order'd a great quantity of Fascines to be brought into his Camp as if he had persisted in the resolution to Attack Liege and at the same time to send a Detachment to the Païs Conquis to make a head against the Duke of Wirtemberg for which reason the Count de Montchevreüil was order'd on the 16th with a considerable Detachment both of Horse and Foot to encamp a little way off upon the Left of their Army at Hellick of which the King had notice whereupon the King continu'd encamp'd at Neerhespen where we had greater plenty of Forage than about Tillemont or Louvain On the 17th Luxembourg design'd to march to Attack the King and Montchevreüil had orders to joyn him but the Rain that happen'd that day hinder'd his march The 17th in the Evening he gave Orders for Forrage and about Midnight the whole Army had Orders to pack up Baggage and to march forthwith in the Resolution to come and Attack us in our Camp at Neerhespen distant six or seven Leagues from Hellick and Montchevreüil had Orders to joyn Luxembourg The Army march'd as soon as 't was day upon four Columns the Foot upon two in the Center and the Horse upon two in the Right and Left for the greater Expedition upon so long a March and so the Army pass'd the Jecker part about its Spring and part above between Warem and Latine upon the Mehaigne The Mareschal de Luxembourg at first had put himself at the Head of the Left Wing commanded by the Mareschal de Joyeuse which made upon this March the Right Column When he was come as far as Warem he learn'd by his Spies that the Allies still continued in their Camp at Neerhespen and so order'd a halt to give time to this Column to pass the River Jecker The Mareschal then left the Command of the Left Wing to Joyeuse and advanced to the Right Wing Commanded by the Mareschal de Villeroy which made the Left Column and having march'd above the Springs of the Jecker was got before as far as Avernas whilst the Foot pass'd the Jecker upon several Bridges Commanded by the Prince of Conti July 18. the Duke of Berwick and Rubantel Lieutenant Generals Luxembourg advanc'd as fast as he could with the King's Houshold and the rest of the Right Wing of Horse to come in sight of our Camp to charge our Rear-Guard in case we had resolv'd to repass the Geet upon the Enemies approach but Luxembourg found that he was not to have so cheap a Bargain From Avernas he marched along the Plain between the Geet and Beck and about four in the Afternoon he was got as far as Reithoven in sight of our Camp and forthwith posted two Regiments of Dragoons in the Villages of Gertruydenland and Overwinden which were soon after relieved by several Battalions of Montchevreüil's Detachment which having encamp'd apart upon the Left the night before was for that reason more advanc'd than the rest of the Infantry of their Army The King who still continu'd in the Camp of Neerhespen to know the certainty of the Enemies designs before he went off farther from the Meuse sent out daily some Parties of Horse to get intelligence of the Enemy and the same day that Luxembourg came up to us one of our Parties return'd which gave His Majesty an account that they cou'd not go beyond Warem because they had met there with a great Party of French Horse for which reason they had gone no farther which Body of Horse was indeed the Left Wing of their Army upon the March As soon as the King had notice of the Enemies approach he got on Horseback with the Elector of Bavaria and chief Officers of the Army His Majesty found by the Enemies Countenance that 't was the Vanguard of their whole Army that was coming up to attack him in his own Camp whereupon the King immediately order'd to Arms and to draw in Battel in order to expect the Enemy And this His Majesty chose rather than expose his Rear in repassing the Geet to the Enemies Charge and to certain ruine and so to make the best advantage of the Ground he had and to venture a Battel notwithstanding the vast disproportion between the two Armies Besides the French were now as near our great and defenceless Towns of Brabant as we were unless their proceedings had been stopt by venturing the Engagement And as the advantages of a Victory were great so upon the worse supposition of the event we had still Prince Wirtemberg's Army ready to make up the Breaches of our own an advantage which the Enemy had not then so ready on their side Our Right in this Camp was at Heylyssem and Wangen upon the River Geet and reach'd as far as Neerwinden being cover'd with a small Brook several Hedges and hollow ways The Elector of Bavaria had his Quarter at VVangen the Body of Foot and Left Wing of Horse reach'd from thence as far as Dormal upon the Brook of Beck where Lewe remain'd in our Rear There are hereabouts two Rivers both which have the name of Geet the Greater and the Less The Greater Geet comes from Iudoigne to Tillemont the Lesser which did run upon the Right and part of the Rear of our Camp at Neerhespen has its Spring about Lens-les-Beguines and so runs to Hannuy and several other Villages to both the Heylissems to Neerhespen and so to Lewe The little River or rather Brook of Beck has its rising about Putsay and Avernas from thence runs to Landen and so to Lewe July 18. where it joyns with the lesser Geet and all these three small Rivers joyn in one about half a League below Lewe which continues its course to the River Rupel about a League higher than Diest from whence 't is conveyed by Arschot and Mecklin to the Scheld About six in the Afternoon the Mareschal de Joyeuse came up with the Left Wing of Horse and the Body of Foot about eight of the Clock which for more expedition the Prince of Conti had order'd to march after they had pass'd the Jecker upon four Columns with the best part of the Train of Artillery As 't was then too late to begin so great a Work as the Enemy had now in hand Luxembourg contented himself to order the disposition of the Army to the several Posts in order to begin early the next day For this end he possess'd himself of the Village of Landen upon his Right where he order'd the Marquis of Crequi Mareschal de Camp with the Brigades of Bourbonnois and Lyonnois to which the Marquis of Feuquieres Lieutenant General joyn'd afterwards the Brigade of Maulevrier besides between this Village of Landen and that of St. Gertrudenland he order'd the Brigades of Navarre Anjou and Artois under the Command of the Count de Solre Mareschal de Camp with the Dragoons of Caylus and Finmarcon and the Regiments of Asfeldt Berwick and Rubantel both Lieutenant Generals the Baron of Bressey and Sarsfield
unseasonable for our Undertaking We were forced to lye that Night in the dirt by the Water-side without any shelter for want of our Baggage and of convenient ground to incamp upon The Duke of Wirtemberg who upon our approach had march'd about half a League to the Right before Maucron to leave to us the Attack at D' Otignies had left only some Squadrons of Horse there which with Count Horne's Regiment that only cou'd come up to the Line that Night were very much Inferior to the Enemy before them To cover this weakness of theirs our Quarter-Masters and their Men had orders to borrow some Drums from Count Horne's Regiment and about the dusk of the Evening to beat sometimes the English Scotch German and Dutch Marches as if our Battalions had then been coming up to encamp there and afterwards to beat their several Retreats They made likewise several Fires all the length that was mark'd for our Camp and the Quarter-Masters went the Rounds and Sentries challeng'd with as much noise as they could to make the Enemy believe we were come up Early in the next Morning we that had been hinder'd from joining by the great Torrent of Waters which had fallen in the Storm of Thunder the day before found that these Torrents dissipated themselves almost in as little time as they had gather'd together and so found the ways passable by Three of the Clock at which time we began to march and joyn'd our Forces very early that Morning coming up to the Ground that had been mark'd for us by our Quarter-Masters just before the Enemies Line Prince Wirtemberg who took great compassion of the Soldiers sufferings in this march that had continu'd 8 days together most in very foul Weather order'd a quantity of Corn-Brandy of about six Gallons to be distributed to each Company in every Battalion to chear up our Soldiers who immediately cleans'd and fix'd their Arms which had been very much spoil'd by the foul Weather for the approaching Service The Rain continu'd the seventh and the ground so deep that we went almost to the Knees in dirt in our Camp which likewise hinder'd our Artillery and Ammunition from coming by the badness of the Ways till late in the Evening The Weather was so very bad that it almost dash'd the hopes we had in this Undertaking A DRAUGT OF THE ACTION ON THE FRENCH LINE IULY Y E 8 TH 1693 The Notes Explained A The French Line B Our Camp before the Action C The French Foot in the Line D Our Foot drawen up E Our Horse F Our Dragowns G Our Batteryes H The French marching off 1 Betincours 2 Don de Augustins Spanish 3 Brinicks 4 â—â— Philips 5 