Great Guns being extreamly well dispos'd for that purpose In the mean time the Prince having Advice that the Count of Montal was filing along his Right Wing with a great Body of Horse and Foot in order to charge 'em in the Rear and the Marshal to attacque him in the Front for that their Forces were much more numerous than His the Prince immediately caus'd all the Baggage to pass the Scheld at Deinse from thence to be Convoy'd to Gaunt which was done Afterwards he drew off his Artillery from the Batteries and order'd them to take the same Road as also the Ammunition Waggons and the Infantry in several little Bodies And the better to hinder the Enemy from perceiving his Retreat the Prince order'd M. d' Overkirk to face the Enemy with all the Horse and Dragoons of the Right Wing and for that purpose to range himself in Battel Array from Aerseel to Vink which was done and after the Artillery Baggage Ammunition-Waggons and Foot were got far enough before M. de Overkirk follow'd with the Cavalry and Dragoons as the Prince had order'd him Thus was the Enemy amus'd notwithstanding they lay so very near and that the Prince did not begin to march till about Five or Six of the Clock in the Afternoon and consequently in open Day-light And this March was perform'd in so good Order and with so much Speed that the Enemy durst not attack the Consederates Nor had they lost one Man but for a Stratagem which the French us'd which was by making use of Green Colours to intermix with some of the Rear guard and to fall upon Two Battalions and some Granadeers before they could get into a Lane through which they were to pass But the Granadeers and another Battalion making a Halt the Enemy was soon repulsed However this Stratagem cost the Confederates 200 Men. The Marshal enrag'd that such an Opportunity had slipt out of his Hands Burnt and Plunder'd the Village of Wootergen where the Prince had his Head Quarters When his Majesty of Great Britain was inform'd that the Army and the Prince were safe and what a Brave and Masterlike Retreat he had made he sent the Prince the ensuing Letter Cousin YOV may well imagin how uneasie I was upon the Receipt of your last Letter dated Yesterday Noon which came to me this Morning by break of Day and how great a Joy your other Letter was to me Dated from Marykerk near Gaunt this Day at Three of the Clock in the Morning finding that you understood so well with so much prudence and so gloriously to disingage your self from so imminent a Danger I am much oblig'd to you for it for in this Retreat you have given greater Marks of a general accomplishment in the Art of War than if you had won a Battel I absolutely approve your Conduct upon this occasion and I hope it will caution the Enemy from attempting any more of the same Nature In the mean time I impatiently expect to hear which way they will bend their March now they have miss'd their Blow I remain always c. From the Camp before Namur the 15th at Nine a Clock in the Evening Sign'd WILLIAM REX But to return to the Siege after the Attack on Monday was over a Letter was intercepted from M. Bouflers to the King of France wherein after the Marshal had given him a Relation of the particulars of the Attack he very much lamented that it had cost his Majesty above a Thousand Men among which he reckon'd the Counts of Maulevrier and Morstein the Marquis of Monbron the Governor of Cambray's Son Colonel of the Dauphin's Regiment Two other Colonels 16 Captains and several good Officers and Persons of Note It was a Woman who undertook to carry the Letter to Dinant from thence to be sent to the Court but instead of the Recompence which M. Bouflers put her in hopes of receiving for her pains the Besiegers hang'd her up upon a Gibbet that she might serve for an Example to others who should undertake such kind of Messages On the 18th of July Orders were given out for Major General Ramsey with Five Battalions of Guards to Storm an Old Tower that stands below a certain Place call'd la Bouge and the Enemies Works descending toward the Counterscarp the order of which Attack was thus The First Battalion of the First Regiment of Guards a Battalion of Coldstreamers Regiment of Guards and a Battalion of Scotch Guards were order'd for the Attack upon the Right Hand toward the bottom The Second Battalion of the first Regiment of Guards was appointed for the Attack on the Left Hand by the Old Tower At the Head of these Attacks march'd a Hundred and Twenty Fuseliers who carried