ottom, fell suddenly upon the musketeers in ambush and cut them to
pieces. Then galloping forward he fell upon the Spanish left in front
and flank. The impetuous charge was irresistible; the Walloons broke and
fled before it, and were speedily scattered over the plain, pursued
by the victorious French. But upon the other wing de Malo's charge had
proved equally irresistible. L'Hopital's horse was broken and scattered,
and, wheeling his cavalry round, de Malo fell upon the flank and rear of
d'Espenan's infantry, shattered them at once, captured the whole of
the French artillery, and then fell upon the reserves. Baron Sirot, an
officer of great courage and ability, held them together and for a time
repelled the attack of the German cavalry; but these, inspirited by
their previous success, continued their attacks with such fury that the
reserves began to waver and fall back. Enghien was still in pursuit of
the Walloons when an officer rode up with news of the disaster that had
befallen the rest of the army. Enghien grasped the situation instantly,
and his military genius pointed out how the battle might yet be
retrieved. His trumpets instantly recalled his scattered squadrons, and
galloping round the Spanish centre he fell like a thunderbolt upon the
rear of de Malo's cavalry, already exulting in what appeared certain
victory.

Astounded at this unlooked for attack, they in vain bore up and tried
to resist it; but the weight and impetus of the French assault bore all
before it, and they clove their way through the confused mass of cavalry
without a pause. Then wheeling right and left they charged into the
disorganized crowd of German horsemen, who, unable to withstand this
terrible onslaught, broke and fled, de Malo himself galloping off the
field with his disorganized troopers. Never was a more sudden change
in the fate of a great battle. The French cause had appeared absolutely
lost; one wing and their centre were routed; their reserves had suffered
heavily, and were on the point of giving way. Humanly speaking, the
battle seemed hopelessly lost, and yet in ten minutes victory had been
converted into defeat, and the right and left wings of the Spanish army
had ceased to exist as collected bodies. There remained the Spanish
infantry, and Enghien, recklessly courageous as he was, hesitated to
attack the solid formation that had hitherto proved invincible.

While still doubting whether, having defeated the rest of the army,