â—â—â—â— Huberts Brandeb 6 Viscount Dernies 7 Slangenburghs 8 Barron Sparrs 9 Holsteins 10 Caarles 11 My Lord Castletons 12 Blancatz 13 Barron Stains 14 Saxe goths 15 Count Tollies 16 Barron de Heyden's 17 Potbush's 18 Shemilpenning's 19 My Lord Bath's 20 Danish Guards 21 Prince Christiens 22 The Iuitland Reg 23 Lamothe's 24 Bernstore's 25 Weinbergs 26 Count Hoorns 27 Saxa Heyfields 28 Barron de Heydens 29 Fitinghofs 30 The Duke of Leinsters 31 My Lord Argiles 32 Danish Guards 33 Prin Georges 34 Rhynberghs 35 L' Ecluses 36 Forsel's 37 La Forests 38 Vallareds Dragowns 39 Morvits Dragowns Prince Wirtemberg as we have said before had mov'd from D'Otignies with the Right Wing of Horse and the Battalions that had join'd him at Audenarde about half a League to the Right and encamp'd before the Redoubt of Maucron to make room for the 14 Battalions under the Command of Ellemberg that were to encamp at D'Otignies so that in all we made 25 Battalions 14 with Ellemberg and 11 with the Prince and about 40 Squadrons of Horse with which on the 8th as it prov'd fair Weather Prince Wirtemberg resolv'd to attack the French in their Lines For which purpose the Boors had been order'd the day before and this morning to bring a great quantity of Fascines to our Camp The Prince left the Right to come in Person to our Attack upon the Left after which Major-General Wymberg commanded at the Right Count D'Alfeldt Brigadier of the Danes was order'd with four Battalions to attack the Redoubt at Pont-David in the Center between us and the Right these four Battalions were Argyle his own or Prince George Wymberg and La Motte The order of the Attack was on this manner First an advanced Party of Granadiers under the Command of a Captain then a Detachment of 30 Pikes per Battalion to carry Fascines to fill the Ditch and their Pikes carried bound up together four and four to lay under the Fascines then follow'd all the Granadiers under the Command of a Field-Officer Upon the Left Attack the Granadiers were commanded by a Dutch Lieutenant-Colonel and Major Chavonne of Torsay's Regiment Our Artillery was advanced upon an adjoyning heighth that overlook'd the Enemies Line consisting of nine Pieces of Cannon upon the Left Attack and three we had sent upon the Right After the Granadiers follow'd the Battalions drawn up upon three Lines on the Left Attack to sustain one another We march'd in this order till we came very near Musket-shot of the Redoubts and then we were order'd to halt Three Pieces of Cannon were fir'd upon the Right for a Signal that they were ready to begin the Attack which we answer'd with three like Pieces to shew the same disposition upon the Left and afterwards our Cannon began to fire upon the Enemy the small Field-Pieces fir'd upon the Corps de Guarde of the Redoubt to make that Post uneasie for the Soldiers that were lodg'd in it and our two twelve Pounders fir'd upon the Enemies Horse that were drawn up in a Line mounted on Horse-back at more distance and fronting us The French set two Houses on fire within half Musket-shot of the Redoubt upon our Left lest they should shelter our Foot that were going to attack them As soon as the Cannon began to play both our Detachments upon the Right of us that is Wymberg and Alfeldt began to attack the Enemy The Walloons with my Lord Castleton's Regiment had the Van upon the Right and my Lord of Argyle in the Center Attack The French made a pretty good defence for about half an hour together but their Redoubts were not so strong there as before us upon the Left A Way went through the Redoubt of Pont-David so that Brigadier Alfeldt had only the Barriere and Palissado's to attack and upon the Right the little River ran through the Fossé of the Line about the Redoubt of Maucron Tho' the Enemy were weakest at these two Attacks yet 't was where they made the best defence Alfeldt's Redoubt was defended by the Suissers who made a very brisk fire upon us Argyle's Granadiers had the Van and suffer'd very much in this Attack The first Lieutenant was kill'd upon the place and the second wounded and about fifteen of the Company kill'd upon the spot
besides the wounded After that Wymberg and Alfeldt had fir'd so briskly for some time upon the Right we upon the Left where Prince Wirtemberg was in Person were order'd to march on and attack the Redoubt The attempt was difficult in this place because the River did not run here through the Fossé but made another Ditch about twenty paces from the Counterscarp of the Redoubt and Line and both very deep and full of Water by the great Rains we had before But that which incourag'd our Soldiers mightily was that our Cannon particularly the two 12 Pounders plai'd so briskly upon the Horse that they were oblig'd to shelter themselves behind the Hedges and Trees of a neighbouring Village My Lord of Bathe's Regiment went on the first next to the Granadiers sustain'd by Torsay's Regiment and Count Horne's upon the Left All the Men express'd a great deal of Resolution and Joy particularly my Lord of Bathe's the only English Regiment at this place gave several Huzza's according to the Custom of our Country Our Pike-men that were cover'd by their Fascines march'd to the very brink of the River within 30 paces of the Redoubt and when they came to fling their Fascines in the River they found that the Stream carried them away the Granadiers who were very eager immediately flung themselves into the River to get on t'other side and tho' they are still the tallest and best of the Foot yet the River was then so deep that most of them either swam or went to the Neck in Water And when they came to t'other side the Enemy fir'd two or three Discharges round from the Redoubt both upon the Granadiers and the neighbouring Plattons of the advanced Battalions The Left Plattons of my Lord of Bathe's Regiment being nearest the Redoubt which they flank'd fired upon the Enemy which cover'd very much our Granadiers who still went on and had Orders not to fire till they came to the very Palissado's of the Redoubt But in the mean while Major-General Wymberg and the Count D'Alfeldt who expos'd himself very much in this Action having carried their Attacks our Cavalry upon the Right got within the Line at the Passage of Pont-David and form'd their Squadrons in order to attack the Enemies Horse but as they had now reason to be afraid lest we shou'd charge them both Front and Flank they had Orders to quit the Redoubt we were attacking upon the Left which otherwise cou'd not have been so easily carried and with the loss of so little Blood Two Battalions that lin'd the Retrenchment to our Left of this Redoubt march'd off form'd and Colours flying but they were so much expos'd to our Cannon that our Shot fell very thick among their Divisions upon their Retreat for which reason the rest did not observe so much order but retreated as they could by the favour of some Hedges and Houses just by The Horse rid off as fast as they cou'd and about 200 Men which defended the Redoubt made a small fire once and so abandon'd it The Granadiers then flung themselves in the Ditch as deep if not deeper than the River and so came the Palissado's which they broke down and so got upon the Redoubt with their Swords in their Hands The Officers and some of my Lord of Bathe's Granadiers were the first in it The Battalions cou'd not follow so fast because the Stream of the River carry'd the Fascines away so that we cou'd not presently make a Bridge with them but as soon as it cou'd be done a vast many Boors who had been commanded for that purpose pass'd to pull down with their Shovels and Spades a convenient space of the Line for our Horse and Foot of the Left to march thorough After which we laid a Bridge over the Ditch of the Line and so both Horse and Foot got within the Enemies Retrenchments Whilst we were getting in one of the Enemies Squadrons appear'd out of the Village of D'Otignies to obscure us but they did not think fit to stay there long and so went off to the Right-about They made 26 Prisoners at Count D'Alfeldt's Attack and found three small Pieces of dismounted old Cannon and Bathe's Granadiers got a large Barrel of good French Brandy in the Corps de Garde of their Redoubt After we had got within the Line the Battalions drew up upon the rising Ground and Detachments both of Foot and Horse were sent in pursuit of the Enemy but they had hasten'd to get to t'other side of the Pass at St. Leger before we cou'd overtake them only some of their Waggons fell into our hands The Soldiers took the Liberty to plunder which they did that night with a witness They set all the Country about us in a flame and burn'd at least twelve Villages besides the Churches of Verigny and St. Leger where the Boors had heap'd all their moveable Goods and the Soldiers set fire to what they could not bring off along with them which was the occasion of burning those two Churches to consume what was in them of the Boors Goods At Verigny some of them went into the Church to endeavour to save somewhat of what was their own as Flax c. and two or three remain'd in the flames In the Evening Prince Wirtemberg's Army joyn'd