Fascines before them and the same number of Granadiers follow'd by a Hundred Pioneers with Spades Shovels and Gabions c. On the Right of the Body which advanced on the Right Hand march'd a Hundred Granadiers carrying Fascines before them follow'd by Fifty Pioneers and the same Number of Granadiers was on the Right of the Body on the Left Hand between the Two Attacks Half an Hour after Six a Clock in the Afternoon the Signal was given at what time the Battalions before mention'd march'd forward in the appointed Order with that undaunted Courage and Bravery which is not to be express'd never taking any notice of the Enemies Firing which was very thick and furious For the Fuseliers that were in the Front advanc'd with their Fascines to the very Palisado's where when they had laid 'em down they fell a Firing upon the Enemy while the Granadiers ply'd the Tower and Works the Battalions in the mean time marching close after 'em with their Muskets shoulder'd till they came so very near that they presented over the Palisados driving the Defendants from thence and pursuing them through a wide Place of Arms to the bottom of the Work But the Enemy firing a-fresh from the Counterscarp and a Redoubt that lay on the other side of a Hollow way upon the Assailant's Flank the Lord Cuts immediately hasten'd to second those that were engag'd with Three Battalions of Titcomb Stanley and Collingwood with the First of which he flew to the lowest Palisados and together with the Guards a Second time beat back the Enemy some into the Water others where they could best shift for themselves At the same time Brigadier Fitzpatrick with the Lord Hamilton's his own Regiment of Fuseliers Ingolsby Saundâ—rson Lowder and Maitland set forward toward the Attacks with the Two First to relieve the Dutch Guards and those that were with the Lord Cutts at the lowest Palisado's the rest were drawn up by the Tower to give assistance as occasion requir'd only Lowders Regiment was posted on the other side of the Hollow way to prevent Flanking and Surprize In the mean time Major General Ramsey commanded the Pike-men to carry Fascines and raise a work sufficient to withstand a Musket Shot and when he had posted in
Council of War that Evening and the next Morning the Army drew nearer the City The 3d his Majesty took up his Quarters at Flawen on this side the Samber Villeroy observing these unexpected Movements sent away several Detachments to joyn Bouflers But the Prince of Vaudemont who watches the French General sent away as many Detachments from his Army as the Marshal detach'd from his and Encampt at Gramme near Deinse The 4th in the Evening the Beseigers began to fall briskly to work in drawing and making their Lines of Circum-Vallation and Contra-Vallation but notwithstanding all their diligence they could not prevent Bouflers from getting into the Town with several Regiments of Dragoons and M. Megâ—igni the Chiefest Engineer in France next to M. Vauban So that there was then said to be in the Town and Cittadel besides those Seven Regiments one and twenty Battalions a Regiment of Cavalry several Great Officers a Company of Frank Volunteers a Company of Canoneers another of Miners a Brigade of Engineers and Ammunition and Provisions for six Months By the 12th the Lines being finish'd and some Batteries to cover the Workmen and Pioneers the same evening the Trenches were open'd in three several Places and the Beseigers play'd from one Battery while the Workmen labour'd without ceasing to bring the rest to perfection During which time the Beseiged made three Sallies but in every one had no Success being still repuls'd with loss Tho' Mr. General Fagel was wounded in one of 'em and the Baron of Plettemberg the Bishop of Munster's Nephew and a very good Officer Slain with a Cannon Bullet On the 8th of July N. S. Twenty Battalions of Foot of which Thirteen were English and Scotch being sent from the Prince of Vaudemont's Army joyn'd the Beseigers under the Command of the Count of Nassau Lieutenant General and M. General Ramsey and upon the 10th Four English and Two Battalions of Dutch under the leading of the Lord Cutts arriv'd in the Camp so that the Besiegers were then no less 90 Battalions of Infantry The Artillery also consisted of 120 Great Guns and 60 Mortars Upon the 12th of July Major General Salish relieved the Trenches the next day Major General Lindeboome and upon the 14th Major General Henkelem During which time the Besiegers Works and Approaches