Army And the same Day we brought in Eight Prisoners and an English Officer that was a Lieutenant in the Duke de Chartres his Regiment of Foot and has served many Years in the French Army the rest of his Party made their escape and some of them were wounded This Day the Spanish and Bavarian Forces left the Neighbourhood of Louvain and march'd up along the River Dyle as far as Neer Ische The Elector of Bavaria left Brussels at the same time to come and Head his Army in this Place I shall reserve the List of these Forces till we bring them all together at the Camp of Mount St. Andre His Brother the Elector of Cologne accompany'd him the most part of this Campagne being incognito in the Field so that no Honours were paid to him by the Army The same Day Ten Drums all of the Regiment of Piemont deserted together and came in their Livery-Coats to our Camp The 25th we worked again at the Retrenchment to make some of the Breast-works higher which were found too low and yet as bad as they were I heard several Officers say that they were infinitely better than those we had last Year at Landen which were made up hastily in one Night so that they could only serve to hinder Horse from riding into our Camp but not cover our Men either from Cannon or Small-shot a Man could easily have jump'd over them Ditch and all And yet these were call'd by some to magnifie the Victory Formidable Retrenchments The 26th the Regiments of Marton and Fuhnen were sent to reinforce Matthews his Dragons to cover the Village of Cumtich The 27th the Enemy made a great Forage hard by Leauwe and because they were to come very near our Camp and to forage just under the Garrison of Leauwe they had a strong Detachment of Twelve hundred Horse and Six Pieces of Cannon which the Dauphin Commanded himself in Person to take this Opportunity of viewing the Posts between the two Armies and the Field of Battle where we fought last Year at Landen The Enemy foraged so near the Garrison of Leauwe this Day that they fired Cannon upon them to oblige them to retire but Seventy of their Maroders were made Prisoners by a Detachment of ours upon the Left When the Soldiers go out of the Camp to gather Roots Fruits or Pulse or it may be to Plunder the Boors this is call'd Maroding Lieutenant-General Dewits Commanding the Elector of Brandenburg b's Forces employed in Flanders past the Meuse much about this time at Maseick coming from the Lower Rhine and the Dutchy of Cleves to joyn our Army with Twenty Squadrons of Horse of which I shall give a List hereafter and advanced as far as Diest to be at hand to reinforce our Army when the King should have Occasion for it The 28th in the Evening we heard a firing of Cannon and Small-shot in the French Camp which we guess'd to be for the Reduction of Gironne in Catalonia Of which we were inform'd the next Day The French were so much the more glad for this Conquest because that in 1684. the Mareschal de Belfonds suffered a Disgrace before this Place and was forc'd to raise the Siege when he had made a Breach in the Place and that his Forces in a general Assault had got into it but were beaten out again with a great slaughter by the Besieged that had fortified themselves in the Parade-place But the Mareschal de Noâ—ailles got a better Bargain this Bout and the Besieged did not think fit to stay to Surrender till Things should have been brought to this Extremity The 29th our Parties brought in Two hundred and fifty French Maroders We had taken so many Prisoners by this time that the Provosts Guard and Gaols of the neighbouring Towns were full of them though the Mareschal de Luxemburg had them reclaimed as fast as he could Their Pay is so small and for this Twelve-month past so ill receiv'd that their Soldiers could not subsist but by what they could gather in the Country so that they were forced to tollerate the Soldiers going out of the Camp to get wherewithal to live This is the reason that so many fell into the hands of our Parties and that we took so many Prisoners And though the French are more given to Deserting than any other Soldiers yet Deserting was never so much known among them as 't was at the Beginning of this Campagne not only in Flanders but upon the Rhine and in Piemont where they all unanimously complained of their want of Pay so far that by this time 't was computed that above Five thousand of them had deserted from their Army here either to our Camp or to the Garrisons of Liege and Maestricht since the Beginning of the Campagne Which would be reckoned a great Loss in a Battle The 1st of this Month the French Army left their Camp at St. Tron and Brusten and marched towards the Jaar and the Meuse and encamp'd with their Right at Tongres and the Left at Fies along the Jaar which was in their Rear The Dauphin took his Quarter at Oerle upon the same River They had made great Preparations at Huy of Bombs Battering-Pieces and all other Necessaries for a Siege which now they had brought to their Camp and gave out That they designed to Bombard Liege and Maestricht And some were not content with this but would have a Formal Siege to one of these Places But though the French had heavy Cannon and Mortar-pieces brought to their Camp yet they had Bridges laid along the Jaar to pass that River Which shews That they were more afraid of being attack'd by us than of having any real Design to fall upon us We had above Forty Battalions in the Lines of Liege and a good Garrison in Maestricht and our own Army consisted now of Ninety Battalions after the arrival of the Two Regiments of Wolfembuttel to our Camp And if the French had not been cover'd by so many Rivers which we must have pass'd to come at them they had run a great risque of having been attack'd on all sides by our Army and the Liege Forces but the Nature of the Country gave Opportunity to the French of advancing so near to Maestricht having Rivers on all sides between them and us and between them and the Forces encamped in the Lines of Liege And besides there was a necessity of suffering the Enemy to consume the Forage about Liege for Reasons that we shall mention hereafter However the French made a great Noise of their Foraging under the Cannon of Maestricht The 4th the two Dominican Fryers and the Irish Priest that had been taken up in our Army for Spyes were set at Liberty The two first were found Guilty by the Court-Marshal and Sentenc'd to Die After which Judgment of the Court they were removed from the King's Quarters to the Provost's and laid in Irons But the King Pardon'd them out of his pure Mercy for the
