Bois were La Reine and Charost, the left of which last rested on a marshy source. In their rear the brigades of Gondrin, Tourville, Perche, La Sarre, and one of dismounted dragoons, formed reserves, or were posted with some others on the plain behind the wood and in the works of Chaussée du Bois. The cavalry, drawn up in several lines, as the nature of the ground would admit, stretched along the rear of the whole, from the heath of Malplaquet to beyond the farm of La Folie, near Jean Sart. On the right were the gardes du corps, in the centre the gens d'armes, and on the left the carabineers.

While the French marshal was actively exerting himself to strengthen his position, the two allied commanders and the prince royal of Prussia passed the night at the quarters of Goslinga, in rear of the Dutch, that they might be near in case of alarm. Their forces had been stationed, since the preceding night, in the following order, beginning with the left: :

The Dutch infantry and their auxiliaries, commanded by Marshal Tilly, and subordinately by the Prince of Orange, were posted in two lines, extending from the wood of Laniere, in front of Aulnoit, to the small wood of Tiry: 14 battalions, Hanoverians and British, occupied this wood, with the opening between it and the farm of Bleron, within musket-shot of the enemy's lines, but covered by a small rise, as well as by the hedges of the farm, and some brushwood. From the wood of Tiry, the two lines of infantry, composed of British and Prussians, were thrown back behind the farm of Cour-Tournant, about which were several detached battalions. The 18 battalions of Eugene's army, who had arrived in the evening, extended from hence to the farm of Cou, in the direction of Sart. The cavalry were drawn up in two lines behind. The Dutch on the left, per

* Thus far we have followed Quincy, who, without understanding the ground, seems to have had good information relative to the details of the first position of the French army. It agrees with the position marked upon the king's plan, from which, however, have been borrowed some slight additions, to make the disposition more clear. With regard to the names of the woods, and their relative situation, Quincy was doubtless misinformed. The wood of Ransart and Jean Sart is not comprised in that of Laniere, but is a part of the wood of Blaugies, and belongs to Trieu Jean Sart, near Attiche.

pendicularly (en potence) with the left wing, extended to the farm of Nivergies, the right to the infantry, and the front facing the wood of Laniere. The British, Prussian, and Hanoverian cavalry were posted in the rear of their respective infantry, and the 18 battalions of Eugene; so that this whole corps formed four lines, in front of Blaregnies. In the morning the corps of Eugene arriving, prolonged the right of the army, already posted, by forming two lines of cavalry in rear of Sart, and in front of the windmill next the infantry; and at the extreme right the rest of the cavalry extended to beyond the farm of Flegnies, near Frameries.

At break of day the commanders in chief and generals of corps went out to reconnoitre, and were surprised to observe the defences which the enemy had thrown up since the preceding afternoon. The result of this survey induced Eugene to represent to the council of war which ensued * the necessity of waiting the arrival of the detachment from Tournay; while Marlborough recommended an immediate attack †, before the enemy had rendered their intrenchments complete. But the advice of the prince, supported by the Dutch deputies, prevailed, and the remainder of the day was spent in arranging the dispositions. Orders were sent

for Schulemburg, Lottum, and Wood to join the main army, leaving the detachment under Withers to follow with the utmost speed. The commander of each division received specific instructions for his guidance in the conflict, the substance of which will indicate the plan of the chiefs. The onset was to commence on the right of the centre, and the left of the right, where 22 battalions under Lottum, and 40 under Schulemburg, each in three lines, were to attack the two flanks of the intrenchments in the woods of Taisniere

*There is some confusion among the accounts of these councils of war; but from the alteration of circumstances, the formidable appearance of the intrenchments, the delay of the detachment marching from Tournay, and the absence of the deputy Rantwyck, I have no doubt that two if not three were held between the passage of the Haine and the battle.

+ Rousset, who was in the engagement, positively asserts that the Duke proposed to attack on the 10th; but though it is not improbable, I can find no proof of it in the Duke's letters, or in any other authentic writer. Lediard, vol. iii. p. 542.

and Sart. Half an hour after, 31 battalions of the left wing, consisting principally of Dutch infantry, sustained by the 19 battalions drawn from Tournay, under General Withers, were to form in several bodies, and advance against the grenadiers, who covered the right flank of the enemy. Lord Orkney, with 15 battalions in a single line, was to act defensively, at some distance, in front of the opening of the plain, and to move forwards as soon as Lottum and Schulemburg had succeeded. Finally, a corps of 1900 men from the blockading army near Mons, was to traverse Sart, from the source of the marshy rivulet, and aid the general attack, by pressing on the flank and rear of the hostile intrenchments.

