by the Ears in which 't is to be fear'd they meet but with too much Encouragement from the People on both sides The Second The Marechal of Villeroy sent a Trumpet to the Prince of Vaudemont to notifie to him that a Courier had pass'd through the Marechal of Catinat's Army the day before going to the French King with an Account of the Prince of Conti's Election to the Crown of Poland and that he had been proclaim'd King by the Cardinal Primate before the Courier came away from Warsaw The same day all our Artillery was drawn off from the Batteries upon the Retrenchment and paraded upon the Height near the Wind-mill of Ganshoren the Post where it had been before at our first coming to this Camp it was at first suppos'd that this bringing of the Artillery together was for a Feu de joye for the Duke of Saxony's Election to the Crown of Poland but it was brought from thence to incamp in the Rear of the Second Line two or three days after The Fourth in the Evening all the Artillery in the Marechals of Villeroy and Boufler's Armies being drawn up together in a Line upon a Height between them both toward Brussels it was thrice fir'd with as many rounds of Small-shot in both Armies for the News of the Prince of Conti's Election to be King of Poland and the same thing was done in all the other Armies of France by the King's Order The Fifth My Lord Portland went to the second Conference with the Marechal of Bouflers privately as before and it was held in the same place in the open Field several General Officers and others waited upon the Marechal of Bouflers to the place of Conference and the Marechal told My Lord Portland that if his Lordship would come attended with the Generals and other principal Officers of our Army they should be very Welcome Orders were given this Evening for all the Horses to Graze in the day-time thereby to spare Forrage which began now to grow very scarce about our Army The Horses belonging to the Infantry graz'd accordingly the next day before our Camp towards Zellich Releghem and Wemmel having a good Detachment to cover them of which the Marechal of Bouflers having Intelligence he came with about 30 Squadrons to disturb them and all our Graziers were forc'd to come back into the Camp without any considerable Loss but upon first notice on our side the Earl of Athlone was commanded out with about 20 Squadrons of Horse with orders not to ingage himself in any Action only to observe the French and shelter the Retreat of our Graziers Several Squadrons of the French Horse and ours came very near one another and drew up in Opposition a deep hollow way remaining between them and fac'd one another for a while the Trumpets and Kettle-drums making a very good Entertainment at the same time on both sides without any Disturbance but at last one of our Troopers or some body else fir'd a Shot or two from behind a Hedge which alarm'd the French and some of them fir'd again and kill'd two of our Troopers which broke up this kind of an Interview the French drew off and went their way and so did we The Tenth was held the third Conference between My Lord Portland and the Marechal of Bouflers in the open Field as before My Lord went attended this time by about twenty Persons of note from our Camp among whom were the Earl of Rivers Lieutenant General and the Earl of Essex Mr. Hill His Majesty's Envoy at Brussels and Treasurer of the Army and Mr. Stepney the King's Envoy to several Princes of Germany lately arriv'd from thence and several others The Marechal of Bouflers receiv'd them very kindly being presented to him by My Lord Portland and desir'd the Dukes of Roquelaure Luxembourg and Guiche-Grammont to entertain them in Conversation whilst he and My Lord should go aside to talk of Business The French Plenipotentiaries gave in at last their Project of a General Peace with the Allies this day the Affairs of Poland had not succeeded according to the Desires and Expectations of the French Court Monsieur de Pointy's Expedition had produc'd nothing remarkable but the Sacking of Carthagena and the Galleons were safe but Pointy himself seem'd not to be so now and the French were very apprehensive of his meeting with Admiral Nevil that had been sent from England to the West-Indies with a strong Squadron to observe him and there were several Reports at present in Europe which were not at all favourable to Pointy and the Parties concern'd were very much afraid that they should have no great Share in the Booty made at Carthagena and though Pointy should escape Nevil yet he had another Risk to run and that was his getting into Bresl As for the Siege of Barcelona this place was very obstinately defended by the Spaniards who had all the Forces they were Masters of Catalonia concern'd in the Defence by a Communication between the Town and the Army by the Fort of Monjouy and which within and without amounted to about 17000 Men whereas the French were not above 27 or 28000 strong and too weak to take up the Posts all about the Town but were forc'd to leave