together in one Body and march'd to t'other side of the Village of D'Otignies where it encamp'd upon two Lines and the Duke of Wirtemberg took his Quarter in that very House where the Marquiss de la Valette had his This is a considerable Village which belongs to the Prince of Steenhuys Colonel of a Regiment of Dragoons in the King of Spain's Service and to reap some benefit of his Estate in the French Conquests his Mother lives at Menin to hinder it from being forfeited into the French King's hands which is a way that many of the Persons of Quality have in this Country to preserve their Estates in the French Conquests The Marquis de la Valette after he had been forc'd from his Post within the Lines retir'd to Pont a Tresein upon the River Marck within two Miles of Lisle to try t'other push at the defence of that Pass The next day the Regiments we had left to guard the Line for that night march'd into our Camp and the Boors were order'd from all the Villages about as far as Audenarde to come and level the Line and the Enemies Works from the Lys to Pont d' Espiers upon the Scheld between three and four Leagues in length which they have done tho' not so throughly as it shou'd have been The Villages our Soldiers had set on fire the over-night caus'd a very great Consternation throughout the Country and tho' 't was a very miserable sight yet it produc'd this good effect that it made the Inhabitants of the Chatellenie of Courtray which extends it self beyond Tournay to come in the readier to pay their Contributions On the 9th the day after we had come within the Lines Prince
side as many of our scatter'd Horse and Foot as cou'd get over which did some Service to those who were still on this side of the River ready to pass The King did what he could to remedy this Disorder in our Right Wing of Horse he rid to the Left to bring up the English Horse for the relief of our Right But the Enemy who were now Masters of our Retrenchment had got another Body of Horse in our Camp more to their Right of Villeroy under the Command of the Duke d' Elboeuf Mareschal de Camp followed by Lieutenant-General Vatteville with the Right of the Second Line The Duke de Montmorency who hitherto had been with the Mareschal de Luxembourg his Father repaired to his Post here as Mareschal de Camp and put himself at the Head of the Brigades of Rotembourg and Presle these fell upon the Right Flank of the Dutch Horse and put them in disorder before that the English Horse which were led on by the King could come up and form their Squadrons so that they were forc'd to Charge the Enemy in the same order they rid up to them and most of them had rid as fast as the Horse could Gallop however that did not hinder several of them from doing extraordinary Service that day The King Charg'd at the Head of them himself and Luxembourg's Account says the same thing of his Majesty that he Fought at the Head of my Lord Galloway's Regiment which distinguished its self very much this day Colonel Wyndham Charg'd several times through and through the Enemy's Squadrons Colonel Langston was made Prisoner The Duke of Ormond Charged at the Head of one of Brigadier Lumley's Squadrons that had the opportunity to form it self in Order and Fought amongst the thickest of the Enemies with an incomparable Bravery such as became the Son of the Great Ossory and the Heir of the Virtues as well as of the Wealth of a Family of Hero's His Horse as he was Ingaged in the crowd of Enemies was shot under him and a Villain was offering to Stab him which he already had endeavour'd by a push of his Sword down the upper part of his Breast after he had first cut him upon the Wrist when a Generous Enemy a Gentleman of the French King's Guards perceiving such an air of Virtue and Quality rid up and stopt the bloody Villain 's Hand and asked his Name and Quality of which he gave immediate notice to the Duke d' Elboeuf who as we have now said Headed the Horse in this place He received the Duke of Ormond with very great Civility gave him the ablest Surgeons to dress him and sent him in his Coach to his Quarter The King who saw now that the French Horse was got in every where that they had overthrown our Right Wing which already pass'd the River in great disorder and that 't was impossible to resist order'd our Infantry to retreat to Dormal upon the Brook of Beck which Post had hitherto been kept by the Dragoons of the Left Wing who had nothing to do this day The Left of this Wing of Horse pass'd at Osmal a little below and so they went by the King's Orders to Lewe The King who had stay'd so long to give Orders for the Retreat till he found that the Enemies were surrounding him on all sides and had already taken several Prisoners almost by his Majesty's Person resolved to repass the River at the Bridge that had been made at Neerhespen 'T was with very great difficulty that the King gained this Pass There was now nothing but Confusion and Disorder in our Camp all those which could not get the Passes for the Retreat being pressed by the Enemy were forced to fling themselves into the River in our Rear this was the fate of our Right Wing of Horse and part of the Left and of the Foot that had Ingaged at Neerwinden and Lare where the Enemy had cut off the Communication with our Left A great many of both Horse and Foot were drowned in the River where the opposite Banks were generally so very steep and high that when they were got to t'other side yet even then they found 't was very difficult for them to save themselves especially the Horse My Lord of Athlone narrowly escap'd being drowned The Cannon and Artillery Waggons made up so fast to the Passes upon the River that they meeting from all sides besides Horse and Foot were generally so wedged in that 't was almost impossible to get either one way or t'other which is the reason that so many of our Cannon were taken and only that escaped which went off with the Infantry by Dormal to Lewe If the Enemy's Horse were so brisk to Charge those who could retreat no where but by the River where our People were in the greatest Confusion imaginable they were as cautious to meddle with those who could observe the least Order in their Retreat Lieutenant-General Talmash had the care to bring off the English Foot of the main Body by Dormal which he did with as much Prudence as he had before fought with Bravery in the unequal dispute of the Retrenchment where he had a Horse shot under him He had Sir Henry Bellasis Major-General along with him who signaliz'd himself very much this day As the Enemy offer'd to trouble his Retreat he made the Battalions face and Present to them and then they halted unwilling to feel any more the fire of our Foot and thus he brought them off safely to Lewe this is the cause that so many Battalions of his Majesty's Forces of the Body of Foot suffer'd so little that day When the King had passed the River at Neerhespen he joyn'd part of his Foot Guards and of the Horse of the Left Wing and what had passed of Ramsey's Brigade with which he joyned the Elector of Bavaria and those Forces that he had brought off along with him and retreated to Boutechem near Tillemont and the rest of the Army that had retreated by Dormal to Lewe marched on and Incamp'd at Diest There were some whom the disorder of the day sent as far as Breda All our Baggage had been sent to Lewe the over-night where 't was safely brought off in respect of the Enemy but generally Plunder'd by our own People As soon as the King came to his Quarters that Night at Boutechem notwithstanding the perpetual Fatigues of the day and that he had been on Horseback from Three in the Morning yet he dispatched Thirty Expresses with his own hand to the several Princes and States our Allies to give them notice of what had happen'd one to the Duke of Wirtemberg who was then Incamp'd almost under the Walls of Lisle where we have left him A Man may safely challenge History to produce all its Hero's and see not only if any King but if any General has ever exposed his Person so much as his Majesty did this day who shared the hazards of it equally with any
