1708. liar to thofe two great men. They expofed their perfons to in the greatest dangers, when neceffity required it; and yet The vic had both the good fortune to escape unhurt. The electoral prince of Hanover had also a great fhare in the glory of the day. At the head of his father's cavalry, he charged the celebrated troops of the French king's houfhold, bearing down all that oppofed his career. The young prince of Orange-Naffau, ftadtholder of Frifeland, and father of the late prince of Orange, diftinguished himself likewise by his martial ardour, bravery, and conduct. The brave veltmarshal d'Auverquerque, though worn out with the fatigues of above thirty campaigns, and in a languishing condition, exerted his expiring vigour, and was on horfe-back at the head of his troops in the hotteft of the fire. Count Tilly, the prince of Wirtemberg, lieutenant-generals Rantzaw and Nutzmer, major generals Webb and Cadogan, brigadier Sabine, and, in fhot, all the generals and officers animated the foldiers every where by their own example. tory indifputable on the fide of the duke of Marlbo The different troops, of which the confederate army confifted, fought with fuch emulation of each other, that it was difficult to determine, which deferved the greatest applaufe; yet it was obferved, that the Pruffian gens d'arms fignalized themselves in feveral vigorous charges, which they made and fuftained again ft the French cavalry, in which they loft near half of their number. If we may believe fome of the French writers, the dukes of Burgundy and Berry, and the pretender, had a great share in this battle; but, if the Dutch accounts are to be credited, they, or at least the two latter, only beheld the engagement from the steeple of an adjacent village, and confulted their fafety by a timely retreat. As for the other generals of the enemy's army, they committed feveral grofs errors, as well before as during the action, either for want of unanimity or judgment: but, for their troops, it must be acknowledged, that, in general, they fought better at this time than they had done upon any other occafion. The French endeavoured by their partial relations to palliate their defeat, and make a drawn battle of it (f); for which they had the only pretence of having faved their bag gage. Now that could not be otherwife, fince they left it behind (f) All that father Daniel fays borough being arrived at Ouof it is in these words: Prince denard by long marches, they ་ Eugene and the duke of Marl paffed the Scheld with their army, behind them, as they did likewife their artillery, having 1708. only made ufe of four or five pieces of cannon during the whole action. But the field, where the battle was fought, of which the confederates remained masters, with fix or feven hundred of the enemy's officers, and about seven thoufand private foldiers, who were made prifoners, together with ten kettle-drums, and above one hundred ftandards and colours taken, were all evidences of an indifputable victory on the fide of the confederates. The enemy retired in the night, by the road which leads The through the village of Huyfe from Oudenard to Ghent. French The duke of Vendofme proposed to the duke of Burgundy, make a that they should halt, in order to form their troops, and give good re their march, at least, the air of a retreat; but his advice treat. was unregarded; for of all the general officers prefent, only the count d'Evreux was of his fentiment. Obferving therefore, that nothing was to be done with men terrified out of their fenfes, he gave the word for a retreat, which was no fooner done, than the generals, as well as private men, *threw themselves into the road of Ghent with the utmost precipitation. The duke of Vendofme looked with grief and hame on this fcandalous behaviour: finding, however, twenty-five fquadrons of his beft troops, and about the fame number of battalions unbroken, he formed with these a rearguard, and fo preferved the army from a fecond defeat, army, which they drew up in ' order. The French army ar⚫riving there at the fame time, in order of battle, gave the ⚫ charge. The onfet was furi quis de Feuquieres, in his me- we made no difpofitions for the encounter, our lofs of men, though very great, is not to ous, and lafted from four in be confidered as a decifive ethe evening till night came on, vent and indeed the confu⚫ which put an end to the fight, 'fion, as well as our extraordiThe army of France retired to- nary lofs, happened in the re'wards Ghent: the left, which treat we made in the night, ⚫ made the rear-guard, remain- when the troops were neither ⚫ed upon the field of battle till fenfible where they fled, nor it was broad day, and then by whom they were conducted. ⚫ marched off in good order, un- In a word, the difpofitions for der the conduct of the cheva- their engagements, and the • lier du Rozel, lieutenant-ge• motives which induced us to ⚫neral, the enemy, who attack- undertake it, ought never to ⚫ed them, not being able to do ⚫ be repeated in any future con⚫ them any mischief.' The mar-juncture.' B 4 which 1708, which would certainly have proved more fatal than the first. The confederates, in the mean time, continued under arms, hoping to renew the engagement again the next morning, and impatient, in the mean time, for day, that they might have a true information how far this victory had extended, of which the darkness of the night left them in ignorance. To this end, as foon as it was light, the duke of Marlborough ordered forty fquadrons from the right, commanded by the lieutenant-generals Bulau and Lumley, with a confiderable body of foot, to follow and attack the enemy's rear-guard, which they did with great vigour. But feveral companies of French grenadiers, being advantageoufly poffed along the highway leading to Ghent, killed and wounded several of the officers and private men of the confederates, and obliged them to leave off the purfuit, there being but one road, fecured