The Project Gutenberg EBook of Malplaquet, by Hilaire Belloc

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Title: Malplaquet

Author: Hilaire Belloc

Release Date: May 5, 2010 [EBook #32257]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MALPLAQUET ***

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MALPLAQUET

[Illustration: _Malplaquet._

_Frontispiece._]

MALPLAQUET

BY
HILAIRE BELLOC

LONDON
STEPHEN SWIFT & CO., LTD.
10 JOHN STREET, ADELPHI
1911

CONTENTS

PAGE

I. THE POLITICAL MEANING OF MALPLAQUET 9

II. THE SIEGE OF TOURNAI 27

III. THE MANOEUVRING FOR POSITION 45

IV. THE PRELIMINARIES OF THE BATTLE 52

V. THE ACTION 65

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

Sketch Map showing how the Lines of La Bassee
blocked the advance of the Allies on Paris,
and Marlborough's plan for turning them by
the successive capture of Tournai and Mons 19

Sketch Map showing how the Allies, holding
Lille, thrust the French back on to the
defensive line St Venant-Valenciennes, and
thus cut off the French garrisons of Ypres,
Tournai, and Mons 28

Sketch Map showing complete investment of
Tournai 34

Sketch Map showing the lines of woods behind
Mons, with the two gaps of Boussu and Aulnois 48

The Elements of the Action of Malplaquet,
September 11th, 1709 66

Sketch Map showing the peril the French centre
ran towards noon of being turned on its left 79

Sketch Map showing Marlborough bringing up
troops to the centre for the final and
successful attack upon the entrenchments 84

MALPLAQUET

I

THE POLITICAL M