eneral Clairfait, with the exception of Mayence, the French
became masters of every place on the left bank of the Rhine between
Landau and Nimeguen. On the Maes the strong fortress of Venloo had been
allowed to be captured by a _coup-de-main_, and Bois-le-Duc surrendered
after a short siege. The Duke of York, who was stationed at Nimeguen,
was now cut off from all hope of reinforcement from Germany; but he,
nevertheless, resolved to cover that place, the possession of which
would greatly facilitate the advance of the French into the heart
of Holland. But his force was insufficient for that purpose: after
sustaining two severe assaults, he was compelled to withdraw his troops;
and then Nimeguen fell into the hands of the republicans. The Duke
retreated across the Waal and the Rhine, and stationed himself at
Arnheim in the province of Guelderland, still hoping to arrest the
progress of the French arms in Holland. About the same time, Kleber,
after a siege of five weeks' duration, obtained possession of the
fortress of Maestricht, although it was garrisoned by 8,000 Dutchmen and
Germans in the pay of the States-general, and was, moreover, well stored
with provisions and everything necessary for sustaining a long siege.
But the Dutch generally fraternized with the republicans, and even the
Dutch troops would, in the main, rather have fought against their allies
than with the French. Disaffection, treachery, and corruption everywhere
prevailed; which sufficiently accounts for the ease and rapidity with
which the republicans made conquests in Holland. Early in December, the
Duke of York, conceiving that the campaign was finished, set out for
England; leaving to General Walmoden the perilous task of protecting the
country against superior troops who were already flushed with victory.
The elements, also, assisted the French. After several attempts to
cross the Waal, about the middle of December a hard frost set in, which
enabled them to cross that river, and the Dutch were driven from their
posts, while sixty pieces of cannon and nearly 2,000 prisoners, fell
into the hands of the republicans. They made themselves masters of
several posts on the Waal; but as the ice did not permit the passage of
heavy artillery, Pichegru, who was charged by the convention with the
conquest of Holland, withdrew his forces again to the left bank,
where Grave was captured and Breda invested. Thus threatened, the
States-general, imagining that it was