The Virginia Gazette

Extract of a Letter from Dresden.

The Imperial Court is greatly dissatisfied with the Conduct of the Count Seckendorff: The ill Success of the Campaign in Hungary is laid entirely to his Charge. He is much condemned for not having more speedily form'd the Blockade of Widdin after the taking of Nissa; and 'tis said, ought rather indeed to have march'd directly to the former of these Places, and laid Siege to it in Form, than to have divided his Army into different Bodies, and form'd the Blockade of it with too small a Number of Troops. On the contrary, Count Seckendorff complains much of having not only wanted Money to pay his Army, but even of all Things necessary for the Support of Life; the Consequence of which was the Misery that the Troops suffered, and the Cause of the Death of a great Number of them; and he maintains, that for these Reasons he was utterly incapable of undertaking any thing considerable after the Siege of Nissa, the greatest Part of the Army being unable to act. As if the Accusations already mentioned to be laid to the Charge of the Count Seckendorff were not heavy enough; it is added, that one of the greatest Subjects of Complaint against him is, that soon after his Arrival in Hungary, he caused to be distributed amongst the Protestants of that Kingdom, some Thousands of Copies of a Lutheran Catechism. Very
likely, indeed, that the General of an Army, at such a Time: should concern himself with Affairs of this Nature! It's certain, that his greatest Crime is being a Lutheran, which, to be sure has thrown upon him a Load of Envy and Ill-will: a great Part of which,'tis thought, has been caus'd by the Pope's refusing to send his Benediction to the Imperial Army: and by the famous Declaimer, Pearchart, the Jesuit's, preaching publickly against him. His Crime has been thus explain'd by some: He had the Misfortune to be neither prime Minister of State, nor Chief of the Council of War, besides which, he is a Protestant, and descended from a Family of but little Interest. There have been Letters sent here, importing, that he was not only put under Arrest, but that he had been sent from Vienna just under the Escort of some Horse, to be confined in a Castle at some Distance, and that upon the Road he had been beheaded: which is scarce credible, when the great Equity of the Emperor is taken into Consideration. General Schmettau being inform'd that he was to be arrested, has made his Escape: Some People imagine he will shelter himself under the Protection of Count Bonneval.