the Quarter of Monjouy open which serv'd for a Communication between the Besieged and the Spanish Army without where they had not then above six or seven thousand Men commanded by the Vice roy of Catalonia this made the Siege of Barcelona doubtful and there was no likelihood of taking the place as yet The French did not therefore think it convenient to delay the giving in of their Project any longer and it was deliver'd in this day in Congress to the Mediator consisting of three Heads according to the Tenour of the full Powers which the French Plenipotentiaries had of Treating with the Emperor and Empire the King of Spain the States General and their Allies and 37 Articles The French King by this Project offer'd chiefly in relation to the Empire either to restore Strasbourg in the Condition it was when taken or to give in exchange all the places he had in Brisgow and Alsatia on the right side of the Rhine as Brisack Fribourg c. and the Fort of Kell on the same side of the Rhine opposite to Strasbourg and likewise to restore Philipsbourg and all other places taken in the Palatinate or elsewhere in the Empire since the Treaty of Nimeguen and in case the Emperor and Empire accepted of the Equivalent for Strasbourg that then the Rhine should serve as a common Limit to Germany and France all above Philipsbourg and thereupon that the Emperor and Empire should have no Forts nor Fortifications from thence upon the left side of the Rhine nor the French upon the right side of it according to which Propositions if agreed to the New Town of Brisack on the left side of the Rhine the Bridge of Philipsbourg and the Work that covers it on the
Army Brigade by Brigade and taking care for the safety of the Canal upon the late Motions of the French with some thoughts at the same time of leaving the Army and going shortly to Loo On the 20th the King continued to review several Regiments of Foot and Lucq's Brigade and the German Foot in the States Service review'd before His Majesty this day afterwards the King saw my Lord Albemarle's Carabiniers and Dopft's Dragoons exercise which they did with a great deal of Dexterity and order My Lord of Albemarle was sent this day by His Majesty to the Hague and the Fourth Troop of Guards march'd out of the Camp to post it self in Relays for the Guard of His Majesty's Person between Breda and Loo In the Evening the Elector who had left the Camp of Nevel the day before and lay the same Night at Antwerp came to Brussells and after having paid a Visit to the Electrice he went to wait upon His Majesty at his Quarter at Cockelberg The 21th the King went to take his Leave of the Electrice and of the Princess of Vaudemont 22th the King review'd Haxhawsen's Brigade of Danes and the Duke of Wirtemberg and Major General Count d' Alfeldt saluted at the head of it The 23d my Lord Portland had the Fifth Conference with the Marechal of Bouflers about half way between the two Camps but the King being to leave the Army the next morning my Lord had not much Company with him the Chief of our Officers that attended him were Major General Collier the Earl of Arran my Lord Raby and Brigadier Ingoldesby c. as for the Marechal of Bouflers he had much the same attendance as before We had a great many of our Maroders out of our Army this day which were met by the Marechal of Bouflers a great way out towards the French Camp he advis'd them to go back or else that they were in danger of being taken Prisoners but our Soldiers told him that a Peace was made and that there was no great danger of it this answer made him smile and he was so Civil as to get this Officers to command them back to our Camp In the Evening His Majesty was pleas'd to declare Brigadier Dompré of the Dutc-Horse Major General of the States Forces and the Elector was late with the King this Night but came again very early the next Morning to see His Majesty go away for Holland most of the Cheif Officers of the Army came to Court at the same time His Majesty left the Army about seven or eight this Morning being the 24th the Elector took his leave at the Kings Quarter and went back to Brussests and the King went on to pass the Canal at Vilvorde and go from thence by Malines to Breda Prince Vaudemont went as far as Vilvorde in His Majesty's Coach where he took his leave of the King and then came back to the Camp to command the Army in Chief and the Duke of St. Albans and my Lord Portland accompanied His Majesty in the Coach to Breda whence his Lordship went the next day for the Hague to conferr with our Ambassadours and the Chief of the Allies touching his Negotiations with the Marechal of Bouflers but the King went to Dieren where His Majesty tarried several days and thence to Loo there to take the Divertisements of the Season Prince Vaudemont being now Commander in Chief of our Army in Brabant review'd Haxhausen's Brigade of Danes and Brigadier Muitland's Regiment on the 27th because he had been indispos'd when they review'd before the King The Electrice of Bavaria was brought