the Total of the Enemy's Forces in Flanders both Foot and Horse made 91320 fighting Men Which is a very great Army though inferiour to what they had the last Year The French King having sent his Fleet into the Mediterranean to make some considerable Conquest in Catalonia had left his Coasts destitute of any Defence from the Sea for which reason he was obliged to have some Forces dispers'd up and down the Provinces of Britany and Normandy to prevent a Descent and the Insults of our Fleet. Which he did effectually at the Bay of Camaret though he had not the same Success in other Places The French King likewise foreseeing that the Allies would have such an Army in Flanders the Campagne following as would hinder any more Conquests on that side thought it more convenient to make a considerable Detachment both of Horse and Foot the last Winter towards Catalonia where the ill Posture of the Spanish Affairs gave him the Prospect of keeping up the Credit and Reputation of his Arms by some Conquests And 't is very probable that he would have possess'd himself of the whole Principality of Catalonia if the King had not provided for its Safety by sending our Fleet under the Command of Admiral Russel into the Streights Which so much thwarted the French Designs that they were forced to content themselves with the Taking of Palamos and Gironne and to omit the more important Siege of Barcelona This is the reason that though the French had a very good Army in the Field this Campagne in Flanders yet it was very much inferiour to what they had at the Opening of the other Campagne This Digression may be forgiven since it serves for a better understanding the Affairs of Flanders with relation to former Campagnes To oppose this little Army of the Marquis de la Valette of which we have now spoken the Allies formed another of almost an equal strength which encamped at Mary Kirk upon the Canal of Bruges just by the Walls of Ghendt under the Command of the Count de Merode Thian Serjeant-General de Battaille of the King of Spain's Forces which consisted of Seven Battalions encamp'd viz the Second Battalion of the Royal Regiment which as we have said before had remain'd in Bruges at our going out to take the Field And Argyle's Regiment which was left at Ostend besides the Regiments of Strathnaver and Colonel George Hamilton and Three Dutch viz. Holle Weed and Grave John Van Horne the Count de Thian had besides Three Terces that is Regiments of Walloon Foot quarter'd upon the Villages thereabouts viz. the Marquis de Deinse the Count de Grobendonk and the Baron de Winterfelt which were very well Cloathed and in very good Order both for the Number of Men and their Accoutrements and in a much better Condition than is usual with the Spanish and Walloon Terces in this Country As for the Count de Thian's Cavalry it consisted of Six or Seven Squadrons of Spanish Horse and Dragons whose List I cannot tell Having given this short Account of the State of the French Army and the Two little Armies They and We had in Flanders under the Command of the Marquis de la Valette and the Count de Thian we must return to the Two Main Armies towards the Meuse The 11th in the Evening we heard three Discharges of Cannon and Small-shot from the Enemy's Camp which we heard the next day had been a Feu de Joye for the Taking of Palamos in Catalonia The 12th sixteen Hussars deserted from the French Camp and came to our Army These are Hungarian Horse the Emperor has several Regiments of them upon the Rhine and one of their Chief having deserted the Imperial Army about two Years since so many were debauched by his Example and for want of Pay that the French King made a Regiment of these Deserters of which he sent a Squadron which I believe was the whole Regiment to serve this Campagne in Flanders where they were farther from their Comrades in the Imperial Army and where the French King thought they would have a less mind of deserting back again But they found the French Pay so much less to their Satisfaction than that of the Emperor's that they were at last weary of the French Service and I believe that most of them have deserted this Summer from his Army To which they were much encouraged by the Duke of Holstein who receiv'd them all into his Service and made a Troup of them which he added to his Regiment of Dragons and he generally had a Detachment of them for his Guard when he went abroad Their Hungarian Horses are little but very swift and endure a great deal of fatigue and they themselves are very dexterous Horse-men though they make but an ill Figure on Horse-back They have a little Saddle cover'd with Cloth and a Houssen cut like a Swallow's Tail that hangs very low on both sides of the Horses Legs They ride like the Orientals very short with their Knees almost to the Pomel of the Saddle and when they gallop they raise themselves up learning forwards with their Heads upon the Horses Necks They have round Furr Cups with a long Head hanging behind their Backs and Cloaks a l'antique that hang down to their Heels and the Capes to their Waste They have under that a short Wastcoat and their Breeches and Stockings of a piece and little Russia Leather Boots that come up half way their Legs They have a very heavy Sabre or Scimiter which gives an effectual Stroak when it hits but if they miss those that have a light Sword have much the advantage of them for 't is then difficult to recover themselves Their Officers have for all Distinction Brass Feathers sticking up an end in their Caps just over their Foreheads They are very good for Pursuits and Parties and have generally had very good Success in this way against the Turks The Heydukes are the Hungarian Foot dress'd the same way except the Cloak I thought it convenient to give this Description of them because their Names occurr very often in the Gazettes and it may be few know what they are that read it The 12th Fourteen Battalions of the Dutch were detached from our Line to encamp Half a League to the Rear of the Left to possess and defend the Pass of the Abbey of Linther upon the Geet between Leauwe and Tilmont which was a very convenient Post not only to defend the Avenues to our Camp but also to incommode the Enemy's Forage This Detachment was put under the Command of a Dutch Major-General The 13th the King rid out very early in the Morning to observe the several Posts between his Camp and the Enemy's The King had with him a strong Detachment of Horse with which he pass'd both the Geets and came very near the Enemy's Camp His Majesty went over the Ground where we fought last Year at Landen which he rid over several times to
