which, even to the eye of the least instructed
soldier, was yet formidable in the extreme.

The French were confident in being commanded by their best and most
popular generals, Villars and Boufflers. They were strong in the
enthusiasm which the king's appeal had communicated to the whole
nation, and they considered it absolutely impossible for any enemy
to carry the wonderful series of works that they had erected.

At half-past seven all was ready, and the fog which had hitherto
hung over the low ground cleared up, and the two armies came into
view of each other, and the artillery on both sides opened a heavy
fire. The whole line advanced; but the left was halted for awhile,
while Count Lottum, with his twenty-two battalions formed in three
lines, attacked the right of the wood of Taisniere; and
Schulemberg, with whom was Eugene himself, attacked their left.

Without firing a single shot, Schulemberg's men marched through the
storm of grape which swept them until within twenty paces of the
entrenchments, when the musketry fire of the French troops was so
terrible that the attacking columns recoiled two hundred yards;
where they were steadied, and brought back to the charge by the
heroic efforts of Eugene, who exposed himself in front of the line.

While this conflict was raging, some Austrian battalions which had
formed the extreme right of Schulemberg's corps, but had been
unable to advance, owing to a deep marsh, stole round unperceived
into the northeastern angle of the wood of Taisniere, and were soon
in conflict with the French. Lottum's division had, with immense
bravery, crossed a deep morass under a tremendous fire, and stormed
a portion of the entrenchments; but Villars, who was directly in
rear, led on a fresh brigade, who drove back the assailants.
Marlborough then charged at the head of d'Auvergne's cavalry, and
some of Lottum's battalion again forced their way in.

Meanwhile Withers was quietly making his way through the wood from
La Folie, and had made considerable progress before the French
could muster in force at this point. As this threatened the rear of
his front position, Villars fell back from the entrenchments in
front of the wood, and took up the second and far stronger position
he had prepared on the high ground.

On the left an even more desperate fight had been raging. The
Prince of Orange commanded here. The prince was full of courage and
impetuosity. The troops under him were Dutch,