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
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
most considerable Inhabitants of the Town that had any Lands thereabouts came out and paid their Contributions and among the rest the rich Abbot of the Abbey of St. Martins The day after we had Incamp'd at Esquermes the Duke of Wirtemberg order'd a strong Detachment of 1200 Horse and 600 Foot commanded by Colonel Potbus all under the Command of Brigadier Hubert with three Pieces of Cannon to force the Pass at Pont a Tresein where the Enemy had above 2000 Men to defend it This is a Bridge over the River Marck about two English Miles from Lisle upon the way between it and Tournay which is along a very good Causway rais'd above five Foot higher than the Grounds about and Pav'd with good Stone There are very good Barriers of Palisado's upon the Bridge behind which the Enemy had made a small Barricade besides a great many Houses by the River side which cou'd have been defended When Brigadier Hubert came near with his Detachment the Enemy drew out some Men upon the Causway and Posted them among the Houses to defend the Pass the Fire continu'd a little time on both sides but when our Cannon was once come up they forsook the Causway and Houses and retir'd within the Barriers of the Bridge where they seem'd resolute to defend it Upon which a Detachment of all the Granadiers there was made under the Command of a Dutch Lieutenant-Colonel their Number about 200 to go and force the Bridge at the same time our three Pieces of Cannon favour'd this Detachment by their Fire upon the Enemy having been planted in a convenient place after we had made our selves Masters of the Houses upon this side of the Bridge The Enemy fir'd very briskly for some time upon our Detachment of Granadiers who notwithstanding went up to the very Palisado's of the Barriere returning as they march'd on their Fire upon the Enemy Our Detachment of English and Scotch Granadiers who had the Van in this Action behav'd themselves very well and got the approbation and applause of their Commanding Officer who was an Eye-witness of their Bravery As soon as our Granadiers came up to the Palisado's they fell on to cut them down with their Sabres Our Cannon which play'd at the same time and the rest of the Detachment that follow'd to sustein them made at last the Enemy resolve to quit this Post We found several of their Men kill'd upon the place their Number 14 or 15 the loss about equal on our side no Commission Officers only one English Sergeant We cou'd hear the Fire during this Attack very plain from our Camp at Esquermes After this Defeat the Enemy retir'd to the other side of Lisle leaving a small Body for the Guards of the Passes of Pont a Ventin and Haubourdin which lead into the Pais d' Artois The same day that Brigadier Hubert had been detach'd to force the Pass of Pont a Tresein we were joyn'd by the Regiment of Scheltingua from the Garison of Ghendt Whilst we were Incamp'd at Esquermes so near Tournay we made the Inhabitants of the Countrey come in with their Contributions all along the Scheld as far as Mortagne where 't is joyn'd by the Scarpe and so on along the Scarpe from from St. Amand and Marchiennes as far as Douay On the 15th the two Walloon Regiments of Count Falay and the Vicount d' Audrigny were detach'd to reinforce Brigadier Hubert who remain'd Incamp'd at Pont a Tresein And the Chatellenie of Lisle being now open to us after we were Masters of this Pass the Duke of Wirtemberg followed the 17th with his whole Army to raise Contributions there and as we were to leave Tournay behind us in this march so the Duke order'd that day a good Rear-Guard of the Battalions of Bathe Castleton and Argyle besides several Squadrons of Horse under the command of Brigadier Count d' Alfeldt Some of the Enemy's Squadrons of the Garison of Tournay appear'd in sight of the Rear-Guard t'other side of a Defile upon our Left Flank about a Mile beyond Templeur upon which Count d'Alfeldt order'd to draw up in Battel and so we march'd as long as the Ground would permit it We pass'd the Marck that Evening at Pont a Tresein where we joyn'd Brigadier Hubert and encamp'd at Anapes within two small English Miles from Lisle and the Duke of VVirtemberg took his Quarter at a Castle belonging to the Count d'Anapes and so summon'd the Inhabitants of the Chattellenie of Lisle to come in and pay their Contributions The Town of Lisle in Latin Insulae because situated among a great many cross Rivulets between the Marck and the Deule which form so many Islands is a very large handsome and populous City the largest Town next to Ghendt in the Province of Flanders and the best of the French Conquests 'T is the place