ustrian general, and
the prince of Waldeck, commander of the Dutch forces. Their army was
greatly inferior in number to that of the enemy; nevertheless, they
resolved to march to the relief of Tournay. They accordingly advanced
to Leuse; and on the twenty-eight day of April took post at Maulbre,
in sight of the French army, which was encamped on an eminence from the
village of Antonie, to a large wood beyond Vezon, having Fontenoy in
their front. Next day was employed by the allies in driving the enemy
from some outposts, and clearing the defiles through which they were
obliged to advance to the attack; while the French completed their
batteries, and made the most formidable preparations for their
reception. On the thirtieth day of April, the duke of Cumberland,
having made the proper dispositions, began his march to the enemy at two
o'clock in the morning; a brisk cannonade ensued; and about nine both
armies were engaged. The British infantry drove the French beyond
their lines; but the left wing failing in the attack on the village
of Fontenoy, and the cavalry forbearing to advance on the flanks, they
measured back their ground with some disorder, from the prodigious fire
of the French batteries. They rallied, however, and returning to the
charge with redoubled ardour, repulsed the enemy to their camp with
great slaughter; but, being wholly unsupported by the other wing, and
exposed both in front and flank to a dreadful fire, which did great
execution, the duke was obliged to make the necessary dispositions for
a retreat about three o'clock in the afternoon, and this was effected
in tolerable order. The battle was fought with great obstinacy, and
the carnage on both sides was very considerable. The allies lost about
twelve thousand men, including a good number of officers; among these
were lieutenant-general Campbell, and major-general Ponsonby. The
victory cost the French almost an equal number of lives; and no honour
was lost by the vanquished. Had the allies given battle on the preceding
day, before the enemy had taken their measures and received all their
reinforcements, they might have succeeded in their endeavour to relieve
Tournay. Although the attack was generally judged rash and precipitate,
the British and Hanoverian troops fought with such intrepidity and
perseverance, that if they had been properly sustained by the Dutch
forces, and their flanks covered by the cavalry, the French in all
likelihood would hav