Aspect, would construe it a Neglect of Duty, they were forc'd
to comply; and so he was taken up, and his Name that Night struck out of
the Proclamation. It is very true, by this faithful Discharge of my
Trust, I did save the Government one Thousand Pounds; but it is equally
so, that I never had of my Governors one Farthing Consideration for what
others term'd an over-officious Piece of Service; though in Justice it
must be own'd a Piece of exact and disinterested Duty.
Some few Days after, attending by Direction at the Secretary's Office,
with Mr. _Harris_, there came in a _Dutchman_, spluttering and making a
great Noise, that he was sure he could discover one of the Conspirators;
but the Mein and the Behaviour of the Man, would not give any Body Leave
to give him any Credit or Regard. However, the Man persisting in his
Assertions, I spoke to Mr. _Harris_ to take him aside, and ask him what
Sort of a Person he was; _Harris_ did so; and the _Dutchman_ describing
him, says _Harris_, returning to me, I'll be hang'd if it be not
_Blackburn_. Upon which we had him question'd somewhat more narrowly;
when having no room to doubt, and understanding where he was, Colonel
_Rivet_ of the Guards was sent for, and order'd to go along with us to
seize him. We went accordingly; and it proving to be _Blackburn_, the
_Dutchman_ had five Hundred Pounds, and the Colonel and others the
Remainder. _Cassels_ and _Blackburn_, if still alive, are in _Newgate_,
confin'd by Act of Parliament, one only Witness, which was _Harris_,
being producible against them.
When _Blackburn_ was seiz'd, I found in the Chamber with him, one
_Davison_, a Watch-maker, living in _Holbourn_. I carry'd him along with
me to the Secretary of State; but nothing on his Examination appearing
against him, he was immediately discharg'd. He offer'd afterwards to
present me with a fine Watch of his own making, which I refus'd; and he
long after own'd the Obligation.
So soon as the Depth of this Plot was fathom'd, and the intended Evil
provided against, as well as prevented, King _William_ went over into
_Flanders_, and our Regiment thereupon receiv'd Orders for their
immediate Return. Nothing of any Moment occurr'd till our Arrival at our
old Quarters, the _Camerlins_, where we lay dispers'd amongst the
Country Boors or Farmers, as heretofore. However, for our better
Security in those Quarters, and to preserve us from the Excursions of
the neighbouring Garrison of Furnes, we were oblig'd to keep an
Out-guard at a little Place call'd _Shoerbeck_. This Guard was every
forty-eight Hours chang'd, and remounted with a Captain, a Lieutenant,
an Ensign, and threescore Men.
When it came to my Turn to relieve that Guard, and for that Purpose I
was arriv'd at my Post, it appear'd to me with the Face of a Place of
Debauch, rather than Business; there being too visible Tokens, that the
hard Duty of both Officers and Soldiers had been that of hard Drinking,
the foulest Error that a Soldier can commit, especially when on his
Guard.
To confirm my Apprehensions, a little after I had taken Possession of my
Guard, the Man of the House related to me such Passages, and so many
of'em, that satisfy'd me, that if ten sober Men had made the Attack,
they might have fairly knock'd all my Predecessors of the last Guard on
the Head, without much Difficulty. However, his Account administer'd
Matter of Caution to me, and put me upon taking a narrower View of our
Situation. In consequence whereof, at Night I plac'd a Centinel a
Quarter of a Mile in the Rear, and such other Centinels as I thought
necessary and convenient in other Places; with Orders, that upon Sight
of an Enemy the Centinel near should fire; and that upon hearing that,
all the other Centinels, as well as he, should hasten in to strengthen
our Main Guard.