were much superiour to our Detachment for according to the French account the Marquiss de la Valette had then 15 Battalions 9 Regiments of Horse and 2 of Dragoons and besides was now joyned by the Mareschal de Villeroy Lieutenant General Tettan had 15 pieces of Cannon sent with him which was disposed in 3 several Batteries which begun to play upon the Enemy their Cannon was not come up so soon as ours but they intrenched themselves just upon the other side of the River where our Cannon did them some considerable damage Of Maulevriers Regiment by their account 1 Lieutenant was killed and 25 Men. Our own people could easily see our Cannon do execution upon them being so near one another A little after the French began to fire upon us from 2 Batteries on their side but I have not heard of any execution or damage they did us at that time The same Morning the Duke of Wirtemberg had passed the Scheld at Audenarde with the 7 Brigades of Horse and the 2 of Foot of which we have given an account already for which reason as the Mareschal de Villeroy had intrenched upon the River to hinder our passage he was also obliged to fortifie his Rear with a Retrenchment to cover himself from the Duke of Wirtemberg who upon His Majesties Orders was marching up to attack him in the Rear whilst we should force our passage in the Front I shall now leave things in this disposition upon the Scheld and return to both the Armies The 14 th we decamped from Grames and marched towards the Scheld which was now but 2 Leagues from the Right of our Army We passed not far from the foot of Mount Trinite and the Left Flank of our Columns was reckoned within 4 English Miles of Tournay We heard in the Morning upon our march great firing at this place which at first was supposed to be Signals for their Army and neighbouring Garrisons but by the regularity of the fire we found it to be rather a Salute In effect the Dauphine passed this Morning through the Town and was saluted with a triple discharge of the Cannon round the place the Army followed him which in two nights and one day had marched from Mons to this place We left them at Mons the 12 th where they were got betimes in the Morning they refreshed themselves the best part of that day except the Brigade of Guards that was sent to Condé where it was put on board of Bilanders to come down the Scheld to Tournay by water where I suppose it arrived as soon as the Mareschal de Villeroy and with him joyned the Marquis de la Valette The 12 th in the Evening the French Army left Mons and marched night and day only halting for rest now and then and so came to Tournay the 14 th early in the Morning but the Waggons of the Country were ordered all along to take up the Sick and the Weary and upon every halt there was a provision of Brandy ready to refresh the Men. The 14 th about Noon our Right Wing came up near the River but it was then too late to have undertaken to force the passage and for the Army to have gone over for which reason 't was ordered to halt and the Weather proved so bad just at that time that it would have been impossible to have undertaken it though there had been day enough left for it We had this Evening and most of the Night following a violent storm of Rain and Wind which made the wayes very deep and heavy the Army was ordered to incamp in the ground where it stood upon the halt and every Brigade to incamp the most conveniently it could without any regard to the niceness of a Line the King took his Quarters this Night at the Chateau de Cordes and the Elector at Chastelet And the Dauphine being now come up with the Body of the French Army to joyn the Mareschal de Villeroy so that though we had forced the passage of the River yet still we could not prevent the French Army from incamping between Harleber and Courtray where they covered their Country in Flanders and besides the French having drawn all their Forces in this side of the Country which gave the King way for another undertaking may be of as great consequence His Majesty did not think it convenient to attempt the passage here where there might have been a great deal of Blood shed but no advantage on our side though we had forced it because the Enemy would still have been Masters of the Camp at Courtray which equally covered their Lines on both sides of the Lys. The King therefore resolved to leave the French where they were and to pass the Scheld about two Leagues below at Audenarde The French very much magnified their speedy Marches to prevent our passage of the Scheld before them that in Four Days they should with their whole Army pass and re pass the Sambre and pass the Scheld at Tournay and be the fifth incamped on the other side of the River to oppose the passage of our Army 'T is said that the Mareschal de Luxembourg valued it more than the Battle of Landen but if he valued it more it did not cost him much less for 't is supposed that this violent March has cost him at least Three Thousand Men and his Cavalry has been almost ruined by it so far that the French King is now forced to reform his Cavalry as he did the last Year and to reduce the Troops yet to a less Number which the last Winter he had brought to Forty I have heard that he has reduced them to Twenty Five a Troop The French Army might have been followed by the Scent which they left behind of dead Men and Horses which were to be found all along the Road it went so that we may say The French have suffered as much in this March as they could have done in a Battle either in Men or Horses It has been reported that the French King has writ a Letter to the Army to be read at the Head of every Regiment by which he thanked the Dauphine the Mareschal of France the Lieutenant-General and other Generals and all the Army but more particularly the Suisse and French Infantry for the great Services they had done him in this speedy March by which they have saved his Country in Flanders from the Invasion intended by the Enemies This indeed is a very different Language from what we had last Year from him after the Battle of Landen there was nothing then but what he could expect after so considerable a Victory and there was nothing but what his Enemies ought to fear after so great a Defeat but now he seems to recant in his Letter and own that he was mistaken and thanks his Army for running as fast as they could and so fast that it has suffered as much as in a Battle to save his conquered Country from