where resides the Governour General of the Païs Conquis at present the Mareschal d' Humieres There is a very fine Cittadel of which Monsieur de Vauban is Governour the most famous Ingenier this day in Europe and a Man may call this his Jewel for he has spar'd neither Art nor Money to make it the finest Citadel and the best in France Whilst we were encamp'd at Anapes 't was discours'd either that we should push our point farther and have forc'd the Passes of Pont a Ventin and Haubourdin upon the River Deule so to have rais'd Contributions to the very Gates of Arras and St. Omer or that we shou'd have Bombarded Tournay in our Retreat or else have form'd the Siege of Menin There was a good Train of Artillery and Mortar Pieces and a great quantity of Ammunitions ready at Sas van Ghendt and it was said Orders were given to have them brought to us by Water to Audenarde But what hinder'd us from undertaking any thing more in the French Conquests is what we are now going to relate After that the Bishop and Chapter of Liege had refus'd the Neutrality offer'd them by the Mareschal de Luxembourg when he had taken the Frontier Town of this Principality the Mareschal de Luxembourg made as if he design'd to force it to accept of his Conditions for which reason as we have said before the King detach'd 10 Battalions under the Command of Brigadier Swerin to reinforce that Garison which now was so numerous that it made as considerable a Body as that we had within the Lines being about 17000 Men. Luxembourg who found the place in such a condition of defence seeing that he could not force the Bishop to a Neutrality resolv'd to Attack the King who continu'd in his Camp at Neerhespen from the 15th to observe the success of Luxembourg's Attempt upon Liege and who was very much weaken'd by the Detachment he had been oblig'd to put in Liege and Maestricht for the security of those places so that His Majesty's Army was now reduc'd to 51 or 52 Battalions And to cover his design with more secresie Luxembourg
he leads them to engage their Enemies At Sun-rising we found the Enemies drawn up within Cannon-shot which then began to play upon them with good success They sustain'd it with an admirable Constancy and tho' our Cannon made great execution being very well posted upon several Batteries on the Right and Left and all along within the Retrenchment yet the Enemies Horse remain'd as firm and immovable as so many Rocks without offering to make any motion for about two hours together till about six of the Clock that they made a motion to draw nearer to our Retrenchment but they found our Cannon so inconvenient that they quitted the middle of the Plain and made their Infantry march off some to our Right towards the Villages of Neerwinden and Lare and to our Left towards the Village of Neerlanden Luxembourg who found that to make his way into our Camp he must first make himself Master of the Villages of Lare or Noerwinden order'd about eight of the Clock the Attack of this Left Village after this manner Lieutenant-General Rubantel commanded the Right of the Attack with the King 's and Crussol's Brigades Montchevreüill the Left with the Brigades of Salis Suissers and Arbouville The Duke of Berwick the Center with the Brigades of Piémont and Orleans These three Lieutenant-Generals had under them Baron Bressey and Sarsfield Lord Lucan for Major-Generals Thus far the French Account To sustain the Attack made by these six Brigades as we have before told it we had only the six Battalions of Hanover and three of the Guards The Sieur Reynold had at the same time Orders to joyn the Reserve with his Brigade and the Sieurs Ximenes and Pracontal with their Body of Horse and to attack the Village of Lare where Brigadier Ramsey commanded with his five Battalions besides the Battalions of Churchill and Trelawney that had been sent off from the Left at Neerlanden where they had been posted the night before to re-inforce Ramsey upon the Right The Enemy made their Attack with all the Vigour possible and the success was various for some time The First Battalion of Guards was at first broken and then rally'd again with the Second after the loss of a great many Officers and Soldiers The French were forc'd to give way but the Duke of Bourbon came to their relief with the Brigade of Guiche which renew'd their Vigour and then ours on their side began to make way Brigadier Ramsey was attack'd very vigorously with the whole Reserve of Dragoons besides the Regiment Colonel that had re-inforc'd it with Reynold's Brigade The Brandenbourg Battalions who lin'd the Hedges and Way between Lare and Neerwinden had their share between these two Attacks The Dispute was hot at Lare and the Fire very violent but our