What my Jealousy, on my Landlord's Relation, had suggested, happen'd
accordingly: For about one in the Morning I was alarm'd with the Cry of
one of my Centinels, _Turn out for God's sake_; which he repeated, with
Vehemence, three or four times over. I took the Alarm, got up suddenly;
and with no little Difficulty got my Men into their Ranks, when the
Person who made the Outcry came running in, almost spent, and out of
Breath. It was the Centinel, that I had luckily plac'd about a Quarter
of a Mile off, who gave the Alarm, and his Musket flashing in the Pan,
without going off, he endeavour'd to supply with his Voice the Defect of
his Piece. I had just got my Men into their Ranks, in order to receive
the Enemy, when by the Moonlight, I discover'd a Party advancing upon
us. My out Centinel challeng'd 'em, and as I had precaution'd, they
answer'd, _Hispanioli_; though I knew 'em to be _French_.
However, on my Survey of our Situation by Day-light, having mark'd in my
Mind a proper Place for drawing up my Men in Case of an Attack, which
was too narrow to admit of more than two on a Breast; and which would
secure between us and the Enemy a Ditch of Water: I resolv'd to put in
practice what had entertain'd me so well in the Theory. To that Purpose
I order'd my first Rank to keep their Post, stand still and face the
Enemy, while the other two Ranks stooping should follow me to gain the
intended Station; which done, the first Rank had Orders to file off and
fall behind. All was perform'd in excellent Order; and I confess it was
with no little Pleasure, that I beheld the Enemy, for the best Part of
an Hour, in Consultation whether they should attack us or no. The
result, nevertheless, of that Consultation ended in this; that, seeing
us so well upon our Guard, it was most adviseable to draw off. They soon
put their Resolution into practice, which I was very glad to see; on
Examination a little before having found that my Predecessor, as in
other Things, had fail'd of Conduct in leaving me a Garrison without
Ammunition.
Next Morning I was very pleasingly surpriz'd with a handsome Present of
Wine, and some other necessary Refreshments. At first I made a little
Scruple and Hesitation whether or no to receive 'em; till the Bearer
assur'd me, that they were sent me from the Officers of the next
Garrison, who had made me a Visit the Night before, as a candid
Acknowledgment of my Conduct and good Behaviour. I return'd their
Compliment, that I hop'd I should never receive Men of Honour otherwise
than like a Man of Honour; which mightily pleas'd them. Every of which
Particulars the _Ghent Gazettier_ the Week after publish'd.
We had little to do except Marching and Counter-marching all the
Campaign after; till it was resolv'd in a Council of War, for the better
preserving of _Brussels_ from such Insults, as it had before sustain'd
from the _French_, during the Siege of _Namur_, to fortify _Anderlech_;
upon which our Regiment, as well as others, were commanded from our more
pacifick Posts to attend that Work. Our whole Army was under Movement to
cover that Resolution; and the Train fell to my Care and Command in the
March. There accompany'd the Train a Fellow, seemingly ordinary, yet
very officious and courteous, being ready to do any thing for any
Person, from the Officer to the common Soldier. He travell'd along and
mov'd with the Train, sometimes on Foot, and sometimes getting a Ride in
some one or other of the Waggons; but ever full of his Chit-chat and
Stories of Humour. By these insinuating Ways he had screw'd himself into
the general good Opinion; but the Waggoners especially grew particularly
fond of him. At the End of our March all our Powder-Waggons were plac'd
breast a-breast, and so close, that one miscarrying would leave little
doubt of the Fate of all the rest. This in the Camp we commonly call
_the Park_; and here it was that our new Guest, like another _Phaeton_,
though under Pretence of Weariness, not Ambition, got Leave of the very
last Carter to the Train to take a Nap in his Waggon. One who had
entertain'd a Jealousy of him, and had watch'd him, gave Information
against him; upon which he was seiz'd and brought to me as Captain of
the Guard. I caus'd him to be search'd; and upon search, finding Match,
Touchwood, and other dangerous Materials upon him; I sent him and them
away to the Provoe. Upon the Whole, a Council of War was call'd, at
which, upon a strict Examination, he confess'd himself a hir'd
Incendiary; and as such receiv'd his Sentence to be burnt in the Face of
the Army. The Execution was a Day or two after: When on the very Spot,
he further acknowledged, that on Sight or Noise of the Blow, it had been
concerted, that the _French_ Army should fall upon the Confederates
under those lamentable Circumstances.
