yet you shall find most of the Brigades by Name that the Author of that Relation makes mention of in this List This was the numerous Army which the French King came to Head in Person in Flanders strong enough to have better answer'd the Designs of his Voyage considering how inferiour we were to them in Number if it had not been for the Care His Majesty and the Elector took to thwart his ambitious Designs by their prudent ordering of Business upon the Maes and in our little Army a handful of Men I may say in comparison of our Enemies Forces which the Reader may compare by the List of our own Army when at Park-Camp which we shall hereafter insert The King made such Diligence to possess himself of Park-Camp by which he cover'd equally Brussels Louvain and Malines that He entirely broke the French King's Designs upon Brabant unless the Enemy had ventur'd to force us in our strong Camp at Park which indeed would have been a deciding of the Business and worth the undertaking of so great a Monarch as the French King's considering the prodigious Army he had and that success in such an Attempt promis'd him no less than all the great and rich Towns in Brabant as Brussels Louvain Antwerp and Malines and consequently the remainder of the Spanish Netherlands which wou'd have been a more effectual way of bringing the Allies to a Peace than sending a Detachment in Germany under the Dauphin But the French King did not think it fit to hazard either his Person or his Army at that time 'T was on the 26th of May that His Majesty decamp'd from Degham to possess himself of this strong Post which bauk'd the designs of our numerous Enemies and whereas His Majesty generally made two Marches from Degham to Parck the first to Bethlehem yet upon this pressing occasion the Army march'd it in one day which prov'd so hot Weather that several Soldiers fell down dead under their Arms. Our Right at this Camp was at Havre a House belonging to the Duke of Arschot where the Elector took his Quarter cover'd by the River Dyle Louvain and the little Brook that runs from the Bois de Merdal to Parck-Abbey and so to Louvain remain'd in our Rear Our Left was cover'd by the strong Defiles of the Bois de Merdal which from thence cover'd the Front of our Army to the River Dyle making with our Left Wing an acute Angle There remained between the Bois de Merdal and the River Dyle a little space of open ground which cou'd give Passage to the Enemy in our Camp but this being commanded by the heights of Birbeck His Majesty caus'd afterwards several Battalions to Incamp there as we shall hereafter tell you which were sustained by a perpendicular Line of Horse and Dragoons between this place and the Center of our Left Wing The Body under the Duke of Wirtemberg and Lieutenant General Talmash join'd us in this March and Incamp'd in the Line We were likewise join'd with the Body of Horse under my Lord of Athlone who had advanc'd as far as Tillemont in order to joyn us upon this March He encamp'd a part in the Rear of our Left Wing of Horse to make the Body of Reserve so that our Army consisted then of the Forces following A List of the Confederates ARMY at Parck-Camp Note That Count d' Egmont General of the Spanish Horse has not serv'd at all this Campagne by reason of Sickness of which he dy'd at Brussels last September for which reason he is omitted in the List of the General Officers Right Wing of HORSE Elector of BAVARIA General Officers under him were The Marquis de Bedmar Mestre de Camp or Colonel General of the Spanish Horse Lieutenant Generals The Electoral Prince of Hanouer Du Puy Count d' Arco Lieutenant General of the Bavarian Cuirassiers Baron d' Offener Lieutenant General of the Hanouer Horse Du Mont Lieutenant General of the Hanouer Foot Major Generals Prince Charles of Brandenbourg Counts de Brouay de Thian de Soye