by the fire of the guns from the fortress, as well as by that of the
infantry on the hill, he considered the position to be impregnable, and
therefore placed the main body of his army at the edge of the flat top
of the hill, a strong body behind a wood about halfway up the slope, and
his cavalry extended from that point to the walls of the city.

After reconnoitering the position, Enghien determined to make two
attacks, one on the trenches between the foot of the hill and the town,
and the other on the rows of felled trees at the foot of the mountain.
A false attack was to be made between the two points. Turenne's force
advanced nearly to the foot of the hill, the prince's army followed him,
and also took up its position. But just as the attack was about to be
made a great tumult was heard on the hill, and Enghien and Turenne
rode to a neighbouring height in order to ascertain what was going
on, leaving strict orders that no movement was to be made until their
return. Count d'Espenan, who commanded the two advanced regiments of
Enghien's army, however, ordered a detachment to attack a redoubt
which stood within the line of attack, and Merci sent supports to its
defenders.

D'Espenan sent more troops on his side and the engagement became
serious. Suddenly the Imperialist artillery opened fire along the whole
of their line, and Enghien's troops, apparently taking this for the
signal of the beginning of the battle, moved forward for the
assault without order or leader. As they were broken and confused by
endeavouring to pass through the abattis of felled trees, the Bavarians
rushed out and drove them back with great slaughter. Enghien and
Turenne, galloping up in all haste, in vain attempted to rally them.
Officers and men alike were panic stricken. The two generals then rode
to Turenne's army and advanced against the defence of trees. For a long
time the battle raged without any marked success on either side. Several
times the French made their way in to the intrenchments and were as
often repulsed. Merci ordered his cavalry to dismount, and led them
into the fray, but, darkness falling suddenly, the assailants ceased to
attack, and occupied for the night the ground on which the struggle had
taken place. The fight that day had cost them two thousand troops, and
the Bavarians twelve hundred, but as the latter had lost half their
infantry in the first day's fighting the French were still superior
in numbers. During the n