to bed this Afternoon of a Prince and in the Night all the Artillery was fir'd thrice round the Ramparts and there were abundance of Fire-works and great Illuminations in Town upon this occasion Eppingers and Lloyd's Dragoons which had hitherto kept with the Camp at Cockelberg were commanded this day to march behind the Canal and incamp with the rest of the Dragoons under the Command of Lieutenant General de Noyelles The 28th the Army Forag'd beyond Malines and Louvain on the other side of the Dyle Count d'Alfeldt Commanded the Escorte which was order'd to take two days Bread because the Army could not Forage so far and return the 29th This scarcity of Forrage was very troublesom to the Army and the Prince to make it subsist as easie as 't was possible in a Camp which we could not abandon order'd all the Horses belonging to the Infantry with all the Artillery Horses and those belonging to the Bread-Waggons to be sent to Graze in the Meadows along the Rupelle and the Dyle about Malines and detachments were made at the same time from the Army being a weekly Command under a Field Officer to cover them one for the English and another for the Duteh There were yet two or three Forage dayes about our Camp which were reserv'd for the Horse but the Chief Officers and Colonels of the Foot and others that were oblig'd to have Horses in the Camp had orders on the 31th to send for dry Forage from the Magazines of Brussels for which they were to pay nine Stivers a Ration This day in the Evening the Elector being attended with his Court came to see the Camp and rid along both the Lines and went to see the Retrenchments we had made both for the Securities of the Camp and to cover the Town but the King keeping still his Quarter at Cockelberg where most part of his Camp-Baggage was left and a Guard mounting daily upon it His Majesty being resolv'd to come back again if the French did attempt any thing during the remainder of the Campagne the Elector therefore thought it fit to go back again and command the Army in Flanders and execute the Design that had been agreed upon at Brussels of advancing with the said Army as far as Rousselar where it could now subsist conveniently for Forrage which the Marechal of Catinat could not hinder whilst the Marechals of Villeroy and Bouflers were incamp'd so near the Canal of Brussels and so far remov'd from their Frontier For the Marechal of Catinat could not pretend to pass the Lys and dispute this Camp with the Elector unless he was reinforc'd by Montrevel's Troops incamp'd at Grammont in which case the Marechals of Villeroy and Bouflers could not subsist where they were without making great Detachments from their Armies to Grammont and the Scheld to make good their Communication with their Frontier and secure their Convoys which otherwise could not come to their Camps without very great Difficulties the Garrison of Audenarde laying unluckily in the way to cut them off then if the Marechals of Villeroy and Bouflers made such Detachments the Prince could send proportionable Detachments from his Army to guard the Scheld or if the joyn'd Marechals did send any greater Reinforcements to the Marechal of Catinat then Prince Vaudemont could by slipping of Troops from his Army behind the Canal and so to the
coming up of the Elector's Army the Center of the whole and the Brigade of Guards incamp'd before this place as the Life-Guards were to do at their coming up to the Camp the Princes Quarter was at St. Quintin Linneck The same day that the King's Army march'd from the Camp of Halle to Iseringhen and St. Quintin Linneck the Elector's Army march'd upon the Left and came to incamp with the Right beyond Ternath extending it self something towards Asche and the Left just upon the King's Quarter and the Right of his Army at Iseringhen The Elector's Quarter was at Ternath where he was joyn'd at his coming by all the Troops of Brandenbourg commanded by General Heyden and those of Cologne and Liege under the Command of Prince Cerclas of Tilly His Majesty in the Evening went to Visit the Elector at his Quarter and to see that Camp Both our Armies being form'd now as they were design'd to act for all the Campagne following this is the most proper place for me to insert their several Lines of Battle The Line of Battle of His Majesty of Great Britain's Army for the Campagne 1697. RIGHT WING First LINE Second LINE Monsieur d'Auerquerque and the Earl of Portland Generals of Horse Monsieur de la Forest Lieutenant General The Duke of Ormond and Earl of Rivers Lieutenant Generals Major Generals Eppinger and Monsieur de Boncourt Major Generals Lord Tiviot Leueson L'Etang and Lumley  Brigades Regiments Squadrons Matthew ' s Dragoons Matthew ' s Tiviot Eppinger 4 4 5 Chomley Horse Grenadiers Scarborough Ormond Life Guar. Rivers Auerquerqu Portland 1 1 1 1 1 2 Langston Leueson Carabiniers Gallway Langston 2 2 3 2 Windham Wood Schomberg Coy Lumley 2 2 2 3  Squadrons Horse Dragoons 25 13  In all 38 Brigades Regiments Squadrons Dragoons Lloyd