People at last gave way by which the Enemy had the opportunity to come in upon the Right and charge our Horse but the Elector of Bavaria received them with such Vigour that he drove them back again with a great slaughter Brigadier Ramsey rally'd his Brigade and they charg'd the Enemy that had possess'd themselves of the Village of Lare with such Fury that they beat them out again regain'd their Post and made great slaughter among the Enemies The Brandenbourg Battalions with Prince Charles became again Masters of their Post and the King rallied the Hanover and his own Battalions at Neerwinden and made them Charge the Enemy again where they had now as appears by their own Account which I have inserted seven Brigades Crussoll the King 's Salis Arbouville Piémont Orleans and Guiche under the Command of three Lieutenant-Generals besides the Duke of Bourbon who had come to the Relief with the last Brigade nevertheless our handful of rallied Men charg'd them with such Vigour that they made them retreat tho' they cou'd not so entirely beat them out of this Village but that they continued Masters of some of the outermost Hedges The French Account to cover this says that we were then considerably reinforc'd both at Lare and Neerwinden from our Body of Foot but 't is certain there was no such thing 't was only the same Forces rally'd that had the Credit of re-gaining their former Post and of beating back their numerous Enemies that had taken it from them What remain'd of our Infantry was but enough to line the Retrenchment that cover'd us to the Plain and 't was not thought fit to bring one Battalion from thence to re-inforce our Troops at Neerwinden lest we should have left the most dangerous way into our Camp open to the Enemy The Duke of Berwick who had been very busie and eager at this Attack push'd so far as to fall in amongst our Men with his Aid de Camp Acmoughty They were undistinguish'd for some time till Brigadier Churchill came near and heard them cursing the Suissers for not having done their Duty The Brigadier remember'd Acmoughty's Face and tho' he did not see the Duke of Berwick's yet by Acmoughty's Employment he guess'd at the Person and so made them both his Prisoners The French tried their Fortune after this at Neerlanden to see if they cou'd have better success upon our Left than they had upon our Right The King as we have said before had in the morning sent off from this Post the Battalions of Churchill and Trelawney to re-inforce Brigadier Ramsey upon the Right so that there remain'd but four Battalions for the Defence of this Place viz. The First Battalion of the Royal Regiment Selwyn's Prince Frederick's and Fagel's The four Regiments of Dragoons of Cailus Finmarcon and two of Asfeld had pass'd the Brook of Beck between this and Landen to come and attack us upon our Flank in this Post The Marquis de Crequi who commanded the Brigades that had been posted the overnight at Landen order'd them down to Charge us at the same time in Front on this side of the Brook The Brigades were Bourbonnois Lyonnois Anjou and Artois King James his Guards being then amongst them 'T is true the Post we had to defend was not weak but 't was attack'd with a great disproportion of Forces and the Fire was very smart on both sides The King who was every where where there was any Action rid from the Right here to the Left as soon as the Enemy attack'd this Post The First Battalion of the Royal Regiment was after a sharp dispute forc'd to retire but after sustain'd by Selwin's who observing a Passage in this place where Horse could come in upon his Rear order'd Trees to be cut down and stop it up We caus'd likewise that House to be set on fire where Hamilton's Granadiers had before been posted But both these Regiments were at last sustain'd by Prince Frederick's and Fagel's and after a sharp Dispute of about two hours had the advantage the Enemy were intirely beaten off and pursu'd quite out of our Defilé into the very Plain so that they attempted this Place no more The King who was