one Lieutenant two Ensigns Prisoners Major Peyton Captain Salusbury's Lieutenant three Ensigns Trelawney Kill'd Captain Crofts Lieutenant Woodcock Wounded Captains Carryl and Wharton Lieutenant Cole Prisoners Captain Carryl Lieutenant Cole Fuziliers Kill'd Lieutenant-Colonel Whaley Lieutenants Fairbrother Cooper and Blackmore Wounded Colonel Fitz-patrick Major Wilson Captains Heart Ruthvin dead of his wounds Betsworth and Withers Lieutenant Fletcher EARLE'S Brigade Tidcomb Kill'd Captains Vanbrugh Cassin and Heniosa Lieutenant Worley Wounded Captains Devaux and Stannix Lieutenants Nicholson dead of his wounds Campbel Forbes Petitpierre Ensign Revison and Perrot Lieutenant-Colonel Graham Prisoner Collingwood Kill'd Captain Louther Lieutenant East Ensign Wood. Stanley Kill'd Captain Cole Ensign Johnston Ensign Campion Prisoner Earle Wounded Brigadier Earle who being sick of a Fever at Louvain and hearing the Armies were going to engage rode sick as he was to the Camp and came time enough to Command upon his Post where he behaved himself very gallantly and was dangerously wounded Graham Kill'd Lieutenants Ramsey Swenberg Ensign Maul Wounded Captains Boyd Mushet Ensign Forbes RAMSEY'S Brigade Offerrell Wounded Captain Campbel Captain Strayton Lieutenants Douglas Dunbarre Adjutant Walle Captain Paterson Prisoner Mackay Kill'd Lieutenant-Colonel Mackdougal Captain Puchter dead of his wounds Lieutenants Mackay and Southerland dead of his wounds Wounded Colonel Mackay Captains Lamie and Maccloud Lieutenant Maclean Ensigns Stevenstone Maccloud Mackenzie Leven Kill'd Captain Denholme Ensign Adam St. Clair Wounded Ensign John Gordon Prisoners Captains Bruce Gordon Cadour Maxwell Ensigns Hamilton Bruce Lundy Gordon Monroe Wounded Captain Stuart Ensign Hutchinson Prisoners Captains Alexander Campbel Fullerton and Monroe Lauder Kill'd Lieutenant-Colonel Balfour Sir James Erskin Captain-Lieutenant Charles Bruce Senior Wounded Captain Murray dead of his wound Ensign Nisbet Prisoners Colonel Lauder Captains Levingstone and Cunningham Lieutenant Peter Bruce We have said before that the King after the Fight of Landen or Neerwinden for so 't is differently call'd had retreated with what Forces both Horse and Foot he had rally'd on to'ther side of the River where he joyned the Elector of Bavaria with the Troops he had rally'd 20th The next day the King marched on to Louvain and the 21th he Incamped at Eppeghem our Right at Burntbridge upon the Road to Brussels and our Left near Malines The Elector with the Spanish Troops came nearer Brussels and Incamp'd at Scarbeck The 24th the Infantry that had retreated by Leuwe to Diest with what Horse had followed them joyned us here Commanded by Lieutenant-General Talmash Sir Henry Bellassis Major-General and Brigadier Churchill under him Some few who had gone as far as Breda came up about the same time and now we found that we had not suffer'd so much as 't was at first imagin'd We have left Prince Wirtemberg with the Body under his Command Incamp'd at Anapes within two small English Miles of Lisle but before we bring him off from thence we must not forget to mention that he order'd a Ducat per Man to be distributed to all the Pikemen that carried Fascines at the Attack of the Lines to all the Granadiers and besides to all those who had the Van Guard at the Attack of Pont a Tresein whereby several Soldiers had two Ducats in their Pockets to comfort them in their Fatigues which incourag'd them very much On the 20th the Duke of Wirtemberg gave Orders for the Army to march early in the Morning July and repass the Marck at Pont a Tresein 'T was then supposed we were going upon some farther Enterprize and the French were so jealous of Menin that Monsieur de Vauban had been order'd there to assist Monsieur Pertuys in the defence of it but 't was rather believ'd we were going to chase the French out of Courtray who still kept that part of the Town situated on the other side of the Lys and to have fortified it for a Winter Quarter As Pont a Tresein is a very difficult and narrow Pass and that we left one of the Enemy's best Garisons in our Rear so Prince VVirtemberg was very circumspect in the ordering of it our Vanguard went off first then the Baggage Cannon Pontons c. The Infantry march'd in Battel the Front made the Flank towards the Enemy where all the Officers marched in the mean while our Rear-guard of Horse drew up their Squadrons in the Plain fronting Lisle three or four pieces of Cannon were order'd to remain at the Bridge for the defence of it Our Van-guard and Quarter-masters just as they had pass'd the Bridge met with a Party of 60 Horse of the Enemy's and they took most of them Prisoners with their Horses in this order we repass'd the Bridge The Cannon order'd there came off with the Rear-guard and when they were all pass'd except one or two Squadrons some Squadrons of the Enemies rid down full speed upon them these had been sent out of Lisle on purpose but 't was too late they did us no other harm but they put the last Squadron in disorder by their so great haste in getting over Not long after we had repassed Pont a Tresein the Duke of VVirtemberg had an Express from the King that the French were come before his Camp and that the Armies were just going to Ingage and so we march'd to our former Camp of Esquermes near Tournay where in the Evening the Duke had a Letter from the King which gave him an account of our Defeat at Landen and withal order'd him to make all the haste he could to joyn him whereupon Prince Wirtemberg made the next day a very great march from Esquermes within a mile and a half of Tournay to Peleghem about the same distance from Audenarde which is in all about six Leagues march We repass'd the Lines at Pont d' Espiers We found that the Boars had pull'd down the Line all along and ruin'd the Fortification of this place The 22th the Prince march'd and repass'd the Scheld at Audenarde and Incamp'd that day at Aldereghem on the little River Swalme that falls not far from hence into the Scheld The 23th he made another great march to reach to Alost where he Incamp'd that Night Orders were given to march the next day to joyn the King as soon as possible but that night the Duke of Wirtemberg had an Express from the King to let him know that there was no necessity of pressing his march that he found his Army in a better condition than he expected and so order'd him to remain there till he should repass the Canal of Brussels We left the two Walloon Regiments in their Garison of Audenarde One or two of ours were sent into Garison but afterwards countermanded so that Prince Wirtemberg had a Body of about 40 Squadrons and 24 Battalions ready to reinforce the King's Army whereas he had brought from thence no more than 13 Battalions Tho' the French were not in a condition after they had so much boasted their Victory and that our Troops as they said were
Suissers reckon'd to go through Brussels for Holland where they have been entertain'd in the Suisse Regiments which the States have rais'd besides their own Native Troops which deserted as well as Forreigners On our side 't was never known that the King's Subjects deserted so much as they did in this Camp but most of them were Irish Roman Catholicks who were debauch'd from the Service by the Irish Priests at Louvain who when our Army is near this place are very busy to alienate the Soldiers affections from his Majesties Service There were daily Executions in both Armies to deterr Soldiers from it and to hinder them from running away by Cabals His Majesty publish'd a Proclamation to promise a reward of 100 Guilders or Ten pounds Sterling to any Soldiers that would discover such as had a mind to Desert besides their Disâ—â—arge if they ask'd for it which afterwards hinder'd them from deserting in Companies The Mareschal de Luxembourg put forth an Edict for the same purpose promising a reward of 30 Crowns besides their Discharge to such Soldiers as would discover their Contrades that had a mind to desert On the 14th of this Month at night there was a very great Storm of Thunder and Rain which caus'd a great deal of mischief in both Armies All those Battalions which encamp'd in lower Grounds were overflow'd with the Torrents of Water their Tents and Baggage swimming but the greatest mischief was at the King's Quarter among the Sutlers and Toy-Shops which being under Banks of sandy Ground that made the hollow Way the Banks broke in upon them and buried a great many of them and all the Ground about the Abby of Park remain'd under Water where besides those that were kill'd by the fall of the Banks many were drown'd in it Whilst we were in this Camp we sent weekly Detachments to Arschot Diest and Leuwe to hinder the French from Foraging on the other side of the River Rupel particularly that at Leuwe which was still commanded by a Field-Officer being pretty near the Right of the French Army very much incommoded their Forragers and daily took either Men or Horses On the 20th we made a considerable Detachment from the Garison of Charleroy where we had sent some Horse and Dragoons for such Expeditions This Detachment consisted of 500 Horse under the Command of Colonel de Bay 400 Dragoons under the Prince of Steenhuys with 50 Granadiers sustain'd by 500 Foot of that Garison commanded by Colonel Heyden which forced afterwards the Line between Mons and Maubeuge took first the Redoubt Vieuxreng defended by several Suissers of whom they put 50 to the Sword and afterwards they forc'd six other Redoubts where they made 200 Prisoners amongst which were three Captains three Lieutenants and three Ensigns After they had forced this Line they enter'd the Enemies Country and rais'd Contribution as far as Maubeuge and brought back with them a great many head of Cattle besides Hostages for such Contributions which had not been paid in ready Money We made another Attempt some days following from the same Garison of Charleroy where we had not equal success The French had prepared at Beaumont a great Convoy of Money for the payment of their Army for six Weeks besides Ammunition and Provisions Lieutenant-General du Puy who had been commanded from the Army with a Detachment