being invaded by the Enemies who last Year were to fear every thing after the loss of the Battel of Landen This is a very different Note from the first and would make but a very ill concert with it Such a thing must make his Subjects sensible either that the state of Affairs is very much altered to their disadvantage or that their King is strangely transported with success Whether this Letter was read or no at the Head of every Regiment I cannot tell but such a Letter has been Published at Paris Because the French made so quick and diligent a March to prevent our passage of the Scheld it has given occasion to several Men who are generally rash in giving their Judgments of things to extol very much the Enemies Conduct in this Occasion and as much to blame our own without examining the different circumstances of the one and of the other What I shall say at present is not to lessen the Wisdom and Conduct of our Enemies or the Commendation they deserve for their March was as wisely contrived and managed with as little loss as the great diligence they used was capable of I shall only shew that considering our circumstances and those of the Enemy 't is no wonder they could make such diligence as to get before us to defend the passage of the Scheld and it could be no want of Conduct on our Side if they could make so much larger Marches than we as to be able to be there before us for the French had wholly the advantage of the Country on their side From the Meuse to Audenarde we met with no Garrison of ours upon the March but that of Aeth the French they had in their way Namur Charleroy Mons Conde Valencionnes and Tournay and unless when we passed by the Plain of Cambron and the Town of Aeth we marched upon the Enemy's Country but the French still near their own numerous Garrisons From whence the Enemy had this advantage over us for a speedy March that the Boors were all fled to their Garrisous with their Effects from whence they could not onely get Supplies of Refreshments for their Infantry upon every halt but also Waggons to bring the Baggage the Sick and the wearied Soldiers after them in so much that though their Battalions were not of One Hundred Men each at their coming up to a Camp or Halt yet still by Night all the rest were brought up in Waggons who could not march and follow the Army and the Soldiers Bagagge being carried in the same Waggons they marched only with their Arms so much lighter than ours This is a conveniency the French had and which 't is plain we wanted Besides the French marching by so many of their Garrisons could be supplied with fresh Battalions which had suffered no Fatigues in the Field but could hasten with so much the more ease to the Scheld Another conveniency the French marched without their Baggage which was brought up afterwards by the Waggons of the Countrey who had retired generally to to the neighbouring Garrisons but our Baggage must march with us or be left to the Enemies over whose Country we marched or it must have been sent so far about that we must have laid many more Nights than the French without Tent or Cover The French had no occasion to march with their Artillery being to act upon the defensive They had a sufficient Train ready at Tournay to defend the Passage of the Scheld so that they left their Train in their Garrisons to come up leasurely after them but we were obliged to have our Train along with us and to proportion our Marches to the Fatigues the Artillery Horses could endure or else leave them exposed to the Enemies Garrisons by which we passed The French had another great advantage of the Scheld for when once they were come up between Mons and Condé they could send down by water from Condé to Tournay upon the Scheld any thing that might incumber the March of their Army or any Detachment of Forces which they thought sufficient to oppose our passage of the Scheld till they themselves could come up they sent this way the Brigade of Guards according to their own account and may be more which sail'd down the River night and day till they had joyned the Mareschal de Villeroy and the Marquiss De la Valette Now any impartial Reader must own these to be great advantages which the French had over us in this March and such as may very well equal the difference there was between the way the French had to go to the Scheld and we which at most cannot amount to one part in three which the Reader may observe if he will be pleased to consult the Map Nothing can be alledged against our diligence but the Halt we made at Sombref the 9 th but of that we have given an account above And at last these who so willingly pass their Judgments upon the Conduct of our Army don't know whether their was at bottom any other Design but to bring the French from the Meuse to the Scheld to make room for the Siege of Huy whith as it shall hereafter appear was a place of great consequence to us and if it was so then the French by their speedy March helped our very Designs instead of opposing them Or if the French would keep a Body near the Meuse for the conservation of Huy then that would have made way for some Siege in Flanders because the French were not able to act defensively on both sides Whatever was the design it appears that we did what we could to make the French believe it was upon Flanders because upon our March from Mount St. André Major-General Cohorne was commanded from Liege with Twelve Battalions and Six Squadrons of Liege-Dragoons to march by Brusselles towards Ghendt This was sufficient to give the French the Alarm in Flanders and accordingly they left Huy open to a Siege rather than leave their Countrey in Flanders exposed to an Invasion Thus I have endeavoured to state as justly as possibly I could the account of this great March which has made so much noise in the World and in which the French have so much applauded their diligence I shall now return to both the Armies which we have left on both sides of the Scheld Our Army as we said before had incamped the 14 th with the Right near the Scheld the Elector's Quarter upon the Right at Chastelet and the King 's at Cordes The Dauphine having passed the Scheld this Day at Tournay could not be hindred of the Camp of Courtray and besides the Evening proved so bad that though we would then have endeavoured to have passed the Scheld at Hanterive yet we could not The next day the Army was ordered to march towards Audenarde We came at Escanaffe in presence of the French Army incamped with the Right at Hanterive and the Left at Avelghem all along the Scheld though I