present most part of the time with Selwyn's Regiment was an Eye-witness of this Action and beheld them pursuing the Enemies The French Account pretends that we were beaten from this Post quite into our Retrenchment and that because Luxembourg found that this was not a place where Horse cou'd pass into our Camp he order'd them to leave it but the truth is they left it because we beat them from it Hitherto the success of the Day was visibly on our side and both our Artillery and small Shot had done wonders And the French who continu'd still a faint fire at Neerwinden seem'd to have their Belly full 'T is said that most of the General Officers were of Opinion to retire but Luxembourg who had still the Brigade of the French and Suisse Guards and the Suisse Brigades of Zurlaube and Zurbeck as a Reserve of fresh Men resolv'd with these to try t'other Onset and to see if they could not carry the Village of Neerwinden by this their very last effort The Prince of Conti came at the Head of these Brigades to make the Attack The Enemies had remain'd Masters of the outermost Hedges of this Village as we have said before and our rally'd Forces tho' they had the advantage in the last Charge to make the Enemy give way considerably yet they could not intirely clear the Village of them The Prince of Conti with these three fresh Brigades and the best Foot the French had in their Army charged our People so vigorously who had been engaged here from the beginning to this time which was now between two and three of the Clock and wearied with so long service that they were forced at last to give way and the French remained Masters of the Avenues of this Village Immediately upon this success the Mareschal de Luxembourg came to observe the Passages that led to our Camp for the Horse to march in He found a very narrow one however the Mareschal de Villeroy undertook to bring in Horse this way and so he order'd five Squadrons of the King's House to file off upon the Left which was the nearest to the Pass to come into our Camp The Light-Horse first then the Gens d'Armes and after three Squadrons of Life-Guards As this Body of Horse came into our Camp they extended themselves upon their Left and form'd their Squadrons under their Infantry Count d'Arco General of the Bavarian Curassiers charged them with such Vigour that he repulsed them quite within their Foot notwithstanding their brave resistance The Duke of Chartres who charged at the Head of the French Horse found himself inviron'd with our Forces and narrowly escaped being made Prisoner 'T was then that we endeavour'd to regain once more this Post of Neerwinden The Elector upon the Right order'd two Battalions to Charge the Enemy in Front whilst three others should Charge them upon their Left Flank but the first Brigades of Piemont the King 's Crussol Guiche Arbouville and Orleans upon the Advantage the Brigade of Guards and Suissers had now gained at this place Rally'd and reinforced them so that the Attempt became impossible They fell upon two Battalions of Hanouer and made them quite give way The two Battalions one of Dutch and t'other of Scots Guards which the Elector had commanded to Charge the Enemy in the Front had spent all their Ammunitions by their continual Fire for so many hours The Elector order'd to have Ammunition brought them but it could not come time enough to do business The King who had left Neerlanden upon the Enemy's fresh Attempt upon this Place led twice the English Battalions to the Charge up to the right of the Retrenchment which was now Flanked and under the Enemy's Command where they Fought with very much bravery as they had done every where else In the mean while Luxembourg who had found a more convenient Passage for the Horse between the Posts of the King 's and Zurbeck's Brigades came in himself with the Prince of Conti and the Count de Marsin into the Plain of our Camp with the Carabiniers and several other Regiments whilst the Mareschal de Joyeuse and the Duke of Bourbon who had left the Brigade of Guiche to Post himself upon his Wing of Horse pass'd with the Count Nassau Mareschal de Camp more to his Left between the Villages of Neerwinden and Lare with the Mestre de Camp 's Royal Roussillon and Cuirassiers Brigades The first that had come in with Conti joyn'd with the King's House that had Rally'd behind their Foot where they had been repuls'd by the Count d' Arco and fell on upon the Hanouer Horse and broke them The Sieur Ximenes the Count de Guiscard the Chevalier Bezons and the Sieur Pracontal came in upon their Left with part of the second Line of Horse and the Reserve along the Hedges of Lare The Marquis of Harcourt who had been sent for from Huy with his Detachment of 22 Squadrons came time enough to have his share of the day He joyn'd these and made his Dragoons alight to chase our Foot out of the Village of Laer. The Duke of Villeroy came in upon our Right of the Retrenchment with the Sieur Rosen and the Marquis de Feuquieres and the Sieur Busca Lieutenant-Generals and the Duke of Roquelaure Mareschal de Camp with the rest of the King's House however this Place was disputed with a great deal of Bravery by our Right of the English Foot Posted here They were Flank'd by the Enemy's Foot now Masters of the Village of Neerwinden and in Front by the Brigades of Vermandois Nice Roussillon and la Sare They came off and Rallyed several times and went on again with a great