of Horse and Dragoons to assist the Garison of Charleroy in their Attempts upon the Enemies Convoys made with the same Colonel de Bay a small Body in order to attack it upon the way to the French Army The Enemies Convoy was escorted with a Detachment from the Garisons of Namur Mons and Maubeuge under the Commands of the Counts de Guiscard Vertillac and Ximenes their respective Governours Du Puy and de Bay who had advanced with their Horse and Dragroons fell upon the Convoy at Bossu where the dispute was hot for some time but the French Convoy being too strong for them they were forc'd to retreat to their Body of Foot which was not yet come up after which the French left off the pursuit content to have sav'd their Convoy and tho' reinforc'd with our Foot yet du Puy did not think himself strong enough to Rally for a second Attempt Many were kill'd and wounded in this Skirmish on both sides The Allies lost three Officers and a good number of Soldiers On the French side many were kill'd but their most considerable loss was of the Count de Vertillac Governour of Mons who was wounded mortally and dy'd soon after The French King has since dispos'd of his Government to Monsier de Lubanie Mareschal de Camp and Commandant of Calais The French whilst at Meldert had still several small Parties which sculk'd up and down the Bois de Merdal to be ready to pass out of the Wood upon occasion to steal our Horses which we often ventur'd to graze thereby upon scarceness of Forrage They have taken a great many of our Horses that way but particularly on the 25th of June several Horses of my Lord of Bathe's Regiment grazing thereabouts with a Serjeant and ten Men to look after them a Party of the French sallied out of the Wood and wounded three of the Soldiers The French after they had taken four of Sir Bevil Granville's Horses retir'd into the Wood the wounded Soldiers were brought off and two of them are since dead of their Wounds The French and we whilst our respective Camps of Meldert and Park seem'd to try who cou'd keep them longest On our side we were very much put to it for want of Forrage and the French on theirs suffer'd great want of Provisions for besides that Namur was then their nearest Garison from whence they cou'd have subsistence their Convoys that brought them Provisions were not very safe for the Neighbourhood of Charleroy unless they had a very strong Escorte which they cou'd have but seldom 'T was their Interest to endeavour by their long stay at Meldert to force us to leave the Camp at Park for want of Forrage that Louvain remaining open to them might fall into their Hands and also to consume as much Forrage as they cou'd hereabouts and between this and the Maes to hinder our Army from marching that way when they should attempt any thing thereabouts His Majesty lost the French by their obstinacy shou'd cause an universal want of Forrage in our Camp order'd Hay and Oats and other dry Forrage to come from Holland for the subsistence of the Army at Park rather than be oblig'd to decamp first for want of it The French perceiving that there was no likelihood of our decamping first and their Army suffering very much for want of Provisions resolv'd at length to quit first their Camp at Meldert which accordingly they did the 28th The Right Wing march'd by one of the Clock in the morning and the rest follow'd with all the secresie possible lest we shou'd make some attempt upon their Rear-Guard And we were
near Neighbours enough to have undertaken such a thing if we had but had timely notice Early in the morning we saw all their Camp in a flame which gave us the first news of their marching upon which his Majesty got on Horseback and form'd a considerable Body of Horse out of our Left Wing with which his Majesty endeavour'd to overtake the Enemy's Rear-Guard but it prov'd too late The King rid into the Enemy's Camp and view'd it Some of our Refugies Officers came near enough to speak with some of their acquaintance of the French Army which they found stragling behind A very deep way remain'd between them which hinder'd any other Action but Compliments on both sides they consented mutually to a Truce to have a little discourse together but a small Party of our Horse which knew nothing of the agreement came up another way fir'd amongst them and broke the Conference The French march'd this day to Heylissem making their way towards the Meuse 'T was then that we expected to know what designs the French had that way July The King who endeavour'd as much as lay in his Power to frustrate them all order'd a Detachment to march incessantly towards Flanders to attack the French Lines that cover'd his Conquer'd Country in it by this means to oblige the French to do the same thing to secure their Country from our Invasion Lieutenant General Tetteau who encamp'd between Liege and Maestricht with 13 Battalions as many as could be spar'd out of those two Garisons since the Detachment upon the Rhine lay ready to fill up the room of this Detachment in our Army and as the French cou'd not expect such reinforcement if they had detach'd towards the Line it would in all probability have saved Huy and in case they did not it did put us in a condition to raise good Contributions in their Country to recompence the loss of that place 'T was for this reason that His Majesty order'd on the first a Detachment of 13 Battalions and 40 Squadrons under the Command of the Duke of Wirtemberg to march towards the Lines with the Marquis de la Forest of Horse Wymberg and Ellemberg of Foot Major Generals under him Of Horse Hubert c. of Foot Alfeldt Bernstorf L'Ecluse and Rhingrave Brigadiers the 13 Battalions were Bathe Argyle Danish Guards Queens Prince Christian Prince George Jutland Torsay L'Ecluse Bernstorf Rhingrave Wymberg and La Motte of Lunenbourgers Of the Horse the Duke of Leinster's Regiment was one After this Detachment had been made Lieutenant General Tetteau came up with his 13 Battalions to reinforce our Army The same day that we were detach'd from the Army under the Duke of Wirtemberg the Foot march'd as far as Vilvorde under the Command of Major General Ellemberg the Horse march'd on faster for more Expedition The second we came to Mellem after we had pass'd the Canal at Vilvorde The third we met with very foul Weather that made our march very troublesome and difficult It Thunder'd and Rain'd for most part of the day insomuch that the Ways became almost unpassable particularly for our Baggage however we made a good march that day and pass'd the Dender at Alost a pretty clean and neat Town which the French took in the Wars of 1667. dismantl'd it and so it has continu'd since without any Fortification till last Year that the Spanish Forces made a Winter-Quarter of it for which end they have made an indifferent Breast-work and Pallisado'd the place which they have renew'd again this Year for the same purpose After we pass'd the Dender at this place we encamp'd at Meyer and so march'd the next day to St. George Oudenhore and pass'd the Scheld the day following at Oudenarde This is one of the most considerable Garisons the King of Spain has in this Country extreamly well Fortified 'T is commanded by a Hill on the Mons side of the Scheld that quite overlooks the Town which exposes it very much to Bombs and Fire-Works from an Enemy but they have such Sluces within their Works that they can overflow when they please all about the Town except at Deynse-Port which is the only place where the Enemy can break Ground and open a Trench before the place Nevertheless tho' it be so strong by nature and so well Fortified by Art the French have made themselves Masters of it in both the Wars since the Pyrenean Treaty and have restor'd it again by those of Aix la Chapelle and Nimeguen We encamp'd in this place just on the other side of the Town after we had passed the Scheld The Duke of Wirtemberg who with the Major Generals La Forrest and Wymberg hasted on before with the Detachment of Horse arriv'd at Oudenarde on the third where he was joyn'd by several Battalions from our Neighbouring Garisons to reinforce his Detachment We had from Bruges my Lord Castleton's Regiment from Brussels Baron Spaar and Wey from Charleroy the Regiments of Carle Heyden and the Duke of Holstein's from At h Potbus and Slayembourg from Audenarde Scheimelpenning besides the two Walloon Regiments of the Count de Falay and the Vicount d' Audrigny which came out under the Command of the Count de Libercey Governour of Audenarde who had orders to joyn us being a Gentleman of old Experience and that understood the Country where we were going very well We were likewise accompanied by the Count de Bergeth the King of Spain's Intendant for Flanders to take in the Contributions and to account for them On the fourth Prince Wirtemberg with the Horse and Battalions that had joyn'd him at Audenarde marched on towards the Line and encamp'd in presence of the Enemy before D' Otignies where he expected the coming up of Major General Ellembergh to back his undertaking Ellembergh who with the 13 Battalions under his Command had on the fifth pass'd the Scheld at Audenarde march'd the next day in order to join the Duke of Wirtemberg before the Lines The Artillery consisting of 12 Pieces of Canon of which two were 12 Pounders joyn'd us upon this march besides Tin-Boats and all manner of Ammunitions under the Convoy of Count Horne's Regiment As this march was great we halted when we came to St. Denys within a League of the Lines to refresh our Men but we were taken with such a violent Storm of Thunder and Rain that the Artillery and Boats and Ammunitions remain'd unmoveable and the great Torrents of Water gather'd so fast together in a little Valley between us and the Lines thar Count Horne's Regiment which march'd first cou'd but just wade through and several of the Rear of the Regiment were drown'd in the passage upon which the rest of the Forces that follow'd were forced to the Right about and to Attempt a Passage another way but all in vain so that 't was impossible for us to come to Prince Wirtemberg that Night which grieved both him and us very much to meet with Weather so
