Gazette Of The United States & Evening Advertiser

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

LONDON, March 4.

Letter from his Serene Highness the Duke of Brunswick, to the Prince Royal of Prussia.

Mentz, Jan. 24.

"The concern which your Royal Highness has been pleased to testify on account of my retreat from the army, inspires me with the most heartfelt gratitude.—Nothing but a conjuncture of circumstances as disastrous as uncommon, could have prevailed on me to adopt a measure which is so affecting for myself.

"I have been highly flattered by the opportunities I have now and then found to approach your Royal Highness and to admire in you those talents which cannot fail to place you among the great men of our age. Europe stands truly in need of them, at a time, when near 400,000 combatants, and 80 line of battle ships, supported by an intestine war, have in vain endeavored to crush that confederation of crimes which is tyrannizing over France.

I am eminently happy to find that my zeal in serving a good cause, has not escaped your Royal Highness's notice. Very unfortunately, indeed, the movements of the army have been often paralyzed at the very time when the greatest energy and exertion were required.

"If, after the surrender of Mentz, Houchard had been attacked, forced back, and defeated, the reinforcements which strengthened the army of the North would not have reached it, and of course the check near Maubeuge would have been avoided. Saar Louis, ill-provided with provision, and destitute of all protection from bombs, would in all probability, have been reduced within a fortnight. Alsace might then have been turned by the Saar. The position of Lauter would have afforded more solid advantages; and if, by all possible means, the junction of the armies of the Rhine and the Moselle had been prevented, and the point of Bouquefon gained, Strasbourgh would have been threatened, and Landau very likely subdued.

"I beg your royal highness's pardon for expressing my regrets. Complaints are useless, I know, but sometimes they afford a momentary relief. Permit me only to add, that if you have any influence over my successor, I would wish you to prevail on him to employ all his credit to prevent the frittering of the army into too numerous detachments; the consequence of which is, that being every where too weak to act on an offensive plan, our troops are obliged to confine themselves to defensive measures with the enemy we have to combat, which is a fault productive of the most pernicious consequences.

"It is with the sincerest regret I leave an army which has inspired me with the highest esteem, admiration, and attachment."