Bouche Oorh First Line Regim Squad Spanish Valençar 2 Drag Fourna 2 Guards of Bavaria 2 Guards of Egmont 1 Guards of Vaudemont 1 Guards du Puy 1 Brancaccio 1 Chimay 1 Hartman 1 Bavar Arco 2 Cuir Weickel 2 Hanou. Bulau 3 Drag  Hanou. Offner 3 Horse  Hanou. Du Mont 1 Foot St. Paul 1 Guards 1 Montigny 2 Hanou. Prince Elector  Horse de Hanouer 1 Gua. d'Hanouer 1  Total Horse 26  Foot 3 Bat. Second Line Regim Squad Prince of Steenhuy's Dra. 2 Vaudemont 1 Du Puy 1 Moncade 1 Bettencourt 1 Don Augustino 1 Ximene 1 Spinosa 1 Prince Char. of Lorrain 1 Pignatelli 1 Bavar Arco 2 Cuir Weickel 2 Hanou. Breitenbachk 2 Horse Tarkenheel 2 Hanou. Cordon 1 Foot Koningsmark 1 Breemer 1 Hanou. Oorh 2 Horse Voght 2  Total Horse 23  Foot 3 Bat. Body of FOOT His Majesty of GREAT-BRITTAIN General Officers under Him Prince Cassimir of Nassau Velt Mareschal General of Foot Count Solmes General of Foot Lieutenant Generals Duke of Wirtemburg Talmash Prince of Birkenfeldt Major Generals Count Nassau Sir Henry Bellasis Wymbergh Noyelles Ellembergh Brigadiers of the King 's own Forces Churchil Ramsey Earl Count d' Alfeldt of the Danes Note That where the Line is stop'd by a stroke thus so far reaches the Body of Foot in the King's Pay First Line Battal English Guards 1 Reg. 1 English Guards 2 Reg. 1 Dutch Guards 1 Scots Guards 1 Royal Regiment 1 Pr. George or Churchil 1 Fuziliers or Fitzpatrick 1 Collingwood 1 Stanley 1 Earle 1 Scotch Fuzil or Offerrel 1 Mackay 1 Monroe 1 Second Line Battal English Guards 1 Reg. 1 Dutch Guards 1 Scotch Guards 1 Royal Regiment 1 Selwyn 1 The Queens or Trelawney 1 Bathe 1 Tidcomb 1 Graham 1 Lauder 1 Leven 1 Argyle 1 Queen of Denmark 1 First Line Battal Danish Guards 1 Prince Frederick 1 Prince George 1 Jutland 1 Nassaw 1 Oork lately Greben 1 Suerin 1 Rhingrave 1 Noyelles 1 Wymberg 1 Tersay 1 Nassaw Friesland 2 Total 26 Second Line Battal Prince Christian 1 Zeeland 1 Finland 1 Packmoer 1 Buwer 1 Swerin 1 Anhalt 1 Aylica 1 L' Ecluse 1 Bernstorf 1 Fagel 1 La Motte 1 Nassau Groningue 1 Total 26 Left Wing of HORSE Prince of NASSAU SARBRUCK Velt-Mareschal General of Horse Lieutenant Generals Earl of Portland Auverquerque Opdam Scravenmore Major Generals Lord Galloway Duke of Ormond Earl of Scarborough my Lord Colchester La Forrest Zuylestein Brigadiers of the King's Forces Boncourt Letang Lumley First Line Squad Lipzel 2 Warfusé 2 Saxe-Goth◠2 Darmstadt 2 Ryswick 2 Athlone 2 Queens or Lumley 3 Langston 2 Wyndhant 2 Leinster 2 Galloway 3 Berkley 2 Life-Gu Auverquerque 1 Life-Gu Colchester 1 Life-Gu Scarborough 1 Hesse Marowitz Dutch 3 3 Dra. 3 3 Fitzharding Eppinger Total 41 Second Line Squad Nassau Friesland 3 Brendick 2 Dompré 2 Welfembuttel 2 Lippe Holl. 2 Opdam 2 Hombourg 2 Monpoüillan 2 Zuylestein 2
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
Lord Lucan Mareschals de Camp were order'd to march with the Brigades of Piémont the King 's Crussol Orleans and Reynold to the Village of High-VVinden where they joyn'd the Brigades of Salis and Arbouville which had been posted here before by the Lieutenant General Montchevreüil Note That the late King James's Guards were in this Brigade of Arbouville but not being detach'd with Montchevreüil upon the pretended design of the Lines they were afterwards put in some of the Brigades which were posted upon the Enemies Right at Landen and between that and St. Gertruydenland of which we have now given an account and which afterwards charg'd us at Neerlanden where they were vigorously repulsed of which more hereafter Between these two Villages where the foresaid Infantry had been posted viz. Landen and Overwinden Luxembourg order'd a Line of Horse of 7 Squadrons of the Kings House of the Mestre de Camp or Colonel General of Horse's Regiment of the Regiments of Dauphin Stranger and that of Bourbon with the Mareschal de Villeroy and the