in every
direction, and after one of the severest conflicts ever known,
completely defeated them, and raised the siege of Turin. The battle,
however, was at one time nearly lost to the allies by an accident
which befell Eugene. In rallying a body of Imperial cavalry, the
prince's horse received a ball in his chest, fell with the rider, and
threw him into a ditch, where, stunned with the fall, he lay for
several minutes among the dead and dying. The report spread through
the army that he was killed; a general alarm was the consequence; and
the infantry were beginning to give way, when, suddenly starting up,
Eugene commanded the nearest German regiment to fire upon the French
cavalry that were coming up to the charge. The effect was tremendous;
the French went to the right about; and, though they rallied again and
returned to the charge, the Imperial troops continued gradually to
force their way on, till their adversaries fled in confusion.

The consequence of this victory was the evacuation of the north of
Italy by the French. Eugene was now everywhere successful for some
time. He forced the passage of the Col de Tende, carried the French
intrenchments on the Var, and laid siege to Toulon. Here, however, he
failed; the defence was long and obstinate, reinforcements arrived at
the French city, and Eugene, together with the Duke of Savoy, agreed
to raise the siege once more, and retire into Piedmont.

Eugene was now again called to join Marlborough, in company with whom
he fought and conquered at Oudenarde, took Lille (where he was again
severely wounded), Ghent, Bruges, Tournay, and Mons; and forced the
French lines at Malplaquet, after a severe and long-protracted
struggle, in which two hundred thousand men were engaged, and nearly
sixty thousand fell.

If the victories of Blenheim and Oudenarde might more fairly be
attributed to Marlborough than to Eugene, the success at Malplaquet
was chiefly obtained by the prince, who had forced the intrenchments,
taken the wood of Sart, and turned the enemy's flank, before
Marlborough had made much progress against the other wing.

Eugene had strongly counselled the battle, though opposed by the
States of Holland, and had in a measure taken the responsibility upon
himself. On all occasions Eugene's impetuosity led him to expose his
person more than mere duty required, and now, having staked his fame
on the success of his attempt, he seems to have resolved not to
survive a defe