deal of Courage notwithstanding the Enemy's continued Fire both Front and Flank but at last the Enemy overpower'd them so much that they remain'd Masters of this part of the Retrenchment which they levell'd to make room for this Body of Horse to come in However they did not come in upon so easy Terms but that the first Troop of Life-Guards whereof the Mareschal de Luxembourg is Colonel lost their Standard which was taken by a Soldier of Talmash's Battalion of Guards The Fusiliers suffer'd very much in this Action After the Hanover Horse had been broken by the Enemy the rest of our Right Wing of Horse being cut off from our Body of Foot was soon overthrown by them who now had the opportunity to Charge us both Front and Flank The Elector of Bavaria did what he could to resist the numerous Multitude of the Enemy's Horse that Charg'd him thus but finding it impossible he with the Advice of his Generals resolved to Retreat and made the Cuirassiers by a Counter-march face the Enemy but the Enemy had already so far overpower'd them that the Retreat was difficult The Enemy Charging on all sides mingl'd themselves with the Horse that had got to the River The Elector with some difficulty and hazard passed the Bridge and Rally'd on t'other
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
that was to Winter from the Scheld to the Sea came near Courtray to Fortifie that Town which they have a mind to put in a Condition to hold a formal Siege They made another Detachment towards Dixmuyde to Fortifie that Place for a Winter Quarter and are since separated in their several Quarters all along as near our Frontier as possibly they can in order not to be idle this Winter if the Weather proves kind and favourable and they will be so much the more pressing and urgent to undertake something that they know the Allies are all resolved to make new Levies this Winter to be in a better Condition the next Campagne to resist the French Greatness than they have yet been during this War Both the Mareschals of Luxembourg and Villeroy are gone to the French Court to concert Matters for some undertaking and the Mareschal de Boufflers remains to Command in Flanders And now that Bouffler's Detachment of 12 Battalions from the Rhine is Quarter'd in the Pays de Luxembourg that besides they have now in Flanders the Troops that Guarded the Coasts of Normandy and Britanny 't is not doubted but that they will be able to do us some considerable Damage this Winter unless the Allies are very quick both in the recruiting and augmenting the Forces they have here 'T is wholly their Interest and by what hath hitherto appear'd in this War 't is reasonable to think that it would not be done in vain since the advantage that the French have hitherto had in this War has not proceeded so much from their Bravery as from their Numbers for in all the Rencounters which the Allies have had with them this War it has plainly appear'd that they do owe their Success meerly to the prodigious greatness of their Armies Therefore if it be true that all the Allies put together have more Men and Money than the French King I am of opinion they must attribute the ill Success of this War to nothing else but their unseasonable Parcimony which has rather serv'd to augment the French King's Power than answer'd in the least the design'd ends of the present League So long as we do all ease our Shoulders of the Burden 't is reasonable nay 't is necessary the French should have Success Their efforts are vigorous and ours are faint and languishing We make the War as cheap as possibly we can and that onely serves to make it last the longer and the Charges must be the same at long-run but they are far from being so much to our advantage as when our efforts are great tho' for the present more burdensome The Allies had as good fling their Money into the Sea as think to continue the War with Forces so unequal to those of our Enemy's for whilst they continue on this Foot we onely ruine and weaken our selves to no other purpose than to increase the French Power Whatever success the Enemies have had hitherto yet still the Iron is hot for the Allies to strike if they will but go to the expence of augmenting their Forces The French has made very great efforts this War and his Treasures are not inexhaustible It appears rather by the uncertain value of Coin which is hardly the same two Months together in France that he is reduc'd to very great shifts to replenish his Coffers which were so exhausted the latter part of this Campagne that Money was very scarce in his Armies and Garisons The Colonels had only Bills assign'd them for the payment of their Troops upon which they were to get ready Money as well as they could In their Garisons