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The Works of M. de Voltaire: The history of the war of 1741.
The Works of M de Voltaire The history of the war of 1741 Author:Voltaire Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: C H A V. VI. "Unhappy ftiuatlon of the emperor Charles V1L Lofs of the battle of Dettingen. The army of France which -was fent to afli/t the emperor in Bavari... more »a, abandons his cauff. | O fooner were the eyes of cardinal Fleury clofed, than the king took the reins of government into his own hands: there was no part, not even the minuteft of the adminiftra- tion, of which he was not mafter. He was firmly refolved to accept of an honourable peace, or to profecute with vigor a necefiary war; and to adhere invioldbly to his word. He made no change in the meafures already taken ; the fame generals commanded. It is pretended by fome, that the fame mif- takes were committed in 1743, which the preceding year had occafioned the lofs of fiohemia and Bavaria; that the Bavarian and French forces being divided into too many feparate bodies, mouldered away by degrees. The mortality which got footing among the French troops in Bavaria was the beginning of their misfortunes. It often happens that more fol- diers perifh through inaction than fatigue, and great care fhould be taken to hinder any fick- nefs that chances to find its way into a camp, fromfpreading. The French foldiers fpent the latter end of 1742, and the beginning of 1743, crouded upon each other in German ftoves, which alone deftroyed them in great numbers j but that which was their greateft detriment was a mifunderftanding between marfhal Broglio and count Seckendorff, who then commanded the Bavarians. The latter, who acted under prince Charles, would have had the former weaken himfelf to fend him reinforcements; but the marfhal refufed him as often as they were aflced, having enough to do in oppof- ing prince Lobkowitz. The emperor, who was then in Munich, could not reconcile them. Broglio was faid in the public papers...« less