Company They marched by Louvain Vilvor de and Ghendt and so joyned us in this place We have said before that upon our marching from Mount St. André towards the Scheld the King had ordered Major-General Cohorne with Twelve Battalions and some Liege Dragoons to march towards Ghendt which obliged the Enemy to bring all their Forces in Flanders to make head against so great an Army as we should have after the joyning of all these Forces The 15 th Major-General Cohorne came to Vilvor de with the Body under his Command and the 21 th he marched through the Town of Ghendt and incamped just without the Town upon the Canal of Bruges he had then with him Three Battalions of Swerin and the Regiments of Stockhansen Lindeboom Harsolt Ameliswert Prince Christian Lodowics Essen Vaudermeuten Churprince and Friesheim and Two Regiments of Liege Dragoons The Enemy having now left the Meuse open the King sent Orderâ— to Maestricht to prepare a Train of Artillery and all other necessaries for a Siege to send it up by water to Liege and all the Boats belonging to Maestricht and Liege were taken for the Kings Service The 22 th we made a great Detachment under the Command of Count de Noyelles Lieutenant-General towards the Right to cover Pioneers who had come up to cut ways through the inclosures we had before us and we had Bridges laid upon the Lys and upon the Scheld for the conveniency of the Army to Forage on the other side of both these Rivers and also to leave the Enemies in suspence who were now busie in fortifying of Courtray for a Winter-Quarter which way we design'd to march next whether farther in Flanders or back again towards the Meuse The 24 th the heavy Baggage was commanded back again to Ghendt and Pontons were sent to make Bridges upon the Lys at Mechlen The 25 th the Right Wing of Horse and Body of Foot was ordered to march towards the Lys except the Brigade of Guards which remained incamped at the King's Quarter and and the same Day Lieutenant-General Dewits was ordered to re-pass the Scheld at Audenarde and to march towards the Meuse with the Brandenbourg Horse under his Command The 26 th the whole Army marched and passed the Lys upon two Bridges at Mechlen We began now to come in the close Country of Flanders and this is the reason that part of the Army was ordered to march from the Camp at Wanneghem the day before because the Defiles were such here that the whole Army could not have marched from Wanneghem and pass the Lys in one day After we had passed the Lys we incamped with our Right at Caneghem where the Elector had his Quarter and the Left between Markeghem and Wacken upon the Lys the King took his Quarter at Wouterghem about Three English Miles from Deinse the Artillery and Baggage marchâ—d by Deinse and came up here to us the same Day The 29 th Count Thian march'd from Deinse and came up to joyn us he incamped before our Left at Wacken where the River Mandel that comes from Rouselar falls into the Scheld The Second Battalion of the Royal Regiment came to incamp in the Line and Colonel Lauders was ordered to joyn Count Thian in its place he was likewise reinforced with Mathars Regiment of Dragoons The 29 th the Body of Foot and the Two Brigades interlined in the Right Wing of Horse together with the Spanish Horse upon the Right and the Brigade of Life-Guards and Boncourts with Eppinger and Dopfs Dragoons upon the Left marched by Thielt and so came to Rouselar The ground being very close here and generally all over the Province of Flanders we had no occasion for Horse the Defiles were very bad and the March long and tedious The King took his Quarters at Rouselar our Right reached to Hooghleede where the Elector of Ravaria had his Quarter and our Left by Rumbek upon the River Mandel the ground upon which we incamped was all high inclosures with rowes of Trees upon all the Hedges which made the Country hereabouts so close that one Battalion could hardly see those upon the Right or Left The Town of Rouselar is called in French Roulers as most of the Towns in this Country have a French and a Dutch name which are often very different from one another and situated near the Springs of the River Mandel which falls into the Lys at Wacken The Country all about it is very even though Woody for which reason if this little River could afford more water for a good Fosse the Town might be very well fortified it is in the Chatellenie of Ipres three Leagues from thence nine from Ghendt three from Courtray four from Dixmuyde and six from Bruges this is reckoned the last place of the Pajis conquis and in time of Peace the French King had Officers to gather his Duties for Goods Imported or Exported as being his utmost Frontier The Duke of Newbourgh now Elector Palatine of the Rhine is Lord of this place but he has a bad Tenant in the French King The Foot being incamped at Rouselar all the Horse remained at Wouterghem under the Command of my Lord of Athlone aud the Two Brigades of Foot interlined under the Command of Major-General Ramsay but the Dutch Horse of the Right Wing joyned the Left Though we were incamped here in very strong and close ground yet 't was commanded by the heighth or little Hill of Hooghleede where we had our Right which is a rare thing in this level Country We made several Redoubts upon it for the security of our Camp this being the only place by which we could be attacked The French upon our March to this place made several Detachments from their Army for the security of their Country the Mareschal de Villeroy was commanded with a Body to incamp by Ipres to oppose our passage of the Canal which goes from this place by the Knock and Furnes to Dunkirk and the Marquis de la Valette had Orders to leave Pont de Espieres to come and post himself between Furnes and the Fort of Knock for the defence of these places We have given an account of both of them in our first relation for the Year 1692 to which I shall refer the Reader I must not omit to say that the Dutch Artillery upon our March to Rouselar was sent from the Camp at Wouterghem to Malines its usual Winter-quarter The King having now brought all the Enemies Forces in Flanders except the Body of Horse Commanded by the Marquis de Harcourt which was not sufficient to hinder or oppose his designs had resolved to besiege Huy for which end as we have said before great preparations of Ammunitions and all other necessaries for a Siege had been prepared at Maestricht His Majesty had sent also Lieutenant-General de Witz from the Camp at Wanneghem with the Brandenburgh Horse to joyn the Liege Forces to invest the place but the Care and Conduct of
till the Bishop Elect had his Confirmation from Rome The Dean and Chapter of Liege had likewise Te Deum sung in the Cathedral Church of St. Lambert and a triple discharge of all the Canon round the Town to express their joy for the reduction of this place to the Government of Liege But before I part with the Siege of Huy I cannot omit to shew the importance and consequence of it to the Allies We have already spoken of the great inconveniences we suffered by having Liege for our Frontier Garrison which being a very large place situated amongst Hills requir'd a good Army for its defence so that whilst Liege was our Frontier we could not well act defensively against the Enemy because it took up those Men within it for its defence which should have been required elsewhere That very Army which the Duke of Holstein had before it was but the Garrison of Liege and some Regiments of Maestricht and though we exceeded the French Army by much including these Forces of Liege yet as long as the French had Huy they could still hinder the junction of these Forces with us or else the Town of