the Officers were generally so poor that they gave Notes under their hands for want of Money to pay for their Subsistance I have heard of one of our Soldiers that was two Months in their Service after they had made him a Prisoner and deserted over to us again that for the time he was amongst them he received no more than one French Half-Crown of pay All this that I say I have from Gentlemen that have been among them and whom I ought to believe else I should take care not to publish this Besides there reigns a very great Famine and scarceness of Corn all over France and in their Conquests their daily Edicts are authentick proofs of it tho' in the Preface of those Edicts they endeavour'd to throw dust in the Peoples Eyes but words do not feed hungry Bellies And we hear daily in this place what misery the People suffer at Lisle and in other parts of the French Conquests 'T is true this helps the French King to make his Recruits and to encrease his Forces since his Subjects must either be Soldiers or starve but still I dare say that the French King does not love to see his Kingdom in so universal a Desolation when those who are Soldiers rather than Starve leave the Plough and thus only augment the Famine and the publick Calamity In short I may safely affirm that we are all weary of this War the French King as well as the Allies and therefore what the Allies have to do is to raise such an Army for the next Campagne as may put them in a condition to treat of a Peace upon advantageous terms and not be forced to accept of such an one as will only put the French King after a little breathing and that he has replenished his Stores into a better capacity to enslave Christendom which Peace is worse than the worst of Wars And the Allies have this to encourage their vigorous Prosecution of this War I speak particularly as to England and Holland that they have a King who does yet venture his precious Life for the advantage of the common Cause more freely than they can venture their Purses Let the King 's greatest Enemies consider but impartially His Majesty's Conduct and Circumstances and they must be convinc'd that what the King does is not out of any Interest of his own but in an uprightness and sincerity of Conscience to do good to Europe in general and to us his Subjects in particular God has not blest His Majesty and us with an Heir therefore he does not seek the aggrandizing of a Family What then can be the reason that the King does so freely and so often expose his Sacred Person to the greatest Dangers but only a publick Christian King-like Spirit of doing good to his Allies and to his People and to procure a firm and lasting establishment of Christ's true Religion in its ancient and primitive Purity in his Kingdoms and in the Dominions of his other Protestant Allies And since we have follow'd His Majesty in this History from the Field which he left on the 15th to Loo where he arriv'd on the 17th we ought to see him safe in England among his good People before we finish the account of this Campagne The King remain'd at Loo to divert himself after the Fatigues of the Field in Hunting till the 1st of Octob. that he arriv'd at the Hague where His Majesty spent some time in Conferences with the States General and Council of State who have consented to a new Levy of 15000 Men besides the 4000 Suissers rais'd last Summer and to augment proportionably their Maritime Forces The Plenipotentiaries of the other Allies at the Hague have consented to the same Resolution according to their different proportions The King was now hastening over to meet his Parliament in England but he was detain'd by Storms and contrary Winds till the 28th that His Majesty sail'd from Oranie Polder and arriv'd safely the day following about three in the Afternoon at Harwich and so went on to London to the great joy and satisfaction of his good People to see His Majesty safe amongst them after all the great Dangers to which he had expos'd his Person this Campagne The Repartition of the English and Scots Infantry's Quarters for this Winter GHENDT The three Battalions of English Guards the Regiments of Selwyn and Fuziliers BRVGES Scots Guards Royal Regiment Bathe Tidcomb Castleton Graham Offerrel Mackay and Leven MALINES Dutch Guards Churchil Trelawney and Earl DENDER MOND Collingwood and Stanley OSTEND Lauder Ferguson Argyle All the English Horse are Quarter'd at GHENDT except the Life Guards that have their Quarters at BREDA FINIS Errors of the Press PAg. 29. line 1. for Swiming r. Swimming p. 44. l. 14. for and so came the Palisado's r. and came to the Palisado's p. 44. l. 30. for Obscure r. Observe p. 56. l. 21. dele from p. 115. l. 24. for Village r. Siege p. 118. l. 19. for into r. in