Rosse Miremont Essex 4 4 4 4 Wirtemb La Forest Prince Wirtemberg Van Zee Boncourt 2 2 2 2 Montigny Montigny Turck Schulembourg Noyelles 2 2 2 2 Schack Schack Vittinghoff Tennagel Rochford 2 2 2 2  Squadrons Horse Dragoons 25 16  In all 40  In the whole Wing 78 Body of FOOT First LINE Second LINE The Duke of Wirtemberg General of Foot Lieutenant Generals Bellasis and Cohorne Count Nassau and Count Noyelles Lieutenant Generals Major Generals La Meloniere Mirmont Collier and Bernsdorf Major Generals Churchill Ramsay Alfeldt Lord Cutts and Heukelom  Brigades Regiments Battallions Weck English Guards Dutch Guards Scotch Guards 1 1 1 Haro Royal Churchill Seymour Webb Fusiliers 1 1 1 1 1 Ingoldesby Wal. Collier Stanley Royal Ireland Fr. Hamilton Rowe Ingoldesby 1 1 1 1 1 Maitland Maitland La Meloniere Marton Ferguson Nassau 1 1 1 1 1 Haxhausen Queen of Denmark Prince George Prince Frederick Danish Guards 1 1 1 1 Oxensterne Slagenbourg Du Thei l Oxenstern Essen Ameliswert 1 1 1 1 1 Brigades Regiments Battallions Weck English Guards Dutch Guards 1 1 Orkney Royal Fairfax Brewer Lauder Dav. Collier 1 1 1 1 1 Tiffin Howe Bridges Collingwood Saunderson Tiffin 1 1 1 1 1 Belcastel Belcastel Strathnaver Geo. Hamilton Brandenbourg 1 1 1 1 Haxhausen Zeeland Fuhnen Jutland Prince Charles 1 1 1 1 Holstein-Beck Noyelles Salisch Holstein-Beck Gohr Beynam Wymberg 1 1 1 1 1 Lucq Lucq Bernsdorf Weldern Schratenbach 1 1 1 1 Heyden Arents Heyden Heukelom Cohorne Hostein-Ploen 1 1 1 1 1  Battallions 36 Tcharner Milunes Tcharner 2 2 Bannier Bannier Els Heckren Bernsdorf-Zell Torsay Birkenfelt 1 1 1 1 1  Battallions 34  In all 70 LEFT WING First LINE Second LINE The Earl of Athlone General of Horse Lieutenant-General Count de Tilly. The Marquis de Montpouillan and the Earl of Rochford Lieutenant Generals Major Generals du Bay and Hubert Major Generals Dopft and the Earl of Albemarle  Brigades Regiments Squadrons Chauviré Athlone Boisdavid Aghrim Grisper Chauviré 2 2 2 2 2 Roo Flodorf Wolfembuttel Erpacht Voght 2 2 2 2 Brigades Regiments Squadrons Dompré Hubert Dompré Saxen Heilbourg Nassau Friseland 2 2 2 3 Oost Frise Lippe-Brunsw Horenberg Montslin Oost Frise 2 2 2 1 Lippe Lippe Arco Saxen Gotha Heyden Tilly 2 1 2 2 2  Squadrons 25 Iselstein Prince Philip Vrichappel Wirtemberg Ploen Carabiniers 2 2 2 2 2 Boinenbourg Dragoons Boinenbourg Schulembourg Dopft 4 3 4  Squadrons Horse Dragoons 28 11  In all 39 Villiers Dragoons Mattha Schlipenbach Villiers 4 4 3 Squadrons Horse Dragoons 25 11  In all 36  Squadrons in the Left Wing 75 The King's Army as it appears by this Line of Battle consisted of 102 Squadrons of Horse which at 150 per Squadron makes 15300 Horse and 51 Squadrons of Dragoons at 100 each Squadron amounts to 5100 Dragoons from whence the Summe of Horse and Dragoons arises to 20400 and 70 Battallions which deducting the Companies left in Garrison cannot be reckon'd more than 550 in each Battallion one with another this amounts to 38000 Foot All which joyn'd together made the Total of His Majesty's Army to be 58400 Men. The Line of Battle for the Elector of Bavaria's Army as it was in the Campagne 1697. Nota That Count d'Arco commanded the Troops of Bavaria as Velt-Marechal General Heyden those of Brandenbourg and Prince Cerclas of Tilly those of Liege in the same Quality RIGHT WING First LINE Second LINE The Duke of Holstein-Ploen General of the Spanish Horse c. Lieutenant General Du Puy c. Squadrons Squadrons Spanish Horse Bavarian Life-Gu Walloon Life-Gu Tr. Gen Brancaccio Tr. Horse Grenad and Fusiliers 2 1 1 1 Bavarians Arco Dragoons Arco Cuirassiers 3 5 Liege Jamar Dragoons Life Regiment Prince Cerclas's Gu. Pahau 2 2 1 1 Spanish Horse Valensar Drag Ribeaucourt Cropani Horse Hartman 1 1 Bavarians Monasterol Drag Weickel Cuirassiers 3 5 Liege Rost Dragoons Castro Pahau 2 2 1 Lieutenant General Opdam Major General Warsusè Brigades Regiments Squadrons Ryswick Warsusé Bunau Rebolt 2 2 2  Squadrons Horse Dragoons 19 5  In all 24 Brigades Regiments Squadrons Ryswick Ryswick Saxen Meiningen Bernicau 2 1 2  Squadrons Horse Dragoons 14 6  In all 20  Squardrons in the Right Wing 44 Body of FOOT First LINE Second LINE Lieutenant-General Tettau of Holland Major Generals Salisch of Holland Arnhem and La Cave of Brandenbourg Lieutenant-General Brandt of Brandenbourg  Major Generals Lindeboom of Holland Prince Christ Lodwick Prince of Anhalt-Dessau and Heyden of Brandenbourg  Brigades Regiments Battallions  Bavarian Guards 2 Holstein-Norbourg Nassau Walloon Lindeboom Young Holstein La Mothe Holstein-Norbourg Cappol 1 1 1 1 1 2 Rantsaw Crassau Dona Sparre Rantsaw Obergen Schack Young Weed 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Brandenbourg Foot Denhoff Horn Anhalt-Dessau Young Heiden Slabendorf Brandt Old Heyden Prince Philip Brandenbourg Gua. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 on English Pay Willekens Wolfembuttle Guar. 1 1  Battallions 28 Brigades Regiments Battallions  Electoral Prince 2 Dedem Tettau Swerin Harsolt Dedem Reinardt Tenham 1 2 1 1 1 1 Onkel Lochman
