ded
front. The prince of Wirtemberg began the attack on the right of the
enemy at the head of ten battalions of English, Danish, and Dutch
infantry; he was supported by a considerable body of British horse and
foot, commanded by lieutenant-general Mackay. Though the ground was
intersected by hedges, ditches, and narrow defiles, the prince marched
with such diligence that he was in a condition to begin the battle about
two in the afternoon, when he charged the French with such impetuosity
that they were driven* from their posts, and their whole camp became a
scene of tumult and confusion. Luxembourg, trusting to the intelligence
he had received, allowed himself to be surprised, and it required the
full exertion of his superior talents to remedy the consequences of his
neglect. He forthwith forgot a severe indisposition under which he then
laboured; he rallied his broken battalions; he drew up his forces in
order of battle, and led them to the charge in person. The duke de
Chartres, who was then in the fifteenth year of his age, the dukes
of Bourbon and Vendome, the prince of Conti, and a great number of
volunteers of the first quality, put themselves at the head of the
household troops, and fell with great fury upon the English, who were
very ill supported by count Solmes, the officer who commanded the centre
of the allies. The prince of Wirtemberg had taken one of the enemies'
batteries, and actually penetrated into their lines; but finding himself
in danger of being overpowered by numbers, he sent an aidecamp twice to
demand succours from Solmes, who derided his distress, saying, "Let us
see what sport these English bull-dogs will make." At length, when the
king sent an express order commanding him to sustain the left wing, he
made a motion with his horse, which could not act while his infantry
kept their ground, and the British troops, with a few Dutch and Danes,
bore the whole brunt of the engagement. They fought with surprising
courage and perseverance against dreadful odds; and the event of the
battle continued doubtful, until Boufliers joined the French army with
a great body of dragoons. The allies could not sustain the additional
weight of this reinforcement, before which they gave way, though the
retreat was made in tolerable order, and the enemy did not think
proper to prosecute the advantage they had gained. In this action the
confederates lost the earl of Angus, general Mackay, sir John Lanier,
sir Robert Dou