s he fell back, had caused a rumour to be spread
that he was making for the Danube.

There was a great scarcity of forage in the country round Marienthal,
and the officers of the cavalry strongly urged upon Turenne that they
should divide and take up stations at various points where they could
obtain food for their animals, which were much exhausted by their long
and heavy marches. Turenne for some time resisted their entreaties, but
at last, seeing that the cavalry would speedily be ruined unless they
could obtain food, permitted this course to be taken. Before allowing
them to leave, however, he sent parties of horse forward in various
directions to discover what the enemy were doing. These returned with
the news that the Bavarian army had broken up, and was fortifying itself
in the towns among which it had been divided. Turenne, however, was
still apprehensive. He kept his cannon and the greater part of the
infantry with him, and also General Rosen with a portion of his horse,
and refused to let the rest of the cavalry go farther than three leagues
from the army. He himself rode out with a regiment of cavalry some ten
miles beyond Marienthal, along the road by which the Imperialists would
advance were they to assemble to attack him.

At two o'clock the next morning a party he had sent to watch the
Bavarians brought in the news that Merci was advancing with all his
force. Rosen was ordered to hurry forward to the spot where the advanced
division was lying. Messengers were sent off in all directions to recall
the scattered cavalry, and having seen that everything had been done to
place affairs in a better position, Turenne rode off with what troops
he could gather to aid Rosen. The latter had made a serious blunder. In
front of the position held by the advanced division was a large wood,
through which the Bavarians must pass. Instead of taking possession of
this and holding it until reinforcements came up, he fell back, drew up
his troops on the plain, and allowed the Bavarians to occupy the wood
without resistance. With the troops which arrived with him, the marshal
had now under him some three thousand infantry and seven regiments of
horse. He placed his infantry on his right with two squadrons to support
them; with the rest of his cavalry, he formed his left wing.

He himself took the command here. Rosen commanded on the right. Merci,
after passing through the wood, drew up his army in order of battle and
opened f