same side were to be demolish'd by the French in delivering of those places up to the Empire and the French retaining Strasbourg and Fort-Louis were to demolish all the Forts upon the Islands of the Rhine in both these places and the Works upon the right side of the Rhine opposite to Fort-Louis but the Fortifications on the other side of the Rhine opposite to Strasbourg were to be deliver'd up to the Empire as part of the Equivalent for this Town The French King offer'd likewise to restore the Dutchy of Lorraine notwithstanding the Pretensions he had by vertue of the Treaty of Nimeguen in the State and Condition that Charles the 4th enjoy'd it in the Year 1670 just before it was seiz'd by the French only he reserv'd to himself the Sovereign Property and Possession of the Town of Saar-Louis and a Territory of half a League about that place for which the Duke of Lorraine should have an Equivalent somewhere else in which he should have a Soveraign Property and Jurisdiction himself The Substance of this Project in relation to Spain was to restore first all that had been taken either in Flanders or Catalonia since the War to His Catholick Majesty 2ly The Town of Luxembourg taken since the Treaty of Nimeguen or else to give an Equivalent for it which Equivalent was left in Blank in the Project but was given out by Reports to be Maubeuge upon the Sambre Condé upon the Scheld Menin upon the Lys and the Town and Chatellenie of Ipres 3ly To revoke all the Re-unions made since the Treaty of Nimeguen which by vertue of this Treaty were to be restor'd And lastly To give back the Town and Castle of Dinant in the Condition they were when taken As for what related to Holland in this Project it does not belong to the Affairs of War hereabouts and therefore I shall not take notice of it only I shall add that the Peace made between France and Savoy in the Year 1696 was to be comprehended in the General Treaty and by the 35th Article all those that should be nam'd on both sides by common Consent either before the Ratification or within six Months after which was the only one that could be interpreted to have any relation to England and may be My Lord Portland's Conferences with the Marechal of Bouflers were about this Project in relation to England which by reason the French had not yet acknowledg'd His Majesty could not be inserted in the General one we are now mentioning And lastly The French allow'd the Allies to consider of this Project till the 20th day of August following Old Stile after which if they did not consent to it before or upon the said day they pretended to be at liberty of altering the Conditions and making new Offers But if the Treaty were concluded between France and the Allies that then the King of Sweden as Mediator and any other King 's Princes and Republicks might give their Guarranty for the Faithful Execution and Observation of the same But to return from the Congress to the Camp the 13th the King having review'd the English Horse and Dragoons and the German Troops some time before at Diegom began the Review of his Infantry this day and the five eldest Brigades being those of the Guards Haro Orkney Fairfax and Ingoldesby drew out in the little plain without the Retrenchment between Ganshoren and Jette to pass before His Majesty the General Officers saluting at their proper Posts the 14th the Regiments of Foot of Selwyn Trelawny and Erle having Landed lately at Willemstadt from Edgland came up to the Camp where they were posted in a third Line in the Rear of Orkeney's Brigade the Duke of St Albans and Major General Stewart that had pass'd along with them came some days before to Court The 15th Tiffin and Maitland's Brigades review'd before His Majesty with Sir Henry Bellasis Lieutenant General Sir David Collier and my Lord Cutts Major Generals at the head of them but Brigadier Maitland's Regiment did not appear this day because the Cloathing was not yet come from England The 16th His Majesty review'd Selwyn's Brigade being the three Regiments lately come over and Belcastels Major General Stewart saluting on the Right and the Prince of Hesse on the Left The Marechal of Bouflers and my Lord Portland had the fourth Conference this day in a Meadow just without the Town of Halle where his Lordship went attended with several of our Generals and other Chief Officers among whom were Lieutenant General Bellasis Major Generals Ramsay Erle Lord Cutts and Lumley and my Lord Raby having all of them a very fine Retinue both of Servants and Horses along with them The Chief Officers that came on Bouflers side were Count de Tallard Count de Gasse and the Duke of Roquelaure Lieutenant Generals the Marquis de Crenan and Monsieur de Pracontal Major Generals c. there were a great many Embracings on both sides at the first meeting and great expression of Respect and Esteem and the Marechal of Bouflers receiv'd our General Officers with abundance of Civility as they were presented to him by my Lord Portland taking particular