of the confederates did not exceed fifty-five
thousand: their right was under the direction of prince Eugene, and
their left commanded by the duke of Marlborough. At noon the battle was
begun by a body of English and Hessians under major-general Wilkes, who
having passed the rivulet with difficulty, and filed off to the left
in the face of the enemy, attacked the village of Blenheim with great
vigour; but were repulsed after three successive attempts. Meanwhile the
troops in the centre, and part of the right wing, passed the rivulet
on planks in different places, and formed on the other side without any
molestation from the enemy. At length, however, they were charged by the
French horse with such impetuosity, and so terribly galled in flank by
the troops posted at Blenheim, that they fell in disorder, and part of
them repassed the rivulet; but a reinforcement of dragoons coming up,
the French cavalry were broke in their turn, and driven to the very
hedges of the village of Blenheim. The left wing of the confederates
being now completely formed, ascended the hill in a firm compacted body,
charged the enemy's horse, which could no longer stand their ground,
but rallied several times as they gave way. Tallard, in order to make a
vigorous effort, ordered ten battalions to fill up the intervals of his
cavalry. The duke, perceiving his design, sent three battalions of the
troops of Zell to sustain his horse. Nevertheless, the line was a little
disordered by the prodigious fire from the French infantry, and even
obliged to recoil about sixty paces: but the confederates advancing to
the charge with redoubled ardour, routed the French horse; and their
battalions being thus abandoned, were cut in pieces. Tallard, having
rallied his broken cavalry behind some tents that were still standing,
resolved to draw off the troops he had posted in the village of
Blenheim, and sent an aidecamp to Marsdin, who was with the elector of
Bavaria on the left, to desire he would face the confederates with some
troops to the right of the village of Oberklau, so as to keep them in
play, and favour the retreat of the forces from Blenheim. That officer
assured him he was so far from being in a condition to spare troops,
that he could hardly maintain his ground. The fate of the day was now
more than half decided. The French cavalry being vigorously attacked
in flank, were totally defeated. Part of them endeavoured to gain the
bridge which they had throw