Sieur Rozen Lieutenant General and the Duke of Roquelaure Mareschal de Camp He order'd a second Line made up of the Brigades of French and Suiss Guards and that of Guiche Commanded by the Prince of Conti A third of Horse made up of the rest of the Houshold the Brigades of Bolen Carabiniers and the Regiment of Praslin which remain'd of the Mestre de Camp Generals Brigade The Marquis de Feuquieres and the Sieur Busca both Lieutenant Generals the Duke of Elboeuf and the Count of Nassau Mareschals de Camp had the Command of this Line After he order'd a fourth Line of Foot consisting of the Brigades of Vermandois Zurbeck and Zurlaube Suissers Nice Royal Roussillon and la Sarre The rest of the Horse Commanded by Lieutenant General Vateville made up several other Lines as the Ground wou'd permit and the whole disposition of the Horse was made according to the Orders received from the Duke of Chartres who commanded it The Chevalier de Bezons Mareschal de Camp with the Reserve was posted behind the Village of Overwinden and Lieutenant-General Ximenes and Mareschal de Camp Pracontal were commanded to the same place with several Brigades of Horse drawn both from the Right and from the Left The Reserve was made up here with three Squadrons of the Grand Mousquetaires the Regiments of Dragoons of Bellegarde St. Fremond St. Hermine each consisting of four Squadrons besides two Battalions of the Fuziliers This is the Order in which the French Army remain'd this Night As soon as the Enemy drew up by our Camp the King order'd Brigadier Ramsey with his Brigade then compos'd of five Battalions viz. Offerrell Mackay Lauder Leven and Monroe to the Right of all before our Right Wing of Horse to guard some Hedges and hollow Ways which there cover'd our Right just upon the Right of the Village of Laér The Brandenbourg Battalions were posted at this Village and to the Left of it and more to the Lest the Infantry of Hanover Prince Charles of Brandenbourg as Major-General commanded the six Battalions of Brandenbourg and Lieutenant-General Du Mont those of Hanover with whom he was to defend the Village of Neerwinden that cover'd part of our Camp between the Right Wing of Horse and our main Body These were afterwards reinforc'd by the First Battalion of the First Regiment of Guards the Second Battalion of Dutch Guards and the Second Battalion of Scotch Guards Upon the Left at Neerlanden his Majesty order'd the First Battalion of the Royal Regiment Churchill's Selwyn's and Trelawney's Prince Frederick's Battalion of Danes and Fagel's to possess this Vilage that cover'd the Left of our Body of Foot which upon the Enemies approach had wheel'd from the Left to the Right to bring up their Left to the Brook of Beck where 't was cover'd by this Village of Neerlanden The Ground was open between Neerwinden and Neerlanden whereupon his Majesty order'd a Retrenchment to be made in the night from the one to the other to cover our Body of Foot which indeed was but a slight Breast-work as a Man may judge by the time they had to make and the number of Men that worked about it viz. 30 Men per Battalion and yet the French King is pleas'd to call this in his Letter to the Archbishop of Paris a formidable Retrenchment which Hyperbolical Epithet would certainly have been more becoming a Poet 's licencious way of writing who to render the least things admirable is allowed to heigthen their Idea's with pompous and high-flown Epithets than the Honour and Credit of a King who one would think shou'd be oblig'd in such a Case to the strictest Rules of Truth particularly when 't is to set forth his own Praise What remain'd of the Body of Foot was drawn up in one Line within this Retrenchment to defend it Our Dragoons upon the Left were order'd to the Village of Dormal to guard that Pass upon the Brook of Beck and from thence our