Notice of those whom he had occasion to hear of in the Siege of Namur the Generals and other Officers on both sides entertain'd one another in Conversation whilst the Marechal and my Lord held their Conference several went into the Town to drink a Glass of Wine together and others into the French Camp it self where they were made very welcom but my Lord Portland and the Marechal of Bouflers having confer'd together for some time in the open Field went at last into a House of the Town together and Sentries were posted upon the Doors to hinder any body from coming near and it was pretty late when my Lord and his Company return'd this Night The 17th the King review'd several Brigades of the Dutch Infantry and men begun now to talk of the Kings leaving the Army to go to Loo and that the Conferences between my Lord Portland and the Marechal of Bouflers had brought Matters to a very good Issue not onely in relation to His Majesty's Affairs but those of a General Peace The French had now been incamp'd a considerable while Bouflers near Halle and Villeroy about St. Quintin Linneck and Forage begun to be scarce about their Armies this made them resolve to march into the Paysd ' Alost and Forrage the Countrey all thereabouts and between the Scheld and the Canal of Brussells The 17th the heavy baggage of the two Armies was commanded away towards Grammont for the more convenient march of the Armies into our Countrey the 18th the Marechal of Villeroy's march'd upon the Right from the Camp between Goick and Struhem in very good Order because it was to advance pretty near to our Army for fear of our Parties and came to incamp with the Right near the Abbey of Affleghem and Left at Bardeghem and that of the Marechal of Bouflers
Bruges Brigadler Sparre was detach'd upon this march with the Battallions of Wolfembuttle-Guards Hering Sparre and Tenham to put himself into Audenarde taking his way through the Town of Ghendt in order to have a very strong Garrison there such as might make a vigorous defence in case the French had a fancy to Besiege it after the taking of At h And indeed Audenarde was at present reckon'd in some danger that there was but a weak Garrison in it if Villeroy had march'd towards the Scheld at the same time that our Armies separated from Iseringhem and Ternath but Villeroy still remain'd in his old Camp of Ostiche and so gave us the opportunity to put this strong reinforcement into Audenarde which could not be sent thither till the Elector had pass'd the Scheld because it had been otherwise in danger of being cut off if sent directly thither upon the breaking up of our two Armies from the Neighbourhood of St. Quintin-Linneck The 24th the Foot having receiv'd Straw from Ghendt for their Tents in a Camp where they were now like to continue again for a while pass'd the Canal at Marykirk upon Bridges laid there the over-night and came to incamp as before with the Right at Nevel and left at Bachtem upon the Lys where all the Cavalry and Dragoons was already incamp'd upon the Right and Left since the 22th All the Cavalry and Dragoons incamping at present in the Line extended the Elector's Army more to the Right than it was before and the Brigades of Holstein-Norbourg and Ransaw were for this reason order'd to incamp upon the Right of all between Landeghem and Ansbeck upon the Canal of Bruges where they made not only room for the Horse in the Camp of Nevel but were likewise in a readiness to pass the Canal upon any motion of the French towards Bruges All the Posts were taken for the security of this Camp as before and a Command of 1000 Men put into Garrison at Deinse And here I shall leave the Elector foraging at first between the Lys and the Scheld to come and speak of the Motions of His Majesty's Army in Brabant which was to march back at the same time upon the Left towards Halle as the Electors did upon the Right towards Dendermond and the Scheld Accordingly on the 20th in the Evening all the Artillery and heavy Baggage was commanded away for Brussels and the Army had orders to march the next day A French Lieutenant was brought Prisoner this Night in our Camp with his Party and prov'd one that had been a Lieutenant in Brigadier Belcastel's Regiment which he had left after the Siege of Namur and it appearing that he had fairly laid down his Commission he had all the advantages of the Cartel and was set at Liberty upon the paying of his Ransom or Exchange The 21th the Brigade of Life-Guards and that of Foot Guards march'd by break of day from the Right of all at Iseringhen to get at the Head of the Army being to incamp this day at the King's Quarter which was to be upon the Left at Braine la Chateau the Army march d upon the same hand in two Columnes being joyn'd by my Lord Jedboroughs Dragoons from the Electors Army and having pass'd the Senne upon the Bridges of Boats laid between Halle and Businguen it came to incamp with the Right at Halle and the Left at Braine la Chateau the Kings Quarter being in the Castle of Braine and the Prince's