Wirtemberg to prevent the Disorders which Soldiers might commit put out a Proclamation forbidding all Soldiers to rob plunder or spoil any of the Inhabitants upon pain of death nor to set any House or Church on fire upon pain of being burnt alive But at the same time he took care that the Country shou'd bring in gratis Refreshments to the Soldiers as Cows Sheep and Corn-Brandy and they had this in such plenty that every Company in each respective Battalion had generally two Cows a Week and the Officers upon each Company a couple of Sheep And so Prince Wirtemberg remain'd some days encamp'd at D'Otignies as well to refresh his Soldiers who most of them had now march'd eight days together as to settle the Contributions with the Inhabitants of the Chattellenie of Courtray And here we shall leave him for some time to speak of what the two Armies were doing towards the Meuse We had left the Enemy encamp'd at Heylissem the 28th of the last Month which Camp they afterwards left to come nearer to the Meuse and encamp'd at Borchworm or Warem a Town belonging to the Bishop of Liege situated upon the River Jaar or Jecker which has its rising near the Mehaigne within three Leagues of Huy and so runs the same course as the Meuse by Warem Lootz Tongres and at last falls into the Meuse at Maestricht Count Cerclaes of Tilly General of the Liege Troops was at the same time with a Body of five Regiments of Horse and three of Dragoons encamp'd near Tongres with a design to joyn our Army to reinforce it of which the Mareschal de Luxembourg was advertiz'd by the Marquis de Nesle whom he had sent upon Party to get Intelligence Luxembourg thought 't was necessary to hinder this Reinforcement from joyning our Army and therefore resolv'd to attack it To compass this design orders were given for eight Squadrons of the King's Guards two of the Gens d Armes and of the Light Horse the Regiment of Horse Granadiers and three of Horse to march between six and seven at Night as secretly as possible to come and joyn him some distance from thence where he expected them besides other Troops both Horse and Foot as many as wou'd make a Body of 10000 Men. The Foot march'd on streight before because they did not know very well whether Tilly had any Foot with him or no and about an hour before Night Luxembourg march'd at the Head of the Horse upon two Columnes he at the Head of the one and the Mareschal de Villeroy at the Head of the other They march'd as fast as they cou'd without breaking Order all the Night till about three in the Morning at which time they were come within two English Miles of the place where they expected to find the Count de Tilly when they mended their pace to possess themselves of a heighth from whence they could discover Count Tilly upon the March who had been advertiz'd about Midnight of the Enemies design Upon which he gave orders for the Baggage to load immediately and to march off but yet they had not so much time but that a great deal of it fell into the hands of the French Luxembourg perceiving that Count Tilly had been a little too quick for him order'd some of his best mounted Horse to file off and to ride as fast as they cou'd to overtake him whilst the rest of the Horse should follow them the great Trot. The Princes of the Blood who were at the head of them came pretty near Tilly's Horse after they had pass'd several hollow ways but when they expected to fall upon them they found just between them and Tilly's Flank a very deep and hollow way where 't was impossible for their Squadrons to pass Only about 100 of them found a way to harrass them upon their Flank but Tilly's Horse which there made up the Rear consisting of six or seven Squadrons being very much press'd by the narrowness of the Ground and besides having express Orders not to engage only skirmish'd with them retreating whilst Telly's main Body rid on to get a Village where to repass the Jecker In the mean while the Princes were looking for a convenient place where they might Charge these Squadrons upon the Flank but when they came to it they found but few of Tilly's Squadrons that made the Rear the rest retreating as fast as they could The French pursu'd these very briskly within two hours of Maestricht where Count Tilly was forc'd to retire after he had understood that the Ways to Liege were possess'd by the Enemy We had on Count Tilly's side one Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel Major and two Lieutenants made Prisoners and the best part of the Baggage taken On the French side Monsieur Sanguinet Exempt of the Life-Guards was kill'd and the Duke of Montfort Son to the Duke of Chevreuse wounded the Marquis of Thiange wounded and about 50 of the Life Guards and Carabiniers kill'd or wounded Immediately after this Success the Mareschal de Luxembourg resolved to Besiege Huy which place he caus'd to be Invested the 9th This Town is situated upon the Meuse between Liege and Namur the best part of it on the other side of the Meuse towards the Condros for so that part of the Principality of Liege is called which lies on the other side of the Meuse between Liege Huy and Dinant the other on this side of the River to which 't is joyn'd by a Bridge but at the best but a Dirty poor Town The Castle is on the Condros-side of the Meuse seated in the midst of the Town upon a steep Hill and a solid Rock The Castle is small and commanded by adjoyning Hills At the foot of the Hill whereon the Castle is seated stands the chief Church of the Town This Place in the last Wars after the then Archbishop of Cologne and Bishop of Liege had left the French Party to enter into the League was Besieg'd and Taken by the Mareschal de Rochefort in the Year 1675. This Town before the taking of Namur was only Inviron'd with a weak Stone Wall as we have in our ancient Towns in England but since they have made several Half-Moons and Retrenchments about it to make the place more Defensible The Baron de Renesse Brigadier of the Bishop of Liege's Forces Commanded in it with a Garison of near 2000 Men. Upon the approach of the Enemy they abandon'd that part of the Town situated on this side of the River and broke down the Bridge upon the Meuse that joyn'd it to the other The Commandant had promis'd to make as good defence as the situation of the Castle which is upon the Rock cou'd afford for tho' 't is commanded yet it is of so difficult Access that 't was almost impossible to Assault it after the Breach had been made by the Enemies Cannon so that we expected 7 or 8 days resistance from it but the Commandant did not think fit to stay so long to
Officer or Soldier in the Army His Majesty was every where where there was any Action in the midst of the Enemy's Fire both with the Horse and with the Foot whom he led on himself several times to the Enemy and all this while without Armour which the King would not put on to be better able to resist the Fatigues and Labours of the day which his Majesty foresaw would be very great and 't was a Special or rather Miraculous effect of the goodness of God that then preserved his Majesty which can never be too much acknowledg'd by his People The King narrowly missed three Musquet shots one through his Periwig which made him deaf for a while another through the Sleeve of his Coat which did no harm the third carried off the Knot of his Scarf and left a small confusion on his Side His Majesty got this day even the Respect and Admiration of his Enemies who proclaimed louder his Majesties Heroick Valour than we can do our selves 'T was the common saying amongst them That they wanted but such a King to make them Masters of Christendom The Prince of Conti in his intercepted Letter to the Princess his Wife mentions that he saw the King every where present where there was any Action expâ—sing himself to the greatest dangers and that so much Valour deserved very well the quiet possession of the Crown he wore I do not say this out of a principle of Flattery His Majesty is above it and I so much below that the most I can say cannot amount to it but I have said this only to disabuse many of the King 's good Subjects who may be imposed