Part I (#7)

After this [The capture of Belgrade, See C18th MN&Q 7], will any one be astonished to see him hereafter heap trophies upon trophies, as often a he has appeared at the head of the Imperial Armies against the Turks, and in a country where he had learnt, at their expence, the art of conquering them.

The scene changed in 1689 both with his serene Highness, and with all Europe. Louis XIV, either jealous of the Emperors aggrandizement, or thinking it time to take advantage of the weakness to which a long war must necessarily have reduced that MonArch, broke the truce of 1684, and sent the Dauphin to lay siege to Philipsburg. Each of them immediately applied himself to gaining over allies: Spain, and the United Provinces, with whom France also sought a quarrel, soon joined with the Emperor; and the revolution of Great Britain drew that crown indirectly into the same alliance, into which she entered afterwards in good earnest, and of which her new King, the intrepid William III, became the sole, and first mover. France aimed against all her neighbours, and she seemed resolved to make war at the same time in Germany, the Low Countries, towards the Pyrenean Mountains, and towards the Alps, the Emperor endeavoured to procure himself Allies in all those different parts of Europe, to the end he might, by their assistance give' France a considerable diversion; which might leave him at liberty, to employ yet some time longer, the greatest part of his forces, if not to drive the Ottomans out of Europe, (as might have happened after so many victories) at least to oblige them to consent to a peace, that might be advantageous to the House of Austria.

To this end a powerful ally in Italy might be of great service. The Pope had a thousand reasons to declare against France; but the assistance that might have been had from Innocent XI. was of small consequence. It was more natural for the Emperor to address himself to the Duke of Savoy, Victor Amadeus. There was never a Prince in Italy who had more cause to be dissatisfied with the court of France; they had not treated him as a sovereign, but as a vassal, and kept him in subjection. The Emperor judged that nobody could be more successful intercessor than Prince Eugene, to prevail on that Duke, his relation, to join with his Imperial Majesty and his allies, to set bounds to the ambition of France.

Whatever desire Prince Eugene had to serve under the Prince of Baden in Hungary, whilst the Elector of Bavaria, and the Duke of Lorrain were sent to the Rhine, it was necessary to comply with the pleasure of the Emperor, who judged him more proper than anyone, to facilitate the designs on which the abbot Grimani had been sent to Turin.

Alliance

Thus behold him, at the age of twenty six, covered with the laurels of Mars, employed in a negotiation, at a court, which was then reckoned the school of politics. He succeeded therein, and the Duke of Savoy entered into the alliance against the most christian King. It must be confessed, however, that the conduct of the French Ministry to Victor Amadeus, determined him as much, or more than either his inclination for the House of Austria, or his advantages he might expect from the alliance.

Although the motive of this negotiation was to pretend to be to regulate some differences concerning certain fiefs in the territories of Montserrat, the court of France was not deceived by it. Whether they thought these negotiations had been carried farther than they were, or whether the least motions, made without their knowledge, were suspected by them, in a Prince whom they had till then kept under restraint, they took the resolution to make a body of between 10 and 12,000 men advance that way, under the command of M. de Catinat, on pretence of the armaments in the Milaneze; but in reality with design to keep his Royal Highness in so absolute a subjection, that the power of France became formidable to all Italy.

M. de Catinat having accordingly made his troops advance, as if to go into the Milaneze, posted himself on a sudden in the neighbourhood of Turin, and discovered that the motive of his coming related directly to his Royal Highness,- of whom he demanded, as his first proposal, 3000 of his troops, as a sort of equivalent for the assistance he had given the Emperor, by aiding him with the money he had paid for the fiefs he had purchased: This France made pass for an act contary to the neutrality, at least this was the pretence, wherefore the king had demanded these 3000 men as hostages for his good behaviour.

The Duke of Savoy was not a little surprised at this demand, which tended to disarm him, and exposed him, if complied with, to submit to yet harder terms. They had allowed him but twice 24 hours to come to a resolution, and he was in no condition to oppose the force with which he was threatened. He determined then in this so urgent perplexity, to endeavour to deliver himself from it, or at least to delay it for some time, be the means of negotiation. M. de Catinat having drawn some promises from his Royal Highness, made as if he would have passed on to the Milaneze, but after having seized on the bridge of Carignan to the Po, where he left 1000 Dragoons to guard it, he marched back again immediately, and returned to the charge.

