Berlin and Copenhagen fell to quarrelling, and both refused to
supply their promised contingents. The Hanoverians and Hessians had
also grievances, and refused to join in any general plan, or to
send their troops to form part of the allied army. Thus all ideas
of a campaign in the south were destroyed; but Marlborough
persuaded the Dutch to send 10,000 of the troops in their pay
across the Alps to assist Prince Eugene, under the promise that he
with the English and Dutch troops would defend Flanders.

So the campaign commenced; and on the 19th of May Marlborough
joined his army, which lay encamped on the Dyle, on the French
frontier. On the 22nd a Danish contingent, which had at the last
moment been dispatched in answer to an urgent appeal of the duke,
arrived; and his army now consisted of 73 battalions and 123
squadrons, in all 60,000 men, with 120 guns. Marshal Villeroi's
force, which lay on the other side of the Dyle, consisted of 74
battalions and 128 squadrons--62,000 men, with 130 guns. They had
also, as at Blenheim, the advantage that the troops were all of one
nationality, and accustomed to act together, while Marlborough's
army consisted of troops of three nations, at least half of them
new to war, and unused to act with each other.

Marlborough opened the campaign by moving towards Tirlemont, with a
view of laying siege to Namur, where many of the citizens were
anxious to throw off the French yoke. Villeroi, anxious to cover
Namur, moved his troops out from their quarters on the Dyle to stop
the advance of the allies, and bring on a battle in the open field.

The ground taken up by the French marshal was exceedingly strong.
Marlborough was aware of the great importance of the position, and
had made every effort to be the first to seize it; but the French
had less distance to march, and when the allied troops arrived
within sight of the ground, the French were already in camp upon
Mont Saint Andre.

Mont Saint Andre is an extensive and elevated plateau, being,
indeed, the highest ground in Brabant. From it four rivers take
their rise--the Great Gheet, the Little Gheet, the Dyle, and the
Mehaigne. The French camp was placed immediately above the sources
of the two Gheets.

The plan of the battle should be examined carefully, and the events
of the great battle will then be understood without difficulty.

The descents from the plateau to the Great Gheet are steep and
abrupt. The other rivers rise in wet