Left Wing of Horse reached to Neerlanden where 't was cover'd by this Brook and from thence turn'd off to the Right behind our Body of Foot where it made as 't were the Figure of an Elbow The King July 19. who hitherto had been on Horseback continually till late in the Evening to order the disposition of his Army to visit and secure the Posts that cover'd us and to see how our Retrenchment went on at last order'd his Coach to be brought up to the Rear of Stanley's Regiment where his Majesty went in to take a little rest and at the same time to be ready upon every Occasion The King repos'd in his Coach two or three hours and early in the morning his Majesty whose Piety is as unparallel'd as his Valour sent for Doctor Menard one of his Chaplains into the Coath to pray with him suitably to the Occasion and to beg a Blessing upon his Majesty's Arms but above all that God would be pleas'd to preserve his precious Person as he had hitherto done in the most evident Dangers under the Wings of his Almighty and Gracious Providence And tho' the King who is Pious without Ostentation or Hypocrisie would not have his Devotion publish'd out of his Closet yet I thought my self oblig'd to publish this for an Example to our Officers and Soldiers that they may be sensible that the most Heroick Valour is that which is grounded upon a good Conscience and a true Christian Piety that they are mightily mistaken who think that Piety at such a time does express a dejectedness and fear of Mind which indeed is true in those who are never Pious but then and that Men cannot express how undaunted and unconcern'd they are at such an hour but by bellowing out their Oaths and telling Stories of their filthy and infamous Debaucheries Would to God his Majesty's Forces would as readily propose to themselves the King's Example in this Case as they are willing to follow him when
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
came the 26th and encamp'd at Herlaymont-Capelle upon the River of Pieton between Mons and Charleroy and within two or three Leagues of the latter 'T was now expected that the French King would not suffer this Garison to molest any more the Convoys that came to his Army and that he would set down before it but he had greater Designs in his Head than the reduction of this small Place and so march'd on to Gemblours where both his Armies joyn'd and made a formidable Body of 119700 Men both Horse and Foot computing as 't is always done the first opening of a Campagne every Battalion to consist of 600 effective Men one with another and every Squadron of 150 Maîtres one with another Boufflers had in his Army 52 Battalions 117 Squadrons Luxembourg 78 Battalions 161 Squadrons Total of Battalions 130 which makes 78000 Foot Total of Squadrons 278 which makes 41700 Horse Total of Horse and Foot 119700 Men which made more than double the Number of our Army So that if it had not been for the special Care of His Majesty and the Elector of Bavaria the disproportion between our Forces and the Enemies was so great that the French King cou'd think of nothing less than the forcing the Bishop of Liege to a Neutrality the making himself Master of Brabant and the overthrow of the Allies There have been a great many Lists of this numerous Army printed both in England and Holland according to the Original published at Paris nevertheless because a particular List may very much contribute to the understanding of the following Account especially that of the Battel at Landen 't will not be amiss to insert it here where it has its most proper place Note That those Regiments that are mark'd with an Asterism * are those which were detach'd afterwards towards the Rhine with the Mareschal de Boufflers under the Command of the Dauphin The Mareschal de Luxembourg's Army Right Wing of Horse Mareschal de Villeroy First Line