Page:A Tour Through the Batavian Republic.djvu/345

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THE BATAVIAN REPUBLIC
333

persons so disposed its inactivity excited mingled emotions of indignation and sorrow. Speaking of this period of the campaign in Holland, a French General said to me, "C'étoit par la sottise des généraux Anglais que l'Amsterdam n'étoit pas pris." This, however, he qualified by adding, that had Amsterdam been taken, the French inevitably must soon have become masters of it again. The delay of the British army afforded time to the French to collect their forces, and about the period that the Duke of York arrived with a reinforcement of English and Russian troops, General Brune, with a large body of French auxiliaries, took the command of the Gallo-Batavian army.

The hereditary Prince of Orange arrived in the army about the same time with the Duke of York, and, probably elated with the success that had been obtained; addressed a proclamation to the Dutch people, couched in terms scarcely less peremptory than might have been used had the Orange colours been flying on the stadthouse of