upon by ill minded malicious People I dare say not only that no General but even no Officer nor private Sentinel can be produced out of ancient or modern History that for his Age has been expos'd to so many dangers as the King that has seen so many Warlike Actions and that has been present at so many Battels and Sieges and therefore 't is certainly a wonderful blessing of God and a singular token of the Care he takes of his Majesty's Person that his Majesty has hitherto escaped So that we may reasonable expect that as God had so wonderfully rais'd him to a Throne so he will still preserve him for some greater Work and that notwithstanding the present prosperity of the Enemy's Arms yet he is still reserv'd when once our Sins will not be more prevalent than our Arms for a Curb to check the French Power and Greatness and to protect his People As soon as Luxembourg was Master of our Camp he contented himself to pursue his Victory no farther than the Banks of the River in our Rear and the best part of our Foot had retreated in Order as we have said before in spight of their Success to Lewe When the Camp remained clear and that most of our Troops had repass'd the River the Mareschal de Luxembourg order'd the Cannon that had been taken from us to be drawn upon a Line which was fir'd thrice in token of their Victory their small Shot both Horse and Foot drew up and did the same and remain'd encamp'd about Landen that night Luxembourg dispatched post immediately Monsieur d' Artagnan to the French King to let him know the advantage he had got over our Army for which good News the French King gave him the Government of Arras vacant by the death of Lieutenant General Count de Montchevreüil kill'd in this Engagement He likewise order'd the Te Deum to be sung in the Cathedral Church of Nostre Dame at Paris and writ the following Letter to the Arch-Bishop of the Place which for the Pomp and Greatness of its Stile considering the truth of the matter 't will not be amiss to Insert here The French King's Letter to the Arch-Bishop of Paris COUSIN THe Army which the Enemies had in Flanders made up of the choicest of their Troops and Commanded by the Prince of Orange in Person was attacked in its own Camp the 29th of the last Month by my Cousin the Mareschal Duc de Luxembourg in pursuance of the Orders I had given him The Enemies who did foresee his design left nothing undone that could secure them and tho' their Camp was already very advantageous by its situation yet they had fortified it with Formidable Retrenchments and with an Incredible Work nevertheless they have been forced in it and put to flight Part of their Army is remain'd upon the Place part drowned in the River and the rest dispersed many of their General Officers and a great number of others kill'd or taken Prisoners 76 Pieces of Canon 8 Mortars 9 Pontons left in the Field of Battel 12 Kettle-Drums 60 Standards and 22 Colours either taken by force or left by the dying Men. There is nothing but what my Enemies ought to fear after so terrible a Defeat there is nothing but what I have a right to expect but I restrain all my Wishes to the good of my Subjects and I desire no other fruits of so great a Victory but that my Enemies may at last open their Eyes and prove attentive to their true Interest and think of a solid and durable Peace which I have still offer'd them in the midst of my greatest Prosperity 'T is to ask it of God and to render him thanks for so many Blessings that I desire you wou'd cause the Te Deum to be sung in the Cathedral Church of my good Town of Paris at the day and hour which the Grand Maître or Master of the Ceremonies shall tell you from me and so Cousin I pray God to have you in his good and holy keeping Given at Marly the 7th of August in the Year 1693. Signed Louis and beneath Phelypeaux Indors'd To my Cousin the Arch-Bishop of Paris Duke and Peer of France and Commander of my Orders Tho' the advantage the French had this day was considerable enough to order the Arch-Bishop of Paris to sing the Te Deum in his Cathedral Church yet Truth is stretched to such a heighth in it that the Stile of it is altogether Romantick 'T is observable that the French King says in this Letter That our Army was Commanded by the King in Person which is as much as to say That the King generously expos'd his Person in all the dangers of the day when Luxembourg attack'd his Army but the French King 's Imperious Greatness would not allow him to do the King Justice in so explicit Terms Next the Letter says that we had foreseen the design and had omitted nothing that was necessary for our security that tho' the situation of our Camp was very advantageous yet we fortified it with a Formidable Retrenchment and an Incredible Work and that nevertheless we were forced in it c. Certainly a Man that knows nothing else of the Matter would think by this that the Allies had known of the design at least several days before hand and that
Soldiers he would give it them and beg'd of them that for their King and Countries sake they would take such care of the poor Soldiers that were Prisoners that want and necessity might not force them to take on in the Enemy's Service contrary to their inclinations His Grace order'd the Officers Quarters in the Town Most of our Prisoners were sent afterwards to Dinant each Foot Soldier receiv'd 7 s. and 6 d. to subsist him and each Horseman a Pistole they were afterwards remov'd again to Charlemon̄t and they receiv'd the same Summ so that such care was taken for our Prisoners that not six either English or Scots took Service with the Enemy and of those few 't is to be presum'd that they were such who would of themselves have deserted to the Enemy on the first opportunity The Prisoners that were wounded were put into the King's Hospital at Namur and carefully look'd after I must not omit at the same time to say something of the Condition of our English and Scots Officers that have followed the late King in France or that have since deserted from our Service to betake themselves to his of which I have had an account by the same Ingenious Person that was Prisoner at Namur and who saw and convers'd with some of them daily Not three of them are yet provided for and this Gentleman saw many of his acquaintance that had been Officers in our Troops who still carried Musquets and tho' the French have form'd several Bodies both of Horse and Foot of the Irish in their Service yet there are not above three English or Scots Officers that have a Commission amongst them by which a Man may see that 't is still a Crime in the late King's Court to be an English-man and a Protestant and such a one as renders them uncapable of a Commission in his Service His beloved Irish Roman Catholicks are the only prefer'd The day after the Duke of Ormond arriv'd at Brussels he came to the Camp at Halle to wait upon his Majesty tho' he was still very weak and return'd the same Evening Most part of the time that we continued in this Camp at Halle the Weather proved so excessive hot that it caus'd a great Sickness in both Armies The Soldiers fell sick daily and many Officers My Lord of Athlone went sick into Brussels Prince Wirtemberg the Lord George Hamilton and many others of note Colonel Monroe dyed and his Majesty has bestow'd the Regiment upon Colonel Ferguson his Lieutenant-Colonel Prince Casimir of Nassau left the Army here and returned towards Leewarden in Friezland after he had order'd his Equipage to be sold The Prince of Birkenfeldt Lieutenant-General in the States Service did the same On the 18th Prince Wirtemberg who was now pretty well recover'd of his Indisposition was presented to the Dutch Guards for their Colonel Both Battalions were drawn out and the King attended with all the General Officers and the whole Court came and presented him himself All the Officers of the Regiment were called together near his Majesty who made a short Speech to them to let them know that he could not give them a more deserving Colonel than the Duke of Wirtemberg afterwards his Majesty spoke to the Duke and made him a short Compliment then the King took a half Pike which was held by one of his Pages and put it in the Duke 's right hand The two Battalions had their Arms presented all this while and then the King commanded himself the Drums to beat a March Afterwards the Duke marched on Foot at the head of the Regiment before the King and so the Ceremony ended The 19th the Mareschal de Luxembourg left his Camp at Nivelle and marched to Soignies in order to joyn the Normandy and Britany Troops that came to reinforce his Army for the Siege of Charleroy Those likewise which the Marquis la Vallette commanded within the Lines were order'd to joyn him here and other Battalions that were not in so good a condition were sent into their places 'T was necessary that Luxembourg should advance thus far notwithstanding the design'd Siege of Charleroy because his Army was not yet in a condition to undertake it and therefore he reserv'd the Forrage thereabouts for that time also because he was here more conveniently Posted for the reinforcement to joyn him which otherwise we could