by hedges and ditches, lined with the enemy's grenadiers; but no place for the confederate cavalry to form themselves in. On this occafion feveral officers of the grenadiers, commanded by major Erwin, were killed or wounded; and general Meredith received a fhot in the cheek; but the enemy, on their fide, were much greater fufferers. The regiment of Risburg, which closed their rear, was entirely ruined, and two whole companies taken prifoners; as was likewife brigadier Pourienne, who commanded the hindermoft brigade, with fe; veral other officers. As to the killed and wounded on either fide, the allies reckoned among the flain major-general Berenfdorf; the colonels Adercafz and Bolzen, count Rantzaw, and Sir. John Matthews, with captain Dean of the British guards, and about eight hundred private men; and, among the wounded, lieutenant-general Natzmer, major-generals Gaudecker and Berner; the colonels Groves, Pennyfeather, and four others; a hundred and fixty other officers, and about two thousand private foldiers; which lofs was abundantly repaired by deferters and prifoners, Germans, Swiss, and Savoyards, who lifted themfelves voluntarily in the fervice. of the allies. The French endeavoured to conceal their lofs with all poffible induftry; but that it was much greater than that of the allies, is evident from feveral very authentic acCounts (g); from which it appears, that the number of pri (g) A letter from the field- the flates-general: deputies of the ftates-general to foners High foners taken from the enemy amounted to feven thousand 1708. men, among whom were two lieutenant-generals, two ma High and mighty lords, By reafon of the fhortnefs of time, we could only let your high-mightineffes know yefterday, that we engaged the enemy about four in the afternoon. Wherefore we give ourselves the honour of fending your highmightineffes farther advice, that our army, having marched on Sunday night from Afche, took the route of Leffines, in order to pafs the Dender at that place, without oppofition from the enemy, whom we had prevented by a fudden march; and, arriving there on Tuesday evening, we understood, that the enemy were marched from Aloft towards Gavre, where they caused bridges to be made, in order to pafs the Scheld; which made us believe they defigned to poft themselves upon the height of Oudenard, and hinder us from paffing the Scheld. And, tho' Our army was very much fatigued by the foregoing march, yet we refolved to proceed on our march yesterday, and, if poffible, to prevent the enemy. We detached therefore fixteen battalions in the night, to take poft on the other fide of the Scheld near Oudenard, and to lay the bridges neceffary for our paffage. Yesterday morning about nine we received advice, that the enemy had paffed the Scheld, and were marching towards Oudenard, which made us haften our march as much as poffible, for fear our detachment, that was fent over, fhould be defeated, and ourselves prevented in our design of paf jor fing the Scheld. But, by that time the enemy were come near Oudenard, they faw we had already taken poít over the Scheld, which made them refolve to ftrike off to the right; but, to cover their march against ours, they thought fit to throw troops into the hedges and into a village upon the Scheld below Oudenard. About three in the afternoon, as foon as our foot began to come up, it was judged advifeable to attack the village, and thereby oblige the enemy to go no farther, but stop their march. This attack was made with fo much vigour and fuccefs, that the enemy were immediately driven out of the village, our men falling upon them with their. bayonets on the muzzles of their mufkets, and not firing a piece; fo thatthey prefently threw down their arms, and a whole brigade, together with a brigadier, furrendered prifoners. The few horfe, that had paffed with the detachment, attacked likewise the French fquadrons posted behind the village with so much fuccefs, that they were put into diforder and pushed, our men taking from them eight or ten standards, and fome horses. Hereupon the enemy were forced to face about to us, and form themfelves about four o'clock, when, moft of our foot being over, and formed, the general engagement began, first on the right, and afterwards on the left wing. The fight was properly between the foot, and was obftinate; but our men got ground, and drove the enemy from one hedge 1708, which would certainly have proved more fatal than the firft. The confederates, in the mean time, continued under arms, hoping to renew the engagement again the next morning, and impatient, in the mean time, for day, that they might have a true information how far this victory had extended, of which the darkness of the night left them in ignorance. To this end, as foon as it was light, the duke of Marlborough ordered forty fquadrons from the right,, commanded by the lieutenant-generals Bulau and Lumley, with a confiderable body of foot, to follow and attack the enemy's rear-guard, which they did with great vigour. But feveral companies of French grenadiers, being advantageoufly pofted along the highway leading to Ghent, killed and wounded feveral of the officers and private men of the con federates, and obliged them to leave off the purfuit, ther being but one road, fecured by hedges and ditches, line with the enemy's grenadiers; but no place for the confede rate cavalry to form themselves in. On this occafion fever officers of the grenadiers, commanded by major Erwi were killed or wounded; and general Meredith recei ed a hot in the cheek; but the enemy, on their fi were much greater fufferers. The regiment of Risbu which closed their rear, was entirely ruined, and two wh companies taken prifoners; as was likewife brigadier P rienne, who commanded the hindermoft brigade, with veral other officers. th As to the killed and wounded on either fide, the (g) A letter from the field- the flates genera deputies of the ftates-general to |