ire on the French. The artillery, however, in no way shook their
firmness, and seeing more troops in the distance advancing to reinforce
them, Merci began the battle by an attack on a little wood on which the
French right rested; while at the same time Turenne charged the Bavarian
right wing with his cavalry, broke it up, and captured the cannon and
twelve standards. But while on this side the victory was almost won,
on the other side disaster had befallen the French. Their infantry,
perceiving that the Bavarians, who were advancing to attack them, were
much superior in force, were seized with a panic and scattered in
all directions. The left wing of the Bavarians advanced rapidly, and,
throwing themselves behind Turenne's wing, prepared to fall upon him in
the rear.

Turenne ordered his cavalry to retire, and passing through the wood
found beyond it three regiments that had just arrived. These with the
fifteen hundred horse that had been with him in the battle placed him in
a position to make a vigorous defence, but the Bavarians did not venture
to attack him. He now sent an officer to rally the scattered infantry,
and gave orders that they should at once retreat without a stop to
Philippsburg, a distance of seventy miles. He himself with his cavalry
started for Hesse, whose landgravine was in alliance with France. With
two regiments he covered the retreat, and so enabled the rest of the
cavalry as they came up from their distant quarters to cross the Tauber.
This was a bold and successful movement, for had he fallen back with his
infantry to Philippsburg the enemy would have possessed themselves
of all the towns he had captured, whereas they could not now advance
without exposing their line of communication to his attack.

The Poitou regiment had, when Turenne advanced to Marienthal, been
left at a town some four leagues away. A messenger reached Hector from
Turenne with a note scribbled in pencil:--

We have been beaten. The infantry behaved shamefully, and are hastening,
a crowd of stragglers, towards Philippsburg. I shall retire along the
Tauber with the cavalry and make for Hesse, do you march with all speed
for that river. If as you approach the river you hear that we have
already passed, do you direct your march to Hesse. I leave the choice of
route to you, and you must be guided by circumstances. At any rate you
are unlikely to be attacked except by cavalry, and these, if not in too
great numbers, you may be