in the Village the Horse and Foot Guards and the first Battallion of the Royal Regiment were posted here to cover the King's Quarter This is one of the strongest Camps in all Flanders having the River Senne to cover the right and part of the Front the Left upon the difficult passage of Braine le Chateau and both Front and Rear being nothing but Woods and close Desilés but if this be a good Camp for strength it is a very inconvenient one another way upon the account of Forrage and Convoy's for which 't is very ill situated The Artillery and heavy Baggage pass'd this evening through the Town of Brussels and came to incamp without Halie porte in the Retrenchments before the Fort of Montercy The 22th the King's Army continu'd to march upon the Left the Left Wing of Horse pass'd the River Braine at the ordinary Bridge in the Village and the Foot upon the Bridges laid below the Village for this occasion and the Right Wing follow'd the march of the Foot and so having gain'd the plain of Bois-Seigneur Isaac the whole came to incamp with the Right at the Cense d'Elincourt and so to Promelles being the Kings and the Princes Quarter facing toward Nivelle and the Wood of the Commandery of Maltha and from thence the rest of the Army made almost a right Angle with the Right Wing turning down along the Dyle which was before the Camp and extending it self above an English Mile below Genap The Life and Foot Guards and first Battallion of the Royal Regiment incamp'd before Promelles to cover the Kings and Princes Quarter which was now in the Front towards the Wood before mention'd Most of the Generals were Quarter'd in Genap which was now just before the Left of the Foot the Artillery and heavy Baggage joyn'd us here this day being come by the Bois-de-Sogne and Waterlo from Brussells And as the Elector of Bavaria was conveniently posted at Nevel for the Defence of Ghendt Bruges and Newport so was the King in this Camp to cover equally Brussells and Namur in this conjuncture that France had such powerful and numerous Armies to Act against us Upon this separation of our two Armies the Electors to go back to his former Camp of Deinse and Nevel and the Kings to come to Genap and Promelles the Count de Montrevel and the Marquis de Crequi repair'd to their former Posts to observe the Elector of Bavaria the first coming into the Lines of Courtray after he had repass'd the Scheld from Celles and the second leaving Villeroy's Army to post himself at Celles as before The Marechal of Bouslers march'd with his Army from Silly and Chistenghien upon the right towards the Sambre at the same time that His Majesties march'd upon the Left from Iseringhen towards Genap but finding that the King stopt at Promelles and Genap as indeed we were not in a Condition to think of any diversion towards the Sambre without leaving Brussells naked or the Elector Expos'd to the two Armies of Villeroy and Catinat after the taking of At h so he the Marechal of Bouflers pitch'd his Camp in the same ground he had taken before at Thieusies which was still his Head Quarter between Mesnil St. Jean and St. Denis having Soignies in his Front and Mons in his Rear almost at an equal distance But as for the Marechal of Villeroy he continued incamp'd at Ostiche between Papigny and Hamedè to cover the Siege of At h where he had great detachments under
except the Brigades of Dompré and Chauviré under the Command of Major-General Hubert which interlin'd with the Body of Foot upon the Left of Ingoldesby's and Belcastel's Brigades behind the Village of Ganshoren the most open passage to our Camp upon the Right being hereabouts Prince Cerclas of Tilly incamp'd upon the left with the Liege Horse and Dragoons but all the English Cavalry march'd through Brussells by the Scarbeck-porte and incamp'd on the other side of the Canal with the Right at Ever where General Auerquerque was Quarter'd and the Left at Diegom upon the way to Louvain except the Dragoons of Tiviot Rosse and Jedborough which were posted between Vilvorde and the Burnt-bridge upon the Canal of Brussells and those of Eppinger and Lloyd which were mix'd with the Foot at the Camp of Cockelbergh Anhalt's Brigade being compos'd of the three Battallions of Anhalt Scheltinga and Slabendorf lately come to Brussells from the Siege of At h and the two Battallions of Els and Essen detach'd from our Army incamp'd on the other side of Brussells before the Fort of Monterey This was the state of our Army about the Town at our first coming to this Camp where we were very conveniently posted to expect the French if they would have attack'd us and no stronger camp could have been found out to cover the Town and secure our selves at once but because we were likely to have to do with two powerful Armies joyn'd together and that too much care could not be taken for our Safety especially at our first coming that we had not as yet those considerable reinforcements which joyn'd us soon after from England and the Rhine therefore as soon as the Army began to incamp