being carried on within Pistol-shot of the Enemies Out-works upon the Hill near Brussels Gate his Majesty resolv'd to storm those Works To which purpose all things being in a readiness the Attack was begun on Monday the 15th about Six a Clock in the Afternoon upon the Right Hand by Five Battalions of the Foot-Guards commanded by Major General Ramsey seconded by Nine Battalions more of English and Scotch Upon the Left Eight Dutch and other Regiments under the Command of Major General Salish were order'd to undertake the Assault This Attack was performed with a more than ordinary Courage and a Success answerable For after a very sharp and obstinate Dispute that held near upon Two Hours the Besieged were beaten out of their Forts upon the Hill and a Great Entrenchment that leads to the Town of which the Victors possessed themselves being the most considerable Outworks which the Besiegers had on this side In this Attack the Besiegers had in all about 300 Men slain out-right and 400 Wounded Of the English Guards Lieutenant Collonel Robinson Five Lieutenants and Two Ensigns were slain Colonel Matthews and several others were wounded Of the French side M. Moulevier and M. de Vitry who acted as Brigadiers and the Count of Morstein Son in Law to the Duke of Chevreuse with about 50 Commanders more of Note kill'd besides Inferior Officers and about 1600 Men Kill'd and Wounded The same day about Two Hours before this desperate Attack the Besieged made a Sally upon the Brandenburghers Quarter but after a sharp Conflict were beaten back and pursu'd to the very Gates of the Fort near the Meuse The Enemies loss could not choose but be very considerable on the other side the Brandenburghers lost a Collonel and some other Officers kill'd and had about a Hundred Men kill'd and wounded On the Tuesday Night following Major General Heukelom reliev'd the Trenches the next Night Major General Salish and on Thursday Night Major General Ramsey And at the same time they had several Batteries playing against the detach'd Bastions that were between Brussels and St. Nicholas Gate toward which they were making their Approaches with all the speed they could While things were thus hotly disputed between the Besiegers and the Besieged at Namur Marshal de Villeroy well understanding that the Army under the Command of the Prince of Vaudemont was very much weaken'd by the sending of several Detachments to the Siege and other Places thought he bad now an Opportunity to do a considerable piece of Service for his Master by cutting off so considerable a part of the Confederate Forces To which purpose he drain'd all the French Garrisons round about and having by that means drawn together a Force that was almost treble in Number to the Prince of Vaudemont he set forward with a full Resolution to fall upon him in his Trenches in Front Flank and Rear confident he had him in such a Snare that 't was impossible a Man should escape him 'T was upon the 10th of July therefore that the French Army under Villeroy decamp'd from Pont Escanaffe and quitted their Lines to attack the Prince who lay near Deinse Now in regard that the Confederates were so encamp'd that the Enemy would have had 'em in Flank the Prince thought it convenient to alter the Array of his Army and to post his Right Wing beyond Aerseele whereas it was posted at Dendergem and the Left Wing he posted all along the Lys a little above Gramme whereas before it was posted at Zeveren near Deinse About Eight a Clock in the Evening some Squadrons of the Enemies advanced as far as Dendergem and began to charge the Prince's Advanc'd Guards who retreated between Dendergem and the Front of the Army according to the Orders they had received The Night following the Prince order'd a Line to be cast up to cover his Left Wing and Main Body and order'd several Pieces of Canon to be planted in the principal Avenues to the Camp The 14th between Seven and Eight in the Morning it was easily perceiv'd that the Enemies Army began to reach Denderghem making a shew as if they intended to side off to the Princes Left Wing In the mean time the Right Wing was surrounded with a Line as the Left and the Main Body had been environ'd before But the Enemy made a Halt near Denderghem till about Noon when their whole Army fil'd along the High-way of Thielt and came to post themselves within Canon shot of the Prince's Right Wing And then it was that the Prince expected a General Assault But they durst not venture to attacque him seeing him so well entrench'd and in so very good Order to receive them the
