ies held their ground and repeatedly repressed Jourdan in his
attempts to cross the Sambre. At last, Charleroi surrendered to the
French, and on the following day, June 26, they won the great battle
of Fleurus. Mons fell on July 1, and on the 5th the allies resolved to
evacuate Belgium. The four fortresses were recovered in August; and
Coburg retired by Liege into Germany, York by Antwerp into Holland. In
October Jourdan pursued the Austrians, and drove them across the
Rhine. The battle of Fleurus established the ascendancy of the French
in Europe as the 1st of June had created that of England on the ocean.
They began the offensive, and retained it for twenty years. Yet the
defeat of Fleurus, after such varying fortunes and so much alternate
success does not explain the sudden discouragement and collapse of the
allies. One of the great powers was about to abandon the alliance.
Prussia had agreed in the spring to accept an English subsidy. For,
L300,000 down, and L150,000 a month, a force of fifty to sixty
thousand Prussians was to be employed in a manner to be agreed upon
with England,--that meant in Belgium. Before Malmesbury's signature
was dry the whole situation altered.

The Committee of Public Safety had created a diversion in the rear of
the foe. Kozsiusko, with the help of French money and advice, had
raised an insurrection in Poland, and the hands of the Prussians were
tied. The Polish question touched them nearer than the French, and all
their thoughts were turned in the opposite direction. The Austrians
began to apprehend that Prussia would desert them on the Rhine, and
would gain an advantage over them in Poland, while they were busy with
their best army in Flanders. Pitt increased his offers. Lord Spencer
was sent to Vienna to arrange for a further subsidy. But the Prussians
began to withdraw. Marshal Moellendorf informed the French in
September that the Austrians were about to attack Treves. He promised
that he would do no more than he could help for his allies. On the
20th, Hohenlohe, who was not in the secret, having fought Hoche at
Kaiserslautern and defeated him, the commander-in-chief sent
explanations and apologies. In October, Pitt stopped the supplies, and
the Prussians disappeared from the war.

The winter of 1794-95 was severe, and even the sea froze in Holland.
In January, Pichegru marched over the solid Rhine, and neither Dutch
nor English offered any considerable resistance. The Prince of Ora