of March he received orders to join his regiment, as
large numbers of recruits had been sent out, and every officer was
required at his post.

During the winter of 1708, Marlborough had laboured strenuously to
obtain a peace which would satisfy all parties. Louis offered great
concessions, which the duke urged strongly should be accepted; but
the English and Dutch wanted terms so severe and humiliating that
Louis would not accept them, and both sides prepared for a great
final struggle.

The King of France addressed an appeal to his people, telling them
that he had offered to make the greatest possible sacrifices to
obtain peace for them, but that the enemy demanded terms which
would place France at their mercy. He therefore appealed to their
patriotism to come forward to save the country. The people
responded readily to the summons, and Marshal Villars took the
field in the spring with 110,000 men, a force just equal to that of
the allies.

The French had taken up a position of such extraordinary strength,
that it was hopeless for the allies to attempt to attack. His left
wing was covered by the stream of Roubaix; his centre by the marsh
of Cambriu; his right by the canal between Douai and Lille; and
this naturally strong position had been so strengthened by
artificial inundations, ditches, abattis, and earthworks, as to be
practically impregnable.

Marlborough and Eugene made, however, as if they would attack, and
Villars called to him as many men as could be spared from the
garrisons round. The allies then by a sudden night march arrived
before Tournai, and at once commenced its investment. Tournai was
an immensely strong town, but its garrison was weak. The heavy
artillery was brought up from Ghent, and on the 6th of July the
approaches were commenced; and on the 29th of that month, the
governor, finding that the allies were gradually winning fort after
fort, and that Villars made no movement to relieve him, surrendered
the town, and retired into the citadel, which was then besieged.

This was one of the most terrible sieges ever undertaken, for not
only were the fortifications enormously strong, but beneath each
bastion and outwork, and far extending beyond them, an immense
number of galleries had been driven for mines. At all times
soldiers, even the bravest, have found it difficult to withstand
the panic brought about by the explosion of mines, and by that
underground warfare in which bravery and strength