ok of Yause, and the
left by the village of Franquenies, which the enemy had occupied. The
duke ordered lieutenant-general Schultz, with twelve battalions and
twenty pieces of cannon, to begin the action by attacking Eamillies,
which was strongly fortified with artillery. At the same time
velt-mareschal d'Auverquerque on the left commanded colonel Wertmuller,
with four battalions and two pieces of cannon, to dislodge the enemy's
infantry posted among the hedges of Franquenies. Both these orders
were successfully executed. The Dutch and Danish horse of the left wing
charged with great vigour and intrepidity, but were so roughly handled
by the troops of the French king's household, that they began to give
way, when the duke of Marlborough sustained them with the body of
reserve, and twenty squadrons drawn from the right, where a morass
prevented them from acting. In the meantime, he in person rallied some
of the broken squadrons, in order to renew the charge, when his own
horse falling, he was surrounded by the enemy, and must have been either
killed or taken prisoner, had not a body of infantry come seasonably to
his relief. When he remounted his horse, the head of colonel Brienfield,
his gentleman of the horse, was carried off by a cannon ball while he
held the duke's stirrup. Before the reinforcement arrived, the best part
of the French mousquetaires were cut in pieces. All the troops posted in
Ramillies were either killed or taken. The rest of the enemy's infantry
began to retreat in tolerable order, under cover of the cavalry on their
left wing, which formed themselves in three lines between Ossuz and
Anderkirk; but the English horse having found means to pass the rivulet
which divided them from the enemy, fell upon them with such impetuosity,
that they abandoned their foot, and were terribly slaughtered in the
village of Anderkirk. They now gave way on all sides. The horse fled
three different ways, but were so closely pursued that very few escaped.
The elector of Bavaria and the mareschal de Villeroy saved themselves
with the utmost difficulty. Several waggons of the enemy's van-guard
breaking down in a narrow pass, obstructed the way in such a manner
that the baggage and artillery could not proceed; nor could their troops
defile in order. The victorious horse being informed of this accident,
pressed on them so vigorously that great numbers threw down their
arms and submitted. The pursuit was followed through Judoign