with great Obstinacy to dislodge them Insomuch that when most of the Officers of the Bavarian Guards were kill'd and Wounded and that the other Regiments had suffered great Damage the Enemy still firing with a more than ordinary Resolution the English who had quitted the Terra Nova as not being able to do any good on that side seconded the Bavarians and Spaniards under the Command of the Lord Cutts who at the same time having order'd a Lieutenant of Colonel Mackay's Regiment with 30 Men to break through the Palisados and attack a Battery of the Enemies the Lieutenant executed his Orders with that undaunted Bravery that he turn'd Seven of the Enemies Canon against themselves and at the same instant secur'd some of their Mines by which means the English and Bavarians planted their Colours upon the Palisados and made a good Lodgment In the mean time M. Gen. la Cave with his Brandenburghers and M. Gen. Swering with his Dutch-men made each of them Two other Lodgments of which the Besiegers continu'd in possession and presently fell to work to improve them in order to another Assault and the Batteries were order'd to play afresh upon the Terra Nova to make the Breach wider and facilitate a 2d Attack In this Action the Loss that fell upon the Four English Regiments who made the Assault was as follows The Lord Cutts Wounded Nineteen Commission Officers kill'd and Fifty Four Wounded Private Soldiers 339. Slain outright 682 Wounded Volunteers Wounded Col. Windsor Mr. Thompson Mr. Stanhope Other Advice from His Majesties Camp at Ostin Sept. 1. N.S. gave a farther Account that during these Transactions the Enemy appear'd every Day in the Front of the Confedrates Line that on the Tuesday before they came with about 70 Squadrons to Boneff extending their Line from that Place to the Right Hand near Perwys Upon which his Majesty order'd the Confederate Army to move extending his Right Wing to Longchamp and his Left to St. Denis and leaving a Brigade of Masy to secure that Post The last of August they appear'd with about Eleven Squadrons near the Advanc'd Guard but were soon repuls'd The next day his Majesty having din'd Early and in the Afternoon being upon the Road returning to the Siege in order to give Directions for a second Attack of the Castle was met by an Adjutant sent by the D. of Bavaria to inform his Majesty that M. Bouflers and the Count de Guiscard had desir'd to Capitulate that they had offer'd at first to treat for Coehorn Fort alone but that being refus'd 'em by the Elector they had agreed to capitulate for the whole Thereupon so soon as his Majesty was arriv'd Hostages were exchang'd and Proposals brought from the Castle to the Salsine the Enemy insisted at first that they might have Ten Days time to expect Succour but that was absolutely refus'd 'em for it was plain that the Enemy had suffer'd very much in the last Assault and that they were extreamly discourag'd by their Losses So that at length upon the 2d of September N. S. in the Morning the Capitulation for the Surrender of the Castle of Namur was Sign'd and the Besiegers took the possession of part of the Outworks upon which Villeroy began to draw off and retire with the French Army toward Flerus The Substance of the Capitulation was That the Outward Fortifications that is to say the Fort of Coehorn the Redoubt Casemate the Hornwork of Bale and the Casotte should be delivered up the 2d Instant by nine in the morning That the Garrison should march out with Drums beating Colours flying two pieces of Cannon 24 two 12 and two 6 Pounders two Mortars and this upon the 5th Instance in the morning That they should be provided with Horses and Wagons sufficient for transportation of their Equipage and such of the Sick and Wounded as are able to depart with the Garrison and that the Besieged might leave Officers and Commissaries to take care of the rest That no Officers shall be stopp'd for Money lent or Goods deliver'd provided they give Security or Hostages for satisfaction of what they might owe. That no satisfaction should be demanded for Houses demolished during the Siege but that Cattel and Horses taken in the County of Namur before the Siege shall be paid for All Magazines to be faithfully deliver'd up All Mines to be faithfully discover'd c. Of this Capitulation Two Copies were Sign'd One by the Elector of Bavaria the other by Marshal de Bouflers and Monsieur de Guiscard FINIS