General Officers under him Lieutenant General Fenquiers Rohan Mareschal de Camp i. e. Major General Duc de Roquelaure Second Line General Officers under him Lieutenant General Vatteville Mareschal de Camp Duc de Monmorency Brigades Regim Squad Grammont Dragoons Colonel General 4 De Grammont 4 Roussy Gensd'armes * 8 Dalon Cavalry Du Roy 4 Bourgogne 4 Bourbon 4 Villeroy 4 Chalons 4 St. Simon Cavalry Gournay 2 St. Simon 2 Orleans 4 Cravattes du Roy 4   Total 48 Brig Regim Squad Massot Dragoons Massot 4 Lomaria 4 Rotembourg Cavalry Lavaliere 4 Rotembourg 3 Fienne 4 Levi 4 Presle Cavalry Nassau 4 Presle 4   Total 31 Body of FOOT Mareschal de LUXEMBOURG First Line Lieutenant Generals The Prince of Conti The Duke of Berwick Mareschal de Camp The Count de Mailly Second Line Lieutenant General Rubantel Mareschals de Camp Count de Solre Sarsfield Lord Lucan Brig Regim Batt Navarre Navarre 3 Humieres 2 Lyonnois Lyonnois 2 Maulevrier 2 Bourbonnois Bourbonnois 2 Provence 2 Crussol Crussol 1 Greder Allemand 2 Lauzonois 1 Guiche Guiche 2 Royal Ital. 1 Beavoisois 1 Thià nge La Couronne * 2 Thià nge 2 Rousillon Rousillon 2 Vermandois 2 Haynaut 1 Orleans Orleans 2 La Saure 1 Foix 1 Piemont Chartres 1 Piemont 3   Total 38 Brig Regim Batt Anjou Anjou 2 Royal Danes 2 Nice Nice 1 Pugey 1 Perigueux 1 Moulin 1 Artois Artois 1 Solre 1 Berry 1 Blaisois 1 Montenay 1 Harbauville La Marche 1 Charoloys * 1 Harbauville 1 K. Jam. Guar. 2 Reynauld Suisse Reynauld 4 Scheilberg 2 Salis Suisse Greder 4 Salis 4 La Châtre Limoge 1 Launois 1 La Marche 1 La Châtre 2   Total 37 Left Wing of HORSE Mareschal de Joyeuse First Line Lieutenant Generals The Duke of Bourbon Marquiss de la Vallette Mareschals de Camp Conte de Marsin The Duke d' Elbeouf Second Line Lieutenant General Ximenes Mareschal de Camp Pracontal Brigades Regim Squad Montfort Curassiers 4 Roussilon 4 Chartres 2 Furstemberg 2  Carabiniers 8 Phelipeaux Celainvillier 2 Pralin 2 Dauph Strang. 4 Mestre de Camp-General 4 Precontal Drag Bretoncelle 4 Fimarton 4   Total 40 Brig Regim Squad Rassaut Rassant 4 Pracontal 4 Manderscheid 4 La Bessiere La Bessiere 4 Chatillon 4 Montreüil Drag Dignon 4 Count Tesse 4 Montreüil 4   Total 32 Reserve  Dragoons Squadr Bellegarde 4 Asfeld 4 St. Fremond 4 St. Hermine 4  Total 16 Battal * Royal Artillery 3 One Battallion with the Dauphin A List of the Mareschal de Boufler's ARMY Right Wing of HORSE First Line Lieutenant General Duc de Maine Mareschals de Camp Lanion Lignery Second Line Lieutenant General Tallard Mareschal de Camp Vaudeville Brig Regim Squad Cailus Drag Regim Royal 4 Cailus 4 Chantreau 4 Reneville Granadiers 1 Life-Guards * 12 Gensdarmes 2 Chevaux legers 2 Blainville Carabiniers * 5   Total 34 Brig Regim Squad Blanchefort Anjou 2 Bouflers * 4 Bezons 4 Courtehonne Clermont 4 Glisy 4 Courtebonne * 4   Total 22 Note That there were Three Squadrons of the Life-Guards and Two of the Carabiniers onely detach'd with the Dauphin Body of FOOT The Mareschal de Boufler's First Line Lieutenant General Count de Montchevreüil Mareschal de Camp Marquis de Crequi Second Line Lieutenant General Monsieur de Gasse Mareschal de Camp Baron de Bressy Brig Regim Batt Champagne Champagne * 3 Boufler's * 2 Cadricus Dauphin * 3 Poulouse 2 Guards French Guards 6 Suisse Guards 4 Chavaux La Reine * 3 Perigord * 1 Du Roy ou Turville Le Roy 4   Total 28 Brig Regim Battal Cavois Poitou 2 Cavois 1 Dantin Languedoc * 2 Montroüy 1 Fontenay * 1 Zurbeck Suisse Stouppe 4 Zurbeck 4 Surlaube Surlaube 2 Lignery * 1 Sauterre 1 Theroy Du Pas 1 Theroy 1 Du Maine * 2   Total 23 Left Wing of HORSE First Line Lieutenant-General Maurevers Mareschal de Camp La Motte Second Line Lieutenant-General Busca Mareschal de Camp Nassaw Brig Reg. Squad Bole. Royal Allemand 3 Berry 2 Condé 2 Roguespine 4 Villequier 2 Conat Rohan 2 Aubusson 2 Conat 3 Du Maine * 2 Commis