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confirmed in my opinion by a resolution of your high mightinesses, communicated to me by the deputies, I have imparted to Prince Eugene and to Count Rechteren my opinion, that it will be more advantageous to the interests of the common cause, for the army on the Moselle to join us in Brabant, without delay, and entreated them, should they be of my opinion, to communicate the same to the elector of Hanover, and to begin their march as soon as possible. These measures being taken in conformity with the approbation of the field deputies, I doubt not but they will give notice to your high mightinesses. Nevertheless, I would not fail to inform you, that I have just received, from Prince Eugene, intelligence that his army commenced their march last Friday, the cavalry advancing by long forced marches, while the infantry rapidly followed; and that it was his intention to arrive in our camp on the 5th or 6th, to concert with me the operations, according to our arrangement, that as soon as the cavalry shall approach, we shall move directly upon the enemy, and bring on a battle, trusting in God to bless our designs, and hoping that I shall soon have an opportunity of sending you good

news." *

CHAP. LXIX. - BATTLE OF OUDENARD.-1708.

WHILE Marlborough remained at Terbank, eagerly looking to the movements of Eugene, and anxiously expecting the junction of his forces, new dangers arose in other quarters. Unwilling again to measure their strength with the British general in the field, the French commanders formed a plan, no less bold than judicious, to rob him of all his recent conquests, and reduce him to the same situation as when he commenced his glorious career. This design was grounded on the general discontent which pervaded the Netherlands under the oppressive government of the Dutch, and which had already manifested itself in the plot for the surrender of Antwerp. They meditated the surprise of Ghent, which commanded the course of the Lys and the Scheldt; and of Bruges, the centre of the principal water communications. They calculated that the acquisition of these important fortresses would lead to the capture of the smaller places; and, finally, their plan embraced the reduction of Oudenard, a point of the highest consequence in a military view.

Situated on the Scheldt, and at the verge of the frontier, Oudenard was the connecting link for the alternate defence • Translated from the French draught.

of Flanders and Brabant; and although incapable of a protracted resistance, was yet the most convenient place of arms for the operations on either side. While it was occupied by the allies, they could penetrate towards Lille, raise the sieges of Menin or Courtray, interpose between the borders of France and Ghent, and cut off the communications of a hostile army. If Brabant were threatened, they might pass the Scheldt, and occupying the strong camps of Lessines or Leuse, present a front, or hang on the flank, of a corps attempting to push towards Brussels. The banks of the Scheldt being elevated, present many defensive positions on either side; but such positions were useful only to the army which held the fortress. If Oudenard was thus important in a general view, it was still more valuable in the actual circumstances of the allies. It was the chief avenue to their other fortresses in Flanders, as well as the only channel of their direct communications with England, and its fall would have ensured the loss of all their conquests in that quarter; while the enemy, seated in the most fertile and opulent district of Europe, and holding the fortresses on the Scheldt, would have easily baffled every attempt for their expulsion, flanked all direct attacks on French Hainault, and stripped of their value the advantages of the two preceding campaigns.

The first part of the design conceived by the French commanders, was no less successfully executed than judiciously planned. Having diverted the attention of Marlborough by their feints on the side of Louvain, they suddenly decamped from Brain l'Allieu on the evening of the 4th of July, and rapidly advanced towards Hall and Tubise, where they intended to cross the Senne. In their march, they detached several corps to the different places of Flanders, where they had established a secret correspondence with the disaffected. At the dawn of the 5th of July, one of these parties, commanded by Brigadier La Faille and Pasteur, appeared before Ghent. By the negligence or treachery of the watch, a small number of soldiers were suffered to gain admission as deserters, and found means to amuse the guard, till the main body arrived and secured the gate. The other gates being seized with the same facility, the whole detachment advanced into the market place. La Faille, who had been high-bailiff

of Bruges, and was well known to the inhabitants, assembled the magistrates and burghers in the town-house. Producing a pardon, signed by the elector of Bavaria, for their defection to the allies, he readily obtained their submission, and invested a small garrison of 300 men, who held the citadel.

Six hours after the surprise of Ghent, Count de la Motte appeared before Bruges, which likewise surrendered on the first summons. He next endeavoured to surprise Damme, but failing in his attempts to intimidate the governor, he marched to Plassendael, a small but important fort on the canal of Bruges, and took it by storm.

Major-general Murray, who had been posted with a detachment at Mariekirk, was no sooner apprised of these movements, than he hastened towards Ghent, and arrived in time to save the place, had he not been refused admission by the burghers. He had, therefore, no resource but to retire to Sas van Ghent, and leave the small garrison in the castle to their fate. Here he was joined by deputies from the Hague, who on the first alarm were despatched to concert with him the requisite measures for the defence of the forts and posts which covered this part of the frontier.

