Dutch that it was his intention to march to the relief of the empire, that had been for fome time oppreffed by the French forces. The ftatesgeneral, either willing to fecond his efforts, or fearing to weaken the alliance by diftruft, gave him full power to march as he thought proper, with affurances of their affiflance in all his endeavours. The French king now appointed marshal Villeroy to head the army of oppofition; for Boufflers was no longer thought an equal to the enterprifing duke. Villeroy was fon to the king of France's governor, and had been educated with that monarch. He had been always the favourite of Lewis, and had long been a fharer in his amufements, his campaigns, and his glory. He was brave, generous, and polite, but unequal to the great tafk of commanding an army; and fill more fo, when oppofed to fo great a rival. Marlborough, therefore, who was peculiarly famous for ftudying the difpofition and abilities of the general he was to oppofe, having no very great fears from his prefent antagonist, instead of going forward to meet him, flew to the fuccour of the emperor, as had been already agreed at the commencement of the campaign. The English general, who was refolved to ftrike a vigorous blow for his relief, took with him about thirteen thousand English troops, traverfed extenfive countries by hafty marches, arrived at the banks of the Danube, defeated a body of French and Bavarians, ftationed at Danovert to oppose him, then paffed the Danube with his triumphant army, and laid the dukedom of Bavaria, that had fided with the enemy, under contribution Villeroy, who at first attempted to follow his $ his motions, feemed all at once to have loft fight of his enemy; nor was he apprifed of his route, till informed of his fucceffes. Marhal Tallard prepared by another route to obftruct the duke of Marlborough's retreat with an army of thirty thoufand men. He was foon after joined by the ཐམས་ duke of Bavaria's forces, fo that the French army in that part of the continent amounted to fixty thousand veterans, and commanded by the two best reputed generals then in France. Tallard had established his reputation by many former victories; he was active and penetrating, and had rifen by his merits alone to the first station in the army. But his ardour often rofe to impetuofity; and he was fo fhort-fighted: as to be incapable of feeing objects at a very fmall diftance. The duke of Bavaria was equally experienced in the field, and had still ftronger motives for his activity. His country was ravaged and pillaged before his eyes, and nothing remained of his poffeffions but the army which he commanded. It was in vain that he fent entreaties to the enemy to stop the fury of their incurfions, and to fpare his people; the only answer he received was, that it lay in his own power to make his enemies friends, by alliance or fubmiffion. To oppose these powerful generals, Marlborough was now joined by a body of thirty thousand men, under the conduct of prince Eugene, whofe troops were well-difciplined, but still more formidable by the conduct and fame of their general. Prince Eugene had been bred up from his infancy in camps; he was almoft equal to Marlborough in intrigue, and his fuperior in the art of war. Their talents were of a fimilar kind; and inftead of any mean N 4 w rivalship rivalfhip or jealoufy between fuch eminent per.. fons, they concurred in the fame defigns; for: the fame good fenfe determined them always to the fame object, This allied army, at the head of which Eugene and Marlborough commanded, amount-[ ed to about fifty-two thoufand men, troops that: had long been accustomed to conquer, and that had feen the French, the Turks, and the Ruffians fly before them. The French, as was already obferved, amounted to fixty thousand, who had fhared in the conquefts of their great monarch, and had been familiar with victory. Both armies, after many marchings and countermarchings, approached each other. The French: were posted on a hill near the town of Hochftet; their right covered by the Danube and the village of Blenheim; their left by the village of: Lutzengen; and their front by a rivulet, the banks of which were fteep, and the bottom marthy. It was in this advantageous pofition: that the allied army refolved to attack them. At this engagement, which has fince been known by the name of the battle of Blenheim, both from the talents of the generals, the im-n provements in the art of war, and the number and difcipline of the troops, is reckoned the a moft remarkable of this century, it demands a more particular detail than I have allotted to fuch narrations. The right wing of the French, which was n covered by the Danube and the village ofta Blenheim, was commanded by marthal Tallard, i Their left, defended by another village, was commanded by the duke of Bavaria, and under him general Marfin, an experienced Frenchman.. In the front of their army ran a rivulet, which feemed feemed to defend them from an attack; and in this pofition they were willing to await the enemy, rather than offer battle. On the other hand, Marlborough and Eugene were ftimulated to engage them at any rate, by an intercepted letter from Villeroy, who was left behind, intimating that he was preparing to cut off all communication between the Rhine and the allied army. The difpofitions being made for the attack, and the orders communicated to the general officers, the allied forces advanced into the plain, and were ranged in order of battle. The cannonading began about nine in the morning, and continued to about half after twelve; then the troops advanced to the attack; the right under the direction of prince Eugene, the left headed by Marlborough, and oppofed to marfhal Tallard. Marlborough, at the head of his English troops, having paffed the rivulet, attacked the cavalry of Tallard with great bravery. This general was at that time reviewing the difpofition of his troops to the left; and his cavalry fought for fome time without the prefence of their commander. Prince Eugene on the left had not yet attacked the forces of the elector; and it was near an hour before he could bring up his troops to the engagement. Tallard was no fooner informed that his right was attacked by the duke, but he flew to its head, where he found a furious encounter already begun; his cavalry being thrice driven back, and rallying as often. He had pofted a large body of forces in the village of Blenheim; and he made an attempt to bring them to the charge. They were attacked by a de tachment tachment of Marlborough's forces fo vigorously, that inftead of affifting the main body, they could hardly maintain their ground. All the French cavalry being attacked in flank, was totally defeated. The English army, thus half victorious, penetrated between the two bodies of the French commanded by the marshal and elector, while, at the fame time, the forces in the village of Blenheim were feparated by another detachment. In this diftreffed fituation, Tallard flew to rally fome fquadrons; but, from his fhort-fightedness, mistaking a detachment of the enemy for his own, he was taken prisoner by the Heffian troops, who were in English pay. In the mean time prince Eugene on his part, after having been thrice repulfed, at last put the enemy into confufion. The rout then became general, and the flight precipitate. The confternation was fuch, that the French foldiers threw themselves into the Danube, without knowing where they fled. The officers loft all their authority, and there was no general left to fecure a retreat. The allies now being mafter of the field of battle, furrounded the village of Blenheim, where a body of thirteen thousand men had been posted in the beginning of the action, and still kept their ground. Thefe troops feeing themfelves cut off from all communication with the reft of the army, threw down their arms, and furrendered themfelves prifoners of war. Thus ended the battle of Blenheim, one of the most complete victories that ever was obtained. Twelve thoufand French and Bavarians were flain in the field, or drowned in the Danube, and thirteen thousand were made prifoners of war. |