Biographical Memorials of James Oglethorpe | Page 6

in 1713[1]. In
the same year he is known to have been in the suite of the Earl of
Peterborough[2], ambassador from the Court of Great Britain to the
King of Sicily and to the other Italian States; whither he was fellow
traveller with the Rev. Dr. George Berkeley, his Lordship's Chaplain[3].
Highly honorable was such a mark of favor from his Lordship; and
peculiarly pleasant and instructive, also, must have been such
companionship with the amiable and excellent clergyman; and it
afforded opportunity of concerting plans of usefulness, of beneficence,
and of philanthropy, the object and tendency of which were apparent in
the after life of each[4].

[Footnote 1: Biographical Memoir in the European Magazine, Vol.
VIII. p. 13.]
[Footnote 2: NICHOLS, in the Literary Anecdotes of the XVIIIth
Century, Vol. II. p. 19, says, "he was aid-de-camp;" but as that was the
title of a military rank, rather than of an attendant on a diplomatic
ambassador, I have substituted another term, which however may
embrace it, if it be really proper.]
[Footnote 3: Dr. Berkeley, in a letter to Thomas Prior, Esq., dated Turin,
January 6, 1714, n.s. says that he travelled from Lyons "in company
with Col. Du Hamel and Mr. Oglethorpe, Adjutant General of the
Queen's forces; who were sent with a letter from my Lord to the King's
mother, at Turin." _Works of GEORGE BERKELEY, D.D., with an
Account of his Life_. Dublin. 1704. 2 vols. 4to. Vol. I--p. xxx]
[Footnote 4: Appendix III.]
In 1714 he was Captain Lieutenant in the first troop of the Queen's
guards. By his fine figure, his soldierly deportment and personal
bravery, he attracted the notice of the Duke of Marlborough; whose
confidence and patronage he seems long to have enjoyed, and by whom,
and through the influence of the Duke of Argyle, he was so
recommended to Prince Eugene, that he received him into his service,
first as his secretary, and afterwards aid-de-camp. Thus near the person
of this celebrated general, full of ardor, and animated with heroic
courage, an opportunity was offered him in the warlike expedition
against the Turks in which the Prince was engaged, to gather those
laurels in what the world calls "the field of glory," to which he aspired;
and, in several successive campaigns, he exhibited applauded proofs of
chivalric gallantry and personal bravery. By his attentive observation of
the discipline, manner of battle array, onset of the forces, and the
instruction given him in military tactics, he acquired that knowledge of
the art of war, for which he afterwards became so distinguished.
At the battle of Peterwaradin, one of the strongest frontier places that
Austria had against the Turks, Oglethorpe, though present, was not
perhaps actively engaged. It was fought on the 5th of August, 1716.

The army of the Turks consisted of 150,000 men, of which 40,000 were
Janisaries, and 30,000 Saphis, or troopers, the rest were Tartars,
Walachians, and the troops of Asia and Egypt. The army of the
Imperialists, under his Serene Highness, Prince Eugene, consisted of
but little more than half that number. The onset began at seven in the
morning, and by twelve Eugene was writing to the Emperor an account
of the victory in the tent of the Grand Vizier[1].
[Footnote 1: _Military History of Prince Eugene, of Savoy_, (a superb
work in two folio volumes, with elegant plates; compiled by
CAMPBELL.) Lond. 1737. Vol. II. p. 215. From this, and from "The
Life and Military Actions of Eugene," Lond. 1737, 12mo, the account
of the battles is taken.]
After a sharp contest of about four hours, the Grand Vizier Hali, seeing
the battle go against him, put himself at the head of his guard of horse,
pushed through a defile, and made a very brisk charge; but his men
could not sustain the contest; and he, having received two wounds, was
carried off the field to Carlowitz, where he died the next day. The Aga
of the Janisaries and Mahomet Bassa were also slain. The whole loss of
the Turks in this action amounted to about 22,000; and of the
Imperialists, 3,695 common soldiers, and 469 officers. There was
found in the camp 164 pieces of cannon, and a prodigious quantity of
powder, bullets, bombs, grenades, and various military equipments and
stores; and the booty in other articles was great and rich beyond
computation.
The Imperial army passed the Danube on the 6th of August, "in order to
avoid the infection of the dead bodies." The same day a council of war
was held, in which the siege of Temeswaer was proposed and resolved
on. This is a town of Hungary, upon the river Temes, whence it has its
name. It lies five miles from Lippa, towards the borders of
Transylvania, and about ten from Belgrade. The