aring that he would give battle to the confederates: an alteration
was immediately made in the disposition of the allies, and proper
precautions taken for his reception. He advanced in order of battle; but
having viewed the situation of the confederates, he marched back to
the heights of St. Lawrence, where he fixed his camp. His aim was, by
continual alarms, to interrupt the siege of Douay, which was vigorously
defended by a numerous garrison, under the command of monsieur
Albergotti, who made a number of successful sallies, in which the
besiegers lost a great number of men. They were likewise repulsed in
several assaults; but still proceeded with unremitted vigour until
the besieged, being reduced to the last extremity, were obliged to
capitulate on the twenty-sixth of June, fifty days after the trenches
had been opened. The generals finding it impracticable to attack the
enemy, who were posted within strong lines from Arras towards Miramont,
resolved to besiege Bethune, which was invested on the fifteenth day of
July, and surrendered on the twenty-ninth of August. Villars marched
out of his intrenchments with a view to raise the siege; but he did not
think proper to hazard an engagement: some warm skirmishes, however,
happened between the foragers of the two armies. After the reduction
of Bethune, the allies besieged at one time the towns of Aire and St.
Venant, which were taken without much difficulty. Then the armies broke
up, and marched into winter quarters.

KING CHARLES, OBTAINING A VICTORY AT SARAGOSSA, ENTERS MADRID.

The campaign on the Rhine was productive of no military event; nor was
anything of consequence transacted in Piedmont. The duke of Savoy being
indisposed and out of humour, the command of the forces still continued
vested in count Thaun, who endeavoured to pass the Alps, and penetrated
into Dauphine; but the duke of Berwick had cast up intrenchments in the
mountains, and taken such precautions to guard them, as baffled all
the attempts of the Imperial general. Spain was much more fruitful of
military incidents. The horse and dragoons in the army of king Charles,
headed by general Stanhope, attacked the whole cavalry of the enemy
at Almennara. Stanhope charged in person, and with his own hand slew
general Amessaga, who commanded the guards of Philip. The Spanish horse
were entirely routed, together with nine battalions that escaped by
favour of the darkness; and the main body of the army re