Here upon commissaries were sent to him to ask what he demanded more. So many different accounts have been given of this negotiation, that it is evident it was never positively known, what the promises required and given were. What is certain is, that his Royal Highness gained this point, to have the negotiation prolonged during a whole month by divers couriers who were dispatched to France, either with explanations, or else with new proposals: And this made it believed, that M. de Catinat, either had not such precise orders to act in case of delay, or that his orders being conditional, he imagined in the present state of affairs, that his Royal Highness could never extricate himself from the melancholy state to which he was reduced but by submitting; and that therefore the method of an accommodation would be more proper on all sides than that of hostilities, the consequences of which might equally dangerous, by drawing the war into a neighbouring country, and by raising France up new enemies, instead of the advantage the proposed to gain by a new treaty.

Fortress Defense

Meanwhile he made it his whole care to put his Fortress in a state of defence, particularly the Citadel of Turin, to have his militia in readiness in case of necessity, and to send at the same time to his neighbours and allies, to apprize them of his danger. It was observed in particular, that his ambassador to the Swiss Cantons, opened himself to the diet an a very urgent manner, laying before them the melancholy condition of the Prince his master, by the sudden invasion of the French, even at the very time when they expressed the most friendship to his Royal Highness, as he showed them by letters from the court of France, received almost at the same instant when the French troops had invested him in his Capital. Count Cazati, the Spanish Ambassador, did not forget to exaggerate this action, and to second the solicitations of the Ambassador of Savoy, who, on his side, delivered himself in such moving terms, with regard to the most christian King, that the whole assembly were affected with them, and disposed to interest themselves in behalf of his Royal Highness, whose neighbourhood engaged them so strongly to defend him.

Things were in this posture when the last resolutions of the court of France were brought by M. de Catinat's nephew in the beginning of June. That General then acquainted the Marquis de Ferrero, who went to him in the name of his Royal Highness, that the Kings intention was not to have the 3000 men, but the Citadel of Turin also, and the city of Verrue. Not withstanding his Royal Highness was very far from consenting to such a proposal, which left him no other course to take than to have recourse to arms, there were yet several more journeys backward and forward, because that Prince expected some news, and besides he still gained somewhat in delays.

He caused it then to be represented to M. de Catinat, that the proposals made to him were to hard, to leave any possibility for their being accepted with honour by a sovereign-, and that there was no probability he could ever consent to see himself thus dispossessed of the capital of his dominions. But M. de Catinat insisting upon it, and pressing to have a positive answer from his Royal Highness, who had just received the news he expected, summoned his council with intent to come to an ultimate resolution. It was there determined to keep no longer any measures with M. de Catinat, but to send him orders to retire immediately out of his Royal Highnesses Dominions and to make satisfaction for the damage his troops had done therein. That General was then surpized in his turn, to find that all the delays he had allowed the Duke to make, had terminated in the so vigorous a resolution.

Rupture

Things came at last then to an open and declared rupture. This resolution was no sooner taken by his Royal Highness, than he had the satisfaction to see it applaud and embraced with joy by all his people, who testified they were ready to spend their lives and fortunes in their Prince's service. Immediately couriers were dispatched to different places, to carry this news, which was of such vast importance to all the allies; as the same time care was taken to provided all things necessary for the security of the principal towns, and for the arming of the militia, till the arrival of succours, to drive the French from the posts they possessed in a country entirely open.

I will not say it was owing to the prudent counsel of Prince Eugene, that an unfortunate people, whom they call in France Barbets, but who are better known by the name Vaudois, were re-established in their abode, from whence the Duke of Savoy had concurred with France to extirpate them. That Duke had been guilty of a great oversight, in complying in this respect with insinuations of the court of France, who only sought to destroy the Vaudois, in order to deprive the court of Turin of a support which the French dreaded. Whatever was the motive of the expulsion of these people, the motive of their being re-established was to oppose them to France, perhaps it might in Prince Eugene be a piece of advice dictated by good policy, or perhaps he might be prompted to it humanity and compassion.