To sustain these operations, the prince of Hesse was directed, with 21 squadrons of the Dutch first line, to follow the prince of Orange in two lines, between the woods of Laniere and Tiry; and 30 squadrons of the second line of Dutch horse, led on by the prince of Auvergne, were to draw up in the rear of Lord Orkney's infantry. The British, Prussian, and Hanoverian cavalry, who were formed according to circumstances, received orders to cover Count Lottum; and the whole of Eugene's cavalry to draw up in two lines, for a similar purpose, in the rear of Schulemburg. They were generally instructed to keep out of the reach of grape shot, yet to be sufficiently forward to sustain the infantry. When the intrenchment on the plain was carried, they were to rush forward, to form on the farther side of the lines, to charge the hostile squadrons, and drive them from the field. The infantry were enjoined not to penetrate beyond the intrenchments, woods, and obstacles of ground, but to occupy them in force, and afford protection to the cavalry. The heavy artillery was to be distributed in several batteries, -28 pieces in front of the left, 40 in the centre, and the rest, with the field-pieces, to accompany the several brigades, as passages should be effected in the woods. Their fire was ordered to be directed against the intrenchments and opposing batteries; and the signal of attack was a volley from the grand battery in the centre.

But the commanders, as they proceeded in their survey, observed that the intrenchments opposite the left were of the most formidable nature, and they learnt that all the troops from Tournay could not reach the field of battle till

next morning. They accordingly decided on converting the attack on the left into a feint; and to shorten the march of the expected detachment, General Withers was directed not to join the army, but to leave three battalions and four squadrons about Paturages, and to march with the remainder between the woods of l'Eveque and Montroeul, for the purpose of turning all the intrenchments raised on the plain behind, and penetrating between Trieu Jean Sart and the wood by La Folie, into the rear of the enemy's

The day was now far advanced, when Villars began to reflect that the measures he had hitherto pursued might fail of the desired effect. He found that he could not discover the situation and movements of his opponent's right, which could attack him on the left, while the opposite flank was masked by the wood of Tiry.* He therefore ordered a new line of intrenchments to be formed, extending from the hamlet of Malplaquet, quite across the plain, to the farm of La Louviere. The cavalry were employed during the whole night in carrying fascines to the spot, but the evening approached before the undertaking could be completed. In the same evening, or during the night, Lottum, Schulemburg, and Wood, reached the confederate army, and resumed their respective commands; and, before day-light, Withers drew to his station near La Folie, with the corps from Tournay under his orders.

CHAP. LXXXII. BATTLE OF MALPLAQUET.†-1709. As the morning of the eventful 11th of September began to dawn, a mist overspread the woods, and concealed the armies from each other.

To this little wood have been misapplied the various appellations belonging to the woods in the vicinity, Ronsart, Jean Sart, La Merte, &c. ; we follow the name on the king's plan, though we doubt the existence of the wood at the present time.

† For the battle of Malplaquet the following authorities have been consulted and compared: — Lediard's Life of Marlborough, 3 vols. 8vo. Leven van Marlborough, 4 vols. 8vo. Quincy, Histoire des Guerres de Louis XIV. 6 vols. 4to. Père Daniel, Histoire de France, 10 vols. 4to.

In the camp of the allies divine service was solemnly porformed at three in the morning, with the usual marks of devotion, after the example of their chief; silence and order reigned through all the ranks, as they steadily marched from the bivouac to their posts. Under cover of the fog, the pieces composing the grand battery of the centre were conveyed to the appointed spot, and covered with an epaulement, to prevent an enfilade, while the Dutch likewise moved forward their heavy guns on the left.

The grand guard of the enemy giving instant notice that the allies were making their dispositions for the attack, the French soldiers discontinued working at the intrenchments, and stood to their arms. The troops on both sides, though harassed by fatigue and want of rest, manifested no diminution of their usual spirit at the approach of this long-expected engagement. The French gave signal proofs of unbounded confidence in their new general, whom they adored, and in whose abilities they confided. Eight campaigns had been successively marked with disasters; all their former leaders had seen their laurels wither before the two great opponents and the formidable troops that now stood arrayed

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