Liege must be left exposed to them But we having advanc'd our Frontier by the taking of this place a small Garrison will serve Liege and as much as will keep the Citadels will be sufficient so that by the taking of Huy we can without raising One Man have above Twenty Battalions more in the Field the next Campagne This is sufficient to shew the Consequence of Huy and of what Importance it is to either side It is now time to return from the Siege of Huy to our Camp at Rouselar and to bring things to the conclusion of the Campagne The King as we have said left the Army here the 20 th and went that day by Deinse and Ghendt to Overmeere where His Majesty lay that night but at his passing by my Lord of Athlones Quarters where the Dutch Cavalry was canton'd the King order'd Major-General Hubert to go and command the Body of Horse and Dragoons we had by Aeth in the absence of Count Tilly who as we have said before had been taken Prifoner from his very Quarters by a Detachment of the Enemies from the Garrison of Mons. The 21 th the First Troop of Guards Commanded by my Lord of Scarborough was sent to quarter at Breda and the Horse-Granadiers to Bois le duc and now some Regiments went off daily from the Camp to go into Winter-Quarters The 22 th we made a Detachment to cover our Soldiers who went to marode up and down the Country which before occasioned many of them to be taken Prisoners by the Enemy for the Country hereabours abounded in all manner of Fruits but Roots especially as Turnips Parsnips and Potatoes but when they began to grow scarce near the Camp the Soldiers could not be hinder'd from going farther to gather them which was the cause that the Enemies Parties daily took a great many Prisoners for which reason 't was thought convenient to have set days upon which the Soldiers should have liberty a Man of a Tent to go and gather Roots and Fruits and a Detachment was order'd out of the Army to cover them but some greater inconveniencies happened by this way for which reason 't was since left off If the Camp at Rouselar was strong and secure so that we could make what Detachments we pleased from thence yet in other cases 't was very inconvenient the Country all about it was close and Woody which shelter'd the Enemies Parties which were so frequent that our Sulters underwent great hazards to get Provisions for the Camp and our Bread-Waggons were several times attackâ—d by these Parites for the Train of the Bread-Waggons and Sutlers who took the opportnnity of Convoys made a Line of such length through the narrow ways of this Country that 't was impossible for our Detachments to cover them all along so that the Enemies Parties which lay in the Woods would often sally out when they saw their opportunity and take the Horses from the Waggons which was all they look d for and so run away with their booty as fast as they could about this time a Party of the Enemy attack'd our Bread-Waggons but part of our Detachment which was near hindered them from stealing any Horses yet being in close Ambuscade they fired upon our Men where Captain Sacheverel of Colonel Titcombs Regiment that commanded this part of the Detachment had the misfortune to be wounded mortally which is the only Officer of our Army I have heard of that has been killed this Campagne by the Enemy The 23 th the King who had left the Camp at Rouselar the 20 th came to Liege the 23 th about Noon His Majesty was waited upon by Deputies from the Chapter to Complement Him upon his arrival to this place and by Prince Cerclas of Tilly the Liege General and the Cannon was fir'd all round the Town His Majesty did not go into the place but only rid round the Lines and Works to see the condition they were in and how far His Majesty could depend upon them whereby to take His Measures for the next Campagne That Evening the King went to Maestricht and lay in the Duke of Holstein-Ploens house the Governour which had been prepar'd for His Majesties reception and the next day the King went on to Loo where His Majesty arrived the 26 th to take his usual Divertisements after the closing of the Campagne The 25 th we sent a reinforcement from the Camp at Rouselar of Thirty Gunners and Matrosses with Stores to Dixmuyde The 26 th the Elector of Bavaria and Prince Vaudemont left the Army early in the Morning to go to Brussels 16 Men being commanded out of each Battalion by Two in the Morning to Escorte his Electoral Highness as far as Deinse from whence relays were ready upon the Road by Ghendt to Brussels The Command of the Army remain'd now to the D. of Wirtemberg who had thereupon the Honours paid him which are given to a General in Chief The same day the Army had Orders to forage all the Churches and Cloisters in our Front towards the Enemy and to take all their Corn as we had before to leave the Enemies Country hereabouts as bare as we could The 28 th the Bavarian Foot and Dragoons marched away from the Camp to go into Quarters they were incamped upon the heighth of Hooghleode where they flank'd our Right and cover'd the Electors Quarters but because this Hill commanded our Camp 5 Battalions of the Brigade of Rantzow and Dedem were sent the same day to incamp in their places to defend the Redoubts which we had made at our first coming to fortifie this Hill against the Enemy The same day the Barracks of the Battalion of the Second Regiment of English Guards whereof my Lord Cuts is now Colonel in the room of the late Lieutenant-General Taldmash took fire the
THE HISTORY OF THE CAMPAGNE IN THE Spanish Netherlands Anno Dom. 1694. WITH The Journal of the SIEGE of HVY By EDWARD D'AUVERGNE M. A. Rector of St. Brelade in the Isle of JERSEY and Chaplain to Their Majesties Regiment of Scots Guards LONDON Printed for Matt. Wotton at the Three Daggers and John Newton at the Three Pigeons near Temple-Barr in Fleet-street 1694. Imprimatur Novemb. 20. 