have disturb'd if his Army had been farther off and likewise to consume the Forrage hereabouts to hinder our Army from marching towards the Sambre for the relief of Charleroy The same day that the French march'd to Soignies we sent two Regiments to reinforce the Garison of At h Spaarvelt's Regiment of Swedes was one The Finland and Zeeland Battalions of Danes were sent to Garison in Ghendt they were weak and had suffer'd at Landen We had likewise 900 Prisoners returned to us this day by the Enemy which was all that remained of what they had taken in the last Battel As soon as the King heard of the Enemies marching Orders were given for our Army to be ready to march and the same day the Baggage and Artillery were sent before under the Escorte of the first Battalion of the Royal Regiment And on the 20th early in the Morning the Army march'd and encamp'd at St. Quintin Linneck where the King took his Quarters and the Elector at Goicke Orders were given for the Armies marching again the next day accordingly the General-beat for the King had been inform'd that the French continu'd their march towards At h but the King was soon after inform'd that 't was only a Detachment of about 6000 Men that the Enemy had sent towards Grammont and Lessines which they afterwards countermanded upon which our Army remain'd in the Camp at St. Quintin Linneck In the Afternoon the King rid out upon the Left to * A Term us'd when a General of an Army rides out to view and observe the several Posts about his Camp Reconnoitre and besides the usual Detachment of his Life-Guards he took a good Party of Eppinger's Dragoons to ride just before him because the King went to observe several narrow Defilés in a Wood upon our Left These Dragoons fell in with a Party of about 30 French Horse under the Command of a Cornet the King order'd them himself to charge them and they took 17 Prisoners Another Party of them had the same Fortune this day near Nostre Dame de Halle this Party had come from the Garison of Mons to see what Straglers they could take after we had decamp'd from this place A Party of Spaniards far Inferiour to them in number met with them kill'd some upon the place and took most of them Prisoners 'T was said that they had taken one of our Officers Prisoners as he was riding from Brussels to Halle that knew nothing of our being march'd from thence and that he was kill'd amongst them On the 25th the Duke of Holstein Ploen came to the Camp The
upon the News of this Detachment march'd from his Camp at Herlaymont-Capelle to Estines nearer to Mons and to the King's Army which was now but small after so great a Detachment upon which the King did not think it safe to venture this Detachment any further thereby to give Luxembourg the opportunity to have fallen upon him therefore this Body was countermanded But before the Elector marched back he detach'd Horne's and Bernstorf's Regiments to the Garison of Newport and the same day Offerrel's and Ferguson's Regiments were sent to Winter Quarters the first to Bruges and the latter to Ostend On the 11th which was the day following the Elector march'd with the Body under his Command to St. Levinus-Haltheim in order to rejoyn the King at Ninove who had march'd hither from St. Quintin-Linneck the day before and in leaving this Camp the King order'd to Louvain the Regiments of Ecker and Fagel and those of Aylua Anhalt and Oxenstierne to Brussels The 12th the Elector rejoyn'd the King at Ninove On the 13th about 900 English Recruits came up to the Camp 300 of them were for the Guards and the other six that had been drawn out of the Princess Ann's Sir David Collier's Hasting's Prince of Hesse's St. George's and Tiffeney's Regiments were divided by Lot amongst the English Regiments that had suffered most at Landen On the 14th the King 's Domesticks left the Camp to go to Loo and the day after the King seeing that nothing could be done for the relief of Charleroy and that the Campagne drew near to an end left the Command of the Army in the Elector's Hands and went by Breda to Loo in order to repass soon after the Sea to meet his Parliament in England and prepare Matters for a more vigorous Prosecution of the War according to the Resolution taken by the rest of the Allies and the King's Guards did after Duty upon the Elector and gave him the same Honours that they are oblig'd to shew to the King The 18th the two Battalions of Friesland Guards to Prince Casimir of Nassau were sent to Garison in Louvain In the mean while the French pursued very vigorously the Village of Charleroy and the Garison between 4 and 5000 strong commanded by the Marquiss de Castillo Master of the Spanish Ordnance Colonel Pimentel the Governor and Bulau Brigadier of the Dutch made as brave and noble resistance The French fir'd continually their Cannon and Mortars to make the Place as uneasie as possibly they could to the besieged They batter'd to Pieces the Redoubt or detach'd Bastion that is without Brussels Port but it was so Min'd that the Enemies would not venture to take it They changed their Attack to the Horn-work that cover'd the Sluce of the Pond and to the Redoubt that was in the middle of it and the Enemies had now advanc'd their Works within ten or twelve paces of the outer Angles of the cover'd Way towards the Pond and on the other side beyond the Point of the Horn-work upon its Flank The Enemies Cannon had fired hitherto so furiously that they had dismounted all the Cannon the besieged had but on the 12th the Besieged made a shift to refit two or three Pieces and in the Night they kill'd and wounded about 100 of the Enemies among whom were some Officers De Pont an Ingenier was wounded mortally The 13th the besieged fired a Bomb which fell in the Magazine of Powder upon one of the Enemies Batteries kill'd six Men and dismounted two of their Cannon The French continu'd their fire upon the two Redoubts that without Brussels Port and that in the Pond in this last a Spanish Captain with 50 Men was posted for its defence and besides the Batteries of Cannon they fir'd against it they threw twice more Bombs into the Place than there were Men to defend it They fir'd their Mortars here by Batteries so that the Soldiers had ten or twelve Bombs sometimes about their Ears On the 14th in the Afternoon Monsieur de Vauban order'd six Pontons to be fasten'd together upon which a Detachment was sent for the Assault of the Redoubt in the Pond The Spaniards were now reduc'd to little above half the Number notwithstanding they made a good resistance but at last were forc'd to Capitulate The same Day the Duke of Luxembourg who had advanc'd as far as Mons upon our Detachment towards Flanders return'd to the Camp by Charleroy after he heard that the Elector had rejoyn'd the King at Ninove He left the King's House conton'd near St. Guislain for the conveniency of Forage and generally all the Horse between Mons Valenciennes and Maubeuge The French and Suisse Guards remain'd at Estines and another Body at Givry The 15th the Besieged made a very brave Sortie they levell'd part of the Enemies Works and kill'd many of the Enemies a Captain was kill'd and the Marquis of Charrost wounded On the 16th in the Evening the Enemies attack'd the Work that cover'd the Sluce of the Pond 120 Men defended it very bravely but at last the French made themselves Masters of it after they had lost 50 Men in the Attack a Captain and two Ingeniers wounded When the Enemies had made themselves Masters of the Redoubt in the Pond and of the Work that cover'd the Sluce they began to drain it The 19th the besieged made a very brave and vigorous Sortie they beat the Enemies from a great part of their Works which they destroyed and levell'd and kill'd the Enemies a great many Men. The 22d the Besieged made another Sortie upon the Enemies which proved not so successful as the former They wounded a Lieutenant-Colonel and five Ingeniers and in the Afternoon one of their Bombs fell among some Magazines of the Enemies Granades but they took such care that it did them no great damage The 23d the Besieged continu'd their Sortie but were repuls'd The same Day we made a very great Detachment of 28 Men per Battalion from our Army at Ninove with a proportionable number of Horse under the Command of Lieutenant-General Opdam to Escorte a Convoy of 250 Waggons and seven Pieces of Cannon into Ath. The Waggons were loaded with all manner of Provisions and Ammunitions which got safely into the Place that Evening Wey's Regiment was sent at the same to re-inforce the Garison of this Place Lieutenant-General Opdam upon his return found that the Country-people about Lessines had made a great quantity of Beer expecting that the French Army would come and Encamp there as usually it did every Year and because they had not brought it to be sold in our Camp the Convoy Waggons that return'd empty from At h had orders to take all this Beer away and to bring it into our Camp at Ninove We made much about the same time a good Detachment out of all our Dragoons and 't was reported that their Design was to steal a Relief into Charleroy that Jacob Son to the Major that Commands into the Bois