I gather from the handwriting of the above passage that it was written not many years after the events which it narrates, and during the widowhood of the writer. Of the journal, which in the last sentence she describes herself as keeping, and intending to keep, and which no doubt for a great many years she did keep, only a few fragments, so far as concerns the next seven years, have come into my hands. If they are fair specimens of the rest, it must have been kept with considerable fulness. I shall extract a few of these; but before this, I cannot refuse myself the pleasure of inserting, though it has properly no place in this volume, one letter, which I have found among my Mother’s papers, for the abiding interest of the events and persons to whom it refers. It is from Colonel Cradock, afterwards Lord Howden (he was half-brother to Colonel St. George), and written after a visit to the Duke of Brunswick’s head-quarters, and on the memorable day that the Prussian army entered France with the intention of marching to Paris, releasing the King, and putting down the Revolution. Honourable to the professional zeal of the writer, as no less in other ways, it is a slight but authentic glimpse of an epoch-making moment in the world’s history; though it may have needed at the moment a Goethe to discern, as it will be remembered that he did by the Prussian watch-fires after the cannonade at Valmy, all the significance which it possessed.
COLONEL CRADOCK TO MRS. ST. GEORGE.
Luxembourg, Aug. 19, 1792.
It is high time, according to promise, I should give you some account of ourselves, and how far we have accomplished our wild-goose chase. Our excursion furnished a proof de plus that nothing is so difficult in execution as in plan; for here we are, though in London we were told the project was impossible; and as we advanced, the account of obstructions increased; yet to this town and this moment we have proceeded without meeting one. We came by Dover, Ostend, Bruges, Ypres, Brussels, Namur, Luxembourg, still hunting the Duke of Brunswick’s army, in agony lest the delay of one hour should make us too late; for such was the tenor of our intelligence as we pursued our course. We arrived here on Tuesday evening, and to our inexpressible joy found the King of Prussia, the Duke of Brunswick, and the main army of 50,000 men encamped at Montfort, about four miles from the town. Colonel Manners, St. Leger, two other officers, and ourselves, composed the whole of the English, though taught to expect so many more, in the town. We went next morning to the camp, and were presented, at the time of giving orders, to the King of Prussia and Duke of Brunswick before their tents. The whole passed without the least ceremony, and had entirely the appearance of an introduction upon the parade to the commanding officers, such was the martial simplicity and modesty of everything around. The King’s tent was that of a field officer, and his two sons’, the Prince Royal and Prince Louis, those of captains, adjoining to his. On that morning arrived at head-quarters Monsieur and the Count d’Artois from Treves, with écuyers grands, &c., without number. The vain parade of people in their circumstances added highly to the scene; for who could behold the contrast without admiration and wonder—poverty and exile in the gay trappings of pride and vain-glory, and real power and dominion over thousands and ten thousands concealed yet augmented by the apparent moderation of its possessor?
I cannot too favourably express the flattering reception we met with from the King of Prussia and the Duke of Brunswick. To us English officers was allowed the peculiar privilege of riding throughout the camp wherever we pleased; and, if stopped by any sentry, we had but to explain who we were, and we met with no interruption. This privilege allowed us yesterday morning the happy opportunity of attending the breaking up of their camp, and accompanying their march twelve miles to Bellenburg, where they encamped upon an open plain of corn upon the very frontier of France. The ground was so advantageously situated that one could behold the column of cavalry and the three of infantry enter the plain at once, and take up their ground at the same time. A description would be tedious, and will better serve for conversation than correspondence; but still I must say, in the traveller cant, so magnificent a sight my imagination could not have conceived. The whole was performed with infinite regularity and expedition, and every person knew his business so well that not a direction nor scarce a word was heard. Yet something took place, considering the Prussian discipline, that surprised me. The men, even in sight of their officers, stepped from their ranks and loaded themselves with the corn, potatoes, &c., and at length appeared like a moving field. As permission to accompany the army had been refused to every person, of whatsoever situation, that does not belong to it, we English officers, fearful of exceeding our limits, were obliged to withdraw ourselves last night, and have bid adieu, with our best wishes, to the Duke of Brunswick. This day he proceeded to a place called Tiercelet, near to Longwy. Whether he will continue his route to Paris alone, or wait to be joined by the French Princes or M. de Clairfait’s army, no one can tell. His motions are so secret, that nothing but the past and present are known.
The Prussian army seems to be exasperated to a degree against every thing that bears the name of Frenchman; and patriot or emigrant appears to make but little difference of sentiment in them. The emigrants everywhere conduct themselves with so little good sense, and are so regardless of good-will and conciliation, that the world regard them and their cause with much indifference; and was it not thought that their cause would ultimately affect others, no one would stir a step in their behalf. The other day there had been a skirmish between some Prussian hussars and a party of the French, which ended in the defeat of the latter, without the loss of a single man on the side of the Prussians. About fifty wounded men and prisoners were brought into town, and passed before our windows, where we were at dinner at a table-d’hôte with some Frenchmen. They jumped up and ran out, and returned, after viewing the poor wounded people, crying out, ‘Que c’est charmant! comme les hussars les ont bien arrangés!’ We abhorred them. To-morrow the Princes and emigrants take up the former ground of the Prussians near this town. We shall go in the morning and meet them upon their march. I am really very anxious to see the three thousand officers doing the duty of soldiers and the common drudgery of the camp. Though a painful sight, yet it is interesting, and worthy of observation. We shall afterwards go to Arlon and stay a day or two with General Clairfait’s army, and enable ourselves to talk with discernment of the difference between the Prussian and Austrian soldiers.
I have quite failed to obtain any letters, or discover any journals, of the next five or six years. It is only in the autumn of 1798 that I find a few loose pages of journal. I will make some brief extracts from these:—