ith a deputation of the states concerning a proposal of
sending a large army towards the Moselle. The deputies of Zealand
opposed this measure of sending their troops to stich a distance so
strenuously, that the duke was obliged to tell them in plain terms
he had received orders to march thither with the British forces. He
accordingly assembled his army at Maestricht, and on the eight day of
May began his march into Germany. The French imagined his intention was
to begin the campaign with the siege of Traerbach, and penetrate into
France along the Moselle. In this persuasion they sent a detachment to
that river, and gave out that they intended to invest Huy, a pretence
to which the duke paid no regard. He continued his route by Bedburgh,
Kerpenord, Kalsecken; he visited the fortifications of Bonne, where he
received certain advice that the recruits and reinforcements for the
French army in Bavaria had joined the elector at Villigen. He redoubled
his diligence, passed the Neckar on the third of June, and halted at
Ladenburgh; from thence he wrote a letter to the states-general, giving
them to understand that he had the queen's orders to march to the relief
of the empire, and expressing his hope that they would approve the
design, and allow their troops to share the honour of the expedition By
the return of a courier he received their approbation, and full power
to command their forces He then proceeded to Mildenheim, where he was
visited by prince Eugene; and these two great men, whose talents were
congenial, immediately contracted an intimacy of friendship, Next day
prince Louis of Baden arrived in the camp at Great Hippach, He told
the duke, his grace was come to save the empire, and to give him an
opportunity of vindicating his honour, which he knew was at the last
stake in the opinion of some people. The duke replied he was come to
learn of him how to serve the empire: that they must be ignorant indeed
who did not know that the prince of Baden, when his health permitted
him, had preserved the empire and extended its conquests.

Those three celebrated generals agreed that the two armies should join,
that the command should be alternately vested in the duke and prince
Louis from day to day, and that prince Eugene should command a separate
army on the Rhine, Prince Louis returned to his army on the Danube,
prince Eugene set out for Philipsburgh; the duke of Marlborough being
joined by the imperial army under prince Louis