Gen. 4 D'Asfeld D'Asfeld 4 Drag Dauphin 4   Total 34 Brig Reg. Squad Immecourt Langallerie * 4 Immecourt 4 Courcelle * 2 Rozel Valay 4 Melac * 4 Rozel * 4   Total 22  Reserve Squad * 1. Musqueteers 2 2. Musqueteers 4   6 Bombardiers 1 Battalion Note That of the Reserve of the Grand Musqueteers three Squadrons were detach'd with the Dauphin I have in this List given the Names to many of the Brigades not as they are in the printed List of the Army but as we find them in the Relation of the Battel of Landen printed at Paris to make it more Intelligible and tho' the Dauphin's Detachment did no doubt very much alter the Disposition of the several Brigades in the French King's Army from what 't was at first when this List was published
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
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
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
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
Schack 2 Vittinghoff 2 Boncourt 2 Wirtemberg Zeeland La Forrest 2 Danes 2 2 Total 31 A List of the Body of Horse under the Command of the Earl of Athlone which made the Reserve at Parck-Camp Earl of Athlone General of Horse Count Nassau Weilbourgh Major General First Line Squad Dorfling 2 Nassau Weilbourgh 3 Ostfriese 1 Wesel or Chauvet 2 Erpach 2 Prince Philip of Brandenbourg 2 Tilly 2 Total 14 Second Line Squad Hesse 2 Dewits 2 Flodorf 2 Hubert 2 Slain 2 Saxe Heylberg 2 Heyden 2 Nassau Sarbruck 2 Total 16 We had likewise six Brandenburgh Battalions in the King of Spain's Service which Encamp'd apart about a League from Louvain in the way to Vilvorde under the Command of Major General Baron de Heyde So that the whole Body of our Army sum'd up together consisted of 151 Squadrons which at 150 Maîtres per Squadron make 22650 Horse and 64 Battalions viz. 52 in the main Body 6 Hanouers in the Right Wing 6 of Brandenbourg under the Command of Major General Baron de Heyden which at 600 Men effective per Battalion makes 38200. All which makes the sum Total of our Army at that time to be 60850 effective Men whereby it appears that the French at the beginning of this Campagne out-number'd us by 58850 Men so that the difference between the Enemy and us made as good an Army as our own This I hope will convince the World that tho' the French have had no small Success this Campagne in Flanders yet it must be the effect of a great deal of Conduct on our side that they have not had more After that his Majesty had posted himself in the Important Camp at Parck which frustrated all the French King's designs upon Brabant and that we had an Army rather than a Garison in Liege that Maestricht was likewise very well provided which Place we may reckon pretty safe till the French can make themselves Masters of the Maes between it and Namur the French King chose rather to make a fruitless tho' expensive Voyage than meddle with so inconsiderable a Siege as that of Huy or Charleroy which was the only undertaking that he could now propose to himself And besides the Mareschal de L' Orge having made himself Master of Heydelberg the French King thought he cou'd make considerable Conquests in Germany if the Mareschal de L'Orge was suppli'd with a speedy Detachment for which reason he detach'd the Dauphin and the Mareschal de Boufflers with 27 Battalions and 46 Squadrons whereof a List has been thus publish'd The DAUPHIN June The Mareschal de Boufflers Lieutenant-Generals Duc du Maine Tallard Gasse Major-Generals Lanion La Motte Vaudeville Mailly Infantry Regim Batt Champagne 3 Dauphin 3 The Queens 3 Du Maine 2 Poitou 2 Languedoc 2 La Chatres 2 Fuziliers 1  18 Infantry Regim Batt Boufflers 2 Perigord 1 La Couronne 2 Charolois 1 Cavois 1 Lignery 1 Fontenay 1  9  18  Battalions 27 HORSE under the Danphin Regim Squad Anjou 2 Du Maine 2 Courcelle 2 Boufflers 4 Balincourt 