1694. EDWARD COOKE To the Honourable MAJOR-GENERAL RAMSAY Colonel of Their Majesties Regiment of Scots Guards c. SIR I Need not make an Apology for Presenting the Account of the Last Campagne to You for since Custom will have every Trifle that is publish'd attended with an Epistle Dedicatory I should be very Ungrateful if I did not embrace this Occcasion to acknowledge to the World the many Obligations I have to You Though to acquit my self of it I must put your Honourable Name to a Piece in which I am sensible You must find a great many Faults For 't is impossible that a Man should judge so Justly and Equally of the Affairs of War as to give an Account of them free from any Mistakes unless he has as great a share in the Management of them as You have However I am very glad it gives me the Opportunity to express in some measure my Gratitude for Your Favours When the Dean of Winchester whom I must acknowledge for the Author of my Happiness in belonging to You recommended me to be Chaplain to Your Regiment I cannot forget how willing you was to Receive me as if you had been long expecting an Opportunity of Doing Good to a Friend though I was then a Stranger to You This Favour was indeed more than I could expect But Your Generosity stopt not here You have treated me ever since with so much Civility and Obliging Kindness that I cannot be silent but must own the Thankful Sense I have of it as publickly as I can I must yet value Your Favours the more that they come from a Person of so much Worth and Merit that you excuse and free me from the common Fault of others in swelling an Epistle with Praise and Commendations the whole Army knows more of it than my mean Rhetorick can express Those who have been at the Siege of Maestricht and the Battel of St. Denis repeat with Pleasure to this day the early Proofs You gave of Your Martial Conduct and Courage Your Vertue and Valour has ever since encreas'd with Your Honour and this present War has done you Justice in raising You to such Considerable Posts in the Army as have given a better Light to Your Merit I could speak with Pleasure of Your Exploits in the Battle of Steenkirk where the Brigade under Your Conduct and Command did such Considerable Service And in that of Landen where You fought with so much Vigour and Bravery that notwithstanding the Inequality of the Number You often Regain'd Your Post and Repuls'd several times the victorious Enemy Your Brigade was then in the Right Wing where the Elector of Bavaria was a joyful Witness of Your Valour and Conduct which He express'd in the kindest and the most endearing manner But I remember I am writing an Epistle and not your History I shall say no more but That You are a Soldier of the KING 's Own Making and that You have been Train'd in His Service from Your Infancy His Majesty is an Excellent Judge of Merit which is the Standard by which He measures His Favours So that though Your Birth is Great and Noble yet 't is Your Own Personal Worth that has Rais'd You to be Major-General of Their Majesty's Forces If You owe a Noble Birth to the Earls of Dalhousy You sufficiently repay the Nobility of Your Extraction with Your Great Vertues and Accomplishments which make You now the Ornament of Your Family May You Live long to enjoy these Rewards of Your Worth and Vertue and whatever else is laid up in the Stores of a Great Just and Bountiful Monarch May You live to enjoy them for Their Majesty's Service the Comfort of Your Vertuous and Excellent Lady the Prosperity of Your Family the Joy of Your Friends and the Honour and Credit of Your Nation These are the Hearty Prayers and Wishes of SIR Your Most Obliged Humble and Obedient Servant Ed. D'Auvergne TO THE READER THIS being the Third Account I publish of this kind I would venture it without the Ceremony of of a Preface if I was not obliged to excuse some Faults which may happen in the Impression For I Write so ill my self that I have been forc'd to get it Copy'd to make it legible I could not get the same Hand that Transcrib'd the last It has now been Copy'd with some Faults which I could not Correct without making it as difficult to Read as the Original But I have recommended it to Friends who cannot only Correct the Faults of the Copyer but my Own too Which Favour I beg from them since my own Affairs here will not permit me to be in England to see it Printed I shall only add That I have us'd all possible Diligense to give an Exact and Impartial Account of Affairs to inform the People of England that have so great a share in the Burden of this Present War of the Truth and to disabuse them of many Stories impos'd upon them some by the Enemies of the Present Government and Friends to the French Interest and others by some Bigotted National People who do their utmost to foment Hâ—aâ—s and Animosities between the several Nations concern'd in the Common Cause who therefore are as great Enemies to it as the Open and Profess'd Enemies of the Government I cannot excuse this nor any of the former Accounts from several Mistakes When a Man is stinted to a Time for the Publishing such Matters which would otherwise be out of season after so long Consulting of Friends which it may be would inform me better Errors in such a Case cannot be avoided But where I have been guilty of Mistakes I shall not think it shame but my Duty to own it I dare say this Present War now is drawing near to a happy End and if God grants me Life to have my share in the Blessings of Peace I will publish all the particular Accounts together of the several Campagnes I have seen in Flanders exactly Corrected and Amended with the Draughts and Planes of the Battles and Sieges and I will use my best Endeavours to free them from all Errors and Mistakes by a diligent Search into Authentick Papers and a strict Enquiry among all the Knowing Persons of the Army the Honour of whose Friendship and Kindness I may pretend to several of them having been very willing to assist me in what I have already done and I need not doubt of the same Favour when there shall be Time and Leisure to bring the Work to Perfection BRUGES Novemb. 5 15. 1694. THE HISTORY OF THE CAMPAGNE IN THE Spanish
pretty good success particularly between the Mehaigne and the Meuse where we lost several Horses and they took generally some Prisoners But if these were inconvenient to us from Namur our Camp near Liege was equally inconvenient to the Enemy on that side from whom they took a great many Horses and Prisoners but few Deserters came to us from this Camp though they deserted before in Multitudes because they were so closely intrenched between Rivers that it was difficult for them who had a mind to get away The 17th the King rid out very early with a strong Detachment of 4000 Horse along the Mehaigne towards the Enemies Camp and returned very late that Evening The day following we had a general Forrage on the other side the Mehaign Several of the Enemies Squadrons appeared in sight of our Forragers for which reason we fired three Pieces of Cannon from our Camp the Signal to call them in The French did forrage the same day on their side and these Squadrons were of the Detachment to Cover the Forragers who were no less surprised to see some of our Squadrons posted near them for the same reason however there was no Action on either Side though such Accidents falling out have sometimes brought two Armies to an ingagement as it happened in 1689 at Walcourt between Prince Waldeck and the Mareschal de Humieres Our Foragers nevertheless made a shift not to come into the Camp empty but we lost some Horses that tarried too long after the Signal given to come off at which time the Detachment that cover'd the