fifty men out of each Battallion were commanded to work that very Night being about 3400 men at a Retrenchment upon the Left of the Village of Berchom where was an open ground about a quarter of an English Mile over that joyn'd to the Height of Dilbeck and commanded this part of our Camp and was the weakest post we had to defend and the most dangerous inlet into our Camp in case of an attack and therefore special care was taken to Fortisie immediately this Avenue My Lord Cutts was then Major of the day and was by the King's order upon the work all Night to forward it by his Care and Presence and by the next Morning it was considerably advanc'd and in a state not to be easily carried by an Enemy This Retrenchment was a Redan or work of Salliant Angles with a large Fossè and cover'd way the Glacis of which was senc'd with an outer Ditch being stuck all over at the bottom with short Palissades or sharp wooden Spikes having their points upwards to hinder the Enemy from getting into it As His Majesty's Army came to this Camp the 13th that of the Marechal of Bouflers was at the same time upon the march from Steinkirk towards Nostredame de Halle where he incamp'd this Evening with his Right at Lembeck upon the Senne and his Left at the Brook of Pepinghen towards St. Quintin-Linneck the Head-quarter being at St. Arnelle in the Rear upon the way that goes from Halle to Enghien as soon as the Mareschal of Bouflers was come up to this Camp he immediately detach'd the Chevalier de Nesle with 150 Horse towards Anderlecht to get intelligence of our motions and whether our Army was yet got to this side of Brussells the Chevalier de Nesle advanc'd with his Party almost as far as Dilbeck this Night and met hereabouts upon the way to Halle with a Party of 30 Liege Horse commanded by a Cornet which Monsieur de Sainfal a reform'd Captain in the French Life Guards attack'd with a Squadron of 50 and defeated him killing four upon the spot and took eleven Prisoners with fifteen Horses 'T was by the meeting and defeat of this Party that the Chevalier de Nesle was inform'd of all our Armies being incamp'd on this side of Brussels between the Flanders-porte and the Canal But the Marechal of Villeroy who had march'd through the Wood of Lessines on the 12th to incamp between Castergat and Gamerage was forc'd to halt the next day the Weather having been so very bad the 11th and 12th and the ways grown so difficult that his Artillery and Wheel Baggage could not come up to march the 13th being to pass through the desiles of the Wood of Lessines but on the 14th this Army march'd and came to incamp with the Right beyond Goick towards St. Quintin-Linneck within three Quarters of a League of Bouflers Left and the Left towards the Dender beyond Strithem the Head-quarter being at this last place And if the French had at first any design upon Brussells and our Army it was this halting of Villeroy's Army that prevented it and gave us time to Fortifie our Camp before the Town and receive considerable reinforcements for the Marechal of Bouflers was not strong enough to pretend to attack us himself and therefore could not march up to us on the 14th before we had sufficiently Fortified our Camp and Villeroy coming but this day to the Neighbourhood of St. Quintin-Linneck the two Marechals could not joyn together till the 15th and consequently could not attack us well till the 16th in the morning when we could not be in a condition to apprehend their coming therefore the French were oblig'd to think of nothing else at present but the subsisting of these two great Armies in the Countrey between the Senne and the Dender where they reach'd almost from the one River to the other being upwards of three Leagues distance and here I shall leave them to return to His Majesties Camp near Brussells The 14th the King and Prince went out very early to see the Retrenchment we had work'd upon in the Night and the avenues to the Height of Dillebeck where having heard of the defeat of our Party of Liege Horse the overnight so near our Camp all the out-posts were thereupon order'd to be reinforc'd in all the Villages before the Camp as in the Villages of Berchom Ganshoren Jette and Laacken and the Abbey of Dilleghem and Castle of Riviere these two last places commanding a pass in the bottom over the Rivulet of Zellich the first on one side towards Wemmel and the last on the other towards Brussells a Field Officer with two or 300 men was posted in the Abbey before our Right and in the Villages of Dilbeck and Anderlecht before our Left and that the Retrenchment we were working upon since the overnight to stop up the passage into our Camp from the Height of Dillebeck might be finish'd with all Expedition 30 Men more were commanded out of every Battallion being now between five and 6000 persons to work upon it and His Majesty in his Riding out this morning saw the Marechal of Boufler's Army incamp'd at Halle In the Evening Lieutenant General Ohr having receiv'd an Express from His Majesty at Tirlemont