4 Courtebonne 4 Langallerie 4  22 Regim Squad Melac 4 Rozel 4 Carabiniers 2 Life-Guards 3 Grand Mousquetiers 3 Gensd'arms 8  24  22  Squadrons 46 After the French King had made this detachment for the Rhine he thought fit to return to Versailles without attempting any thing in this Country where his Majesty arriv'd the 16th of June so inconsiderable a Siege as that of Huy was not worth his presence Every body was very much surprized at this return but more particularly the Zealots of his own Nation who think that Victory and Conquest are entail'd upon every Journey he undertakes They have been very much puzl'd to reconcile this with their Invincible Monarch's Glory Some have fancied to make it out that the French King's Journey in Flanders was but a Feint for the Allyes to bring their best Forces here to make his design'd Conquests more sure in Germany and when the Dauphin was detach'd they fancied this Project so sure that they talk'd before-hand of nothing but of his Conquests and Victories upon the Rhine and a Man wou'd almost believe by their Writings that they expected the Dauphin wou'd have had his Winter Quarters at Vienna and shared the broken Empire with the Grand Signior And as Triumph must attend the French King wherever he goes so because he cou'd meet with no other in this Journey they made this Project pass for a Triumph of Wisdom and the Master-piece of Policy but it has pleas'd God that in this design they have reckon'd without their Host and so have been oblig'd to reckon twice The Allyes upon the Rhine under the Command of the brave Prince of Baden have been so Watchful and Unanimous that the Dauphin has made as fruitless a Journey upon the Rhine as the King his Father had done in Flanders and is return'd to Versailles without attempting any thing upon the Empire After the French King had left his Army and that the Dauphin had march'd with his detachment towards the Rhine Luxembourg advanc'd with the Army as far as Meldert in sight of our own his Right near Tillemont and his Left at Florival upon the River Dyle which Abbey the French who spare nothing tho' in their opinion Sacred spoil'd and plunder'd The French King's Quarters were mark'd at Meldert and Luxembourg took his at Cluis The Bois de Merdal remain'd between us and equally cover'd our left Wing of Horse and the Body of our Army The French possess'd themselves of the Cloister of Valdue a Cloister of Benedictin Nuns situated almost in the middle of the Wood where they kept a continual Guard The Ground between the skirts of this Wood and the River Dyle being something open his Majesty order'd a detachment of six English and Scots Regiments viz. two of the Royal Regiment Bathe Collinwood Scots Fuziliers and Levens to Incamp upon the Heights and amongst the Defilés of Birbeck which commanded this Passage to our Camp besides two Danish Battalions which Incamp'd in that Line of Horse and Dragoons that ran perpendicular from this Post to the center of our left Wing of Horse where they were ready to second us if attack'd On the 7th in the Evening the French entertain'd us with a Feu de joy that is a tripple discharge of their Artillery and small Shot which was drawn out of their Lines for that purpose to express their Joy for the taking of Roses by the Mareschal de Noailles in Catalonia We found that their fire went a prodigious length which we cou'd very easily see in the dusk of the Evening by which means we perceived the great length of Ground upon which the French Army was there Incamp'd June The thick and close Wood of Merdal which remain'd between us and the Enemy gave opportunity to a prodigious multitude of Deserters on both sides to leave the Army Of the French there were no less than 1100
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
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