The Peace of _Riswick_ soon after taking place, put an End to all
Incendiarisms of either Sort. So that nothing of a Military Kind, which
was now become my Province, happen'd of some Years after. Our Regiment
was first order'd into _England_; and presently after into _Ireland_:
But as these Memoirs are not design'd for the Low Amuzement of a
Tea-Table, but rather of the Cabinet, a Series of inglorious Inactivity
can furnish but very little towards 'em.
Yet as little as I admir'd a Life of Inactivity, there are some Sorts of
Activity, to which a wise Man might almost give Supineness the
Preference: Such is that of barely encountring Elements, and wageing War
with Nature; and such, in my Opinion, would have been the spending my
Commission, and very probably my Life with it, in the _West Indies_. For
though the Climate (as some would urge) may afford a Chance for a very
speedy Advance in Honour, yet, upon revolving in my Mind, that those
Rotations of the Wheel of Fortune are often so very quick, as well as
uncertain, that I my self might as well be the First as the Last; the
Whole of the Debate ended in somewhat like that Couplet of the excellent
_Hudibras_:
_Then he, that ran away and fled,
Must lie in Honour's Truckle-bed._
However, my better Planets soon disannull'd those melancholy Ideas,
which a Rumour of our being sent into the _West Indies_ had crowded my
Head and Heart with: For being call'd over into _England_, upon the very
Affairs of the Regiment, I arriv'd there just after the Orders for their
Transportation went over; by which Means the Choice of going was put out
of my Power, and the Danger of Refusing, which was the Case of many, was
very luckily avoided.
It being judg'd, therefore, impossible for me to return soon enough to
gain my Passage, one in Power propos'd to me, that I should resign to an
Officer then going over; and with some other contingent Advantages, to
my great Satisfaction, I was put upon the Half-pay List. This was more
agreeable, for I knew, or at least imagin'd my self wise enough to
foretel, from the over hot Debate of the House of Commons upon the
Partition Treaty, that it could not be long before the present Peace
would, at least, require patching.
Under this Sort of uncertain Settlement I remain'd with the Patience of
a _Jew_, though not with Judaical Absurdity, a faithful Adherer to my
Expectation. Nor did the Consequence fail of answering, a War was
apparent, and soon after proclaim'd. Thus waiting for an Opportunity,
which I flatter'd my self would soon present, the little Diversions of
_Dublin_, and the moderate Conversation of that People, were not of
Temptation enough to make my Stay in _England_ look like a Burden.
But though the War was proclaim'd, and Preparations accordingly made for
it, the Expectations from all receiv'd a sudden Damp, by the as sudden
Death of King _William_. That Prince, who had stared Death in the Face
in many Sieges and Battles, met with his Fate in the Midst of his
Diversions, who seiz'd his Prize in an Hour, to human Thought, the least
adapted to it. He was a Hunting (his customary Diversion) when, by an
unhappy Trip of his Horse, he fell to the Ground; and in the Fall
displac'd his Collar-bone. The News of it immediately alarm'd the Court,
and all around; and the sad Effects of it soon after gave all _Europe_
the like Alarm. _France_ only, who had not disdain'd to seek it sooner
by ungenerous Means, receiv'd new Hope, from what gave others Motives
for Despair. He flatter'd himself, that that long liv'd Obstacle to his
Ambition thus remov'd, his Successor would never fall into those
Measures, which he had wisely concerted for the Liberties of _Europe_;
but he, as well as others of his Adherents, was gloriously deceiv'd;
that God-like Queen, with a Heart entirely _English_, prosecuted her
royal Predecessor's Counsels; and to remove all the very Faces of
Jealousy, immediately on her Accession dispatch'd to every Court of the
great Confederacy, Persons adequate to the Importance of the Message, to
give Assurances thereof.