BRUNSWICK, a city of Germany, in the circle of Lower Saxony, and capital of the duchy of the same name. It is composed of five towns, viz. the Old Town, the New Town, the Hagen or Burg, the Old Wieck, and the Sack, which makes it a large place, but the houses are almost all built of wood. There are several churches, one of which is an ancient Gothic building, but the appearance of its antiquity is almost absorbed by the repairs it has undergone. Brunswick is a fortified place, and would require a numerous army to besiege, and not a few men to defend it. It is of a square form, divided in the middle by the river Ocker. It is about two miles in circumference, and is strongly fortified. On the ramparts is a mortar piece of brass, ten feet six inches long, and nine feet two inches in circumference, weighing 1800 quintals, and has 93 quintals of iron in its carriages. It will carry a ball of 730 pounds weight to the distance of 33,000 paces, and throw a bomb of a thousand weight; but it requires 52 pounds of powder for a charge. This city is the residence of the prince whom we style the duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttle. The inhabitants
Brunswick, of the city and parts adjacent carry on a considerable trade with Bohemia. Brunswick-mun is well known in England; a small sort of which is the common drink of the inhabitants of the city. The religion here is the Lutheran, and they observe it very strictly. The peasants are sober and laborious, but clownish and heavy; however, as they are robust and strong, they make good soldiers. The elector of Hanover is styled duke of Brunswick, though he has no property in, nor dominion over, this city, which belongs to the duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttle. The number of inhabitants is about 24,000; and the whole income of the duke is estimated at 130,000l. The academy of Brunswick, Dr Moore informs us, has been new-modelled, and the plan of education improved, by the attention, and under the patronage of the hereditary prince. Students now resort to this academy from many parts of Germany; and there are generally some young gentlemen from Britain who are sent to be educated here. Such of them as are intended for a military life, will not find so many advantages united at any other place on the continent as at the academy of Brunswick. They will here be under the protection of a family partial to the British nation;—every branch of science is taught by masters of known abilities;—the young students will see garrison duty regularly performed, and may by the interest of the prince obtain liberty to attend the reviews of the Prussian troops at Magdeburg and Berlin. They will have few temptations to expence, in a town where they can see no examples of extravagance;—have few opportunities of dissipation, and none of gross debauchery.
The fortifications at Brunswick were of great utility last war, and on one occasion they saved the town from being pillaged, and afforded Prince Frederick, who is now in the Prussian service, an opportunity of performing an action, which it is imagined gave him more joy than twenty victories. This happened in the year 1761, soon after the battle of Kirch-Denkern, when Duke Ferdinand protected Hanover, not by conducting his army into that country, and defending it directly, as the enemy seemed to expect, and probably wished; but by diversion, attacking with strong detachments, commanded by the hereditary prince, their magazines in Hesse, and thus drawing their attention from Hanover to that quarter. While the duke lay encamped at Willhemstall, watching the motions of Broglie's army, the marshal being greatly superior in numbers, sent a body of 20,000 men, under Prince Xavier of Saxony, who took possession of Wolfenbuttle, and soon after invested Brunswick. Prince Ferdinand, anxious to save his native city, ventured to detach 5000 of his army, small as it was, under his nephew Frederick, assisted by General Luckner, with orders to harass the enemy, and endeavour to raise the siege. The young prince, while on his march, sent a soldier with a letter to the governor, which was wrapped round a bullet, and which the soldier was to swallow in case of his being taken by the enemy.—He had the good fortune to get safe into the town. The letter apprised the commander of the garrison of the prince's approach, and particularised the night and hour when he expected to be at a certain place near the town, requiring him to favour his entrance.
In the middle of the night appointed, the prince fell
suddenly on the enemy's cavalry, who, unsuspecting of his approach, were encamped carelessly within a mile of the town. They were immediately dispersed, and spread such an alarm among the infantry, that they also retreated with considerable loss. Early in the morning the young prince entered Brunswick, amidst the acclamations of his fellow-citizens, whom he had relieved from the horrors of a siege. The hereditary prince having destroyed the French magazines in Hesse, had been recalled by his uncle, and ordered to attempt the relief of Brunswick. While he was advancing with all possible speed, and had got within a few leagues of the town, he received the news of the siege being raised. On his arrival at his father's palace, he found his brother Frederick at table, entertaining the French officers, who had been taken prisoners the preceding night.