M. de Catinat began hostilities by raising contributions wherever it was in his power. Carmagnole was taxed at 50,000 livres, and Turin at 120,000. The French army quitted Brianne, where they had incamped for some time, and where they were observed by the forces of his Royal Highness, and went and encamped within half a league of Cahours, a little town with a castle, situated between Villefranche and Saluces, in a plain within a mile of the Po. The works that had been made for the defence of this place were so trifling, that the enemy made themselves masters of them with only two detatchments of between 7 and 800 men each, and 4 pieces of cannon, which immediately ruined the intrenchment, broke the gate, and made a breach in the wall 30 toises wide.

There was in the town but one detachment of regular troops, commanded by some officers of the regiment of Montserrat, with some militia, and a few Vandois. This garrison however stood firm at the breach, and afterwards retired to a neighbouring mountain, where there was a fort of natural intrenchment.

Plundered and Fired

The French general, elated with such an important conquest, delivered this miserable town up to be plundered, and afterwards had it inhumanly set on fire. He would have been hard put to it to give a reason for this action, which others might term a piece of barbarity. The Duke of Savoy, being informed that Cahours was attacked, detached the Marquis de Parelle, a Marshall de Camp, with 6000 men, both regular troops, militia, and Vaudois, to relieve that place,- but that general, having found it taken, directed his march, unknown to M.de Catinat, by the mountains, towards the valley of Lucerne, with design there to surround the Marquis de Feuquieres.

This motion made very seasonably, obliged the French to abandon that valley, after haing blown up some forts and having been driven from post to post by the Vaudois, and the troops of his Royal Highness. Upon the advice of that Prince received, of the melancholy condition to which M. de Feuquieres was reduced, he did not question his being lost, which induced him to leave his camp at Villeftanche, and pass the Po over three several bridges: This motion gave rise to the battle of Staffarde, where Prince Eugene distinguished himself so eminently.

M.de Feuquiers, maintaining a running fight from post to post, was constantly followed by M. de Parelle, until the former had rejoined M. de Catinat. That general, being informed of the Duke of Savoy's motions quitted his camp de Hoquets, near Cahours, after having provided his army with provisions for ten days, with a resolution either to force the Saluces, or to oblige his Royal Highness to come to a battle; having received orders from his court, to encleavour to engage him, before he should be re-inforced with the troops he expected.

Saluces was not in a condition to make any long resistance-, wherefore the Duke of Savoy, and Prince Eugene, not doubting but M. de Catinat had a design upon that city, made their dispositions to relieve it.

They set forward then on their march, and kept by the side of the enemy as much as they could, but maintained always the advantage of ground, and concealed from them the disposition of their army, which consisted of the troops and militiaof his Royal Highness, some spanish regiments, and one corps commanded by Prince Eugene. This army always marched in such a manner, that they kept rivers and morasses which covered their right, between them and the French army; the left being supported by the Po, and some marshes formed by the overflowing of that river: In so much that M. de Catinat having been informed of their march, and advancing himself in person to reconnoitre them, could never compass his intent the whole day -- so that being uncertain whether all his Royal Highness's army were on their march, or whether there were only some detachments to fall upon his rear, he made some troops which had marched foremost repass the Po. In the mean while, their

Highnesses of Savoy and the Marquis de Parelle, drew up their army in battalia, with all the advantages of the ground; all the squadrons of Horse and Dragoons, both those of Savoy, Spain and Prince Eugene formed the first line, on the right of which were the infantry posted in cassines,- and round about, and on the left, they lined the hedges on the side of a morass, from whence they defended the battalions which were in the morass and the battalions that were in the plain.

These infantry had some pieces of cannon in their front, besides a ditch difficult to be passed, which was half a gunshot before them towards the enemy. The second line was streched out farther, and the horse were intermingled with the foot, and posted in such a manner at to take the place of the first line, if it should be necessary, and if that line could gain ground of the French. All the cassines and hedges were lined with soldiers, which left not the emeny the liberty of advancing upon our centre, without being exposed between two fires, which they could not avoid.

This disposition was to supply the want of troops, for M. de Catinat, whom the Marquis de Feuquieres had rejoined, was twice as strong as the Piedmontese army, and had with a multitude of General Officers, who were in all places, where their presence was wanted, at one and the same time.

More Prince Eugene of Savoy

Part I (#7)
Part II (#8)
Part III (#9)
Part V (#11)
Part VI (#12)