Receiving prompt intelligence of the sudden movement made by his antagonists towards the Dender, Marlborough broke up from Terbank, on the morning of the 5th, and crossing the Senne and the canal of Brussels, encamped with his left at Anderlecht, and his right at the mill of Tombeck. Here he learnt the march of the hostile detachments against Ghent and Bruges, and pushed forward a body of cavalry, under General Bothmar, with orders to cross the Scheldt, near Termond, and, if possible, to obviate the danger.

During this march, the French were traversing the Senne, at Tubise and Hall, within a short distance of the camp which Marlborough had chosen. He arrived too late in the evening to arrest their progress, but he hoped to bring them to an engagement before they could reach the Dender. He therefore sent out a strong detachment to harass their rear, and at one in the morning, riding to the right of his lines, he ordered the troops to form, and hold themselves in readiness for battle, on the first appearance of the dawn.

The alertness of the enemy, however, baffled his design. Continuing their march during the night, they crossed the

Dender in several columns, near Ninove, and the allied detachment arrived in time only to seize a part of their baggage, and to make three hundred prisoners. In their haste they sunk their bridges, and the panic which reigned among them, was proved by the crowds of deserters who flocked to the confederate camp. Having accomplished the passage of the Dender, they descended the stream, and took post between Alost and Oerdegem, with a view to cover the attack against the citadel of Ghent, and at the same time to threaten Brussels. The consternation, indeed, was so great among the inhabitants of that large and opulent capital, that Marlborough advanced to Asch, within a league of Alost, where he encamped on the evening of the 6th. Here the melancholy forebodings, which the movements of the enemy called forth, were realised, by the intelligence which arrived of the surprise of Bruges and Ghent, and the investment of the citadel. The alarm was at its height both in Brussels and in the army.

In this trying moment, he was cheered by the arrival of Eugene, who, finding that he could not effect a junction in time, left his cavalry at Maestricht, and hastened to take a personal share in the expected conflict. The appearance of the illustrious chief restored joy and alacrity; and Marlborough welcomed him by observing, "I am not without hopes of congratulating your highness on a great victory; for my troops will be animated by the presence of so distinguished a commander."

Eugene warmly approved the resolution, which his friend had adopted, of engaging the enemy; and the proposal being sanctioned by a council of war, held the ensuing day, pioneers were instantly detached in every direction, to clear the roads for the passage of the troops. As Oudenard was known to be the next object of attack, General Chanclos, who commanded at Ath, was directed to collect reinforcements from his own and the neighbouring garrisons, and with these troops, and a corps of Waleff's dragoons, to throw himself into the place. This he happily accomplished without the slightest obstruction.

On the eve of so awful a crisis, which he might not survive, Eugene took the opportunity to visit his aged mother, the countess of Soissons, who resided at Brussels. Soon after

his departure, Marlborough was seized with a fever, the result of fatigue, anxiety, and watchfulness, and was earnestly recommended by his physicians to quit the camp. The peril of the moment, however, raised his active mind above the sense of bodily suffering: he matured his arrangements for the approaching conflict, though on account of his indisposition, he continued in his tent, and the regular orders were issued from the quarters of Marshal Overkirk. His disorder abating the ensuing day, he was enabled to resume the arduous duties of his station.

The enemy having received intelligence that the citadel of Ghent had surrendered, after a defence of two days, prepared to execute the rest of their design. Detachments were sent against Oudenard, which was invested on the morning of the 9th; and a train of heavy artillery was ordered from Tournay. To cover the siege, they prepared to occupy the strong camp of Lessines, on the Dender.

But they were opposed to a general, whose promptitude and activity have been seldom paralleled, and whose resources were called forth by the magnitude of the stake for which he was contending. Although the distance he had to traverse was twice that of the enemy, no obstacle could divert him from his object. To quiet the alarm which reigned in Brussels, the garrison was reinforced with four battalions of infantry. The roads having been cleared, the army broke up from Asch at two in the morning of the 9th, and moved towards Herfelingen, by the left, in four columns, the infantry in the centre and the cavalry on the flanks. whole body of grenadiers, and thirty squadrons of horse, under Lord Albemarle, covered the rear, and prepared to check any attempt of the enemy on Brussels. In consequence of this precaution, the movement was so rapid, firm, and connected, that before mid-day the heads of the columns reached Herfelingen, five leagues from Asch. Here the duke halted, and the troops encamped in their order of march, with the village in the rear, and the front towards the Dender.

The

Four hours afterwards, Cadogan was detached, with eight battalions, and as many squadrons, to throw bridges over the Dender, and post himself at Lessines. At this moment Eugene returned, and participated in the exultation which

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