Foragers were commanded back to the Camp Colonel Mathews lost 8 Horses out of his Regiment and 3 of his Men were wounded The 22 th all the Dragoons removed from the Left to the Rear of the Right by Hottemont What remained of the English and Dutch Artillery after the Field-pieces had been distributed into the several Brigades of Foot and that we had planted some others at the Village of Ramelies came to be posted here the day before from the ground between Mount St. André and Bonmale where it had incamped at our first coming here And the 24 th the Duke of St. Albans and Colonel Lutterel came to the Camp from England the first to serve as a Voluntier and the second to go to Venice and command the Irish Forces in the Service of that Republick with a Commission of Major-General This day we had another general Forage towards Wavre where the Lord Colchester now Earl of Rivers lost some Horses out of his Troop of Guards The Parties not only from Namur but from Mons and Charleroy were very frequent and came often to the very Rear of our Camp so that upon a Forage 't was very hard to prevent the losing several of our Horses either by negligent Men who did not take care to keep within the out-guards or others who for choice of Forage would venture beyond them The 26 th we surrounded a party of the Enemies in a Wood just by the Rear of our Left where they had been decoy'd by a Boor who gave notice of it to my Lord of Athlone This was a voluntary Party of dismounted Troopers that had a great mind to ride some of our Horses and to mount themselves at our own cost they got a Partisan with them who when they came near to our Camp inquir'd whereabouts our Horses grazed the Boor told them that they were every day just by the Wood and that if they would lie there in ambuscade that night they would not fail of Horses the next morning They took his advice and the Boor came immediately to advertise my Lord of Athlone of it who commanded a Detachment of Dragoons and of the two Brigades of Foot interlined in the Left to surround the Wood and to give no quarter so that they kill'd 20 of them up and down and the Partisan among the rest but at last they gave quarter to 17. Much about the same time one of our Parties composed of Soldiers of Hukelom and Carles Regiments brought in the Lieutenant-Colonel of the Dauphins Regiment and several other Prisoners which they took between Huy and Namur And though 't is none of my business to speak of the actions of Parties and Partisans which have no more to do in the main business of an Army than Privateers have in that of a Fleet the one being upon Land what the others are at Sea yet I cannot omit to speak of a considerable adventure of one of our Parties which ventured to pass the Meuse though not 30 Men and got about 50 Troopers in a defile where they took all their Horses and made every one of them Prisoners and repass'd the Meuse with their Booty which they brought safely off The 21 th Count Thian had a quiet Camp in the Neighbourhood of Ghendt where he seemed posted only to make head against the Marquis De la Valette near Courtray yet he would not remain idle there but about this time he made a Detachment of 300 Spanish Horse out of his Camp under the command of the Lieutenant-Colonel of the Prince of Chinays Regiment who in their way by Aeth took a Reinforcement of 700 Foot out of that Garison and the next day they were joyn'd with about 3 or 400 more of the same Garison These Forces attack'd the French Line about St. Ghilain and forced several of their Redoubts upon the Haine where they made 50 Prisoners they pass'd the River after this and plundered the Town of St. Ghilain where there was a small Garison which abandon'd it upon their approach and retreated to Mons they detach'd several Parties in the Countrey round about for Hostages and made a very great booty of Horses and Cattle which they brought to Aeth The 27 th the three Battalions of Guards in the Second Line had Orders to incamp upon the Kings Quarter a great deal of baggage of the Kings Horse and several both Mules and Horses were on the other side of the little River which went under the Kings Quarter and the King had information of the designs of some of the French Partisans to come and endeavour to steal away what lay on the other side of this River where it was expos'd to such attempts and besides the Kings Quarter was removed from the Line of the Army for which reason these three Battalions of Guards and the Duke of Holsteins Dragoons incamped here by the Kings Quarter the Guards on the other and the Dragoons on this side of the Geet The 28 th we had another general Forage under a good escort of 20 Squadrons of Horse commanded by Count Tilly Major-General and a good Detachment of Foot commanded by Brigadier Collier Some Horses were lost of Brigadier Mathews his Dragoons and two of his Men were kill'd by the French Parties that lay in ambuscade for a like occasion The 31 th the King took a review of the 20 Brandenburgh Squadrons of Horse that as we said above had
believe that the whole Army was not there but at hand between it and Courtray to observe our Motions General Tettan was Posted just on the other side of the River with his Detachment and Field-Pieces but the Caunon was silent on both sides From Escanaffe we marched all along the Scheld towards Audenarde and incamped with our Right at Melde by Audenarde where the Electot had his Quarter and the Left at Escanaffe over-against the Left of the French Army Our Left was here close under the Cannon of the Enemy so that in the Evening when we were come to our Ground the French Cannon plaid very briskly upon our Left where our Two Brigades of Foot Commanded by Major General Ramsay and our English Horse most Exposed yet I have not heard of any Men killed but we lost fourteen or fifteen Horses but the French used their greatest Endeavours to do mischief to Tettan when he came off with his Detachment and Field-Pieces from under their very Retrenchments on the opposite side of the River where he lay under cover but could not get off without Exposing himself very much to the Enemies Cannon He remained quietly in his Post for this reason all the day and took the opportunity of the Evening to come off which he did without any loss The King at this Camp before the Scheld took his Quarter at Berghem upon the very Bank of the River where it was very much Exposed to the Enemies Cannon The Rear-Guard which was brought up by the First Battalion and the Battalion of the Second Regiment of English Guards and the First Battalion of Dutch Guards which had incamped upon the King's Quarters at Cordes which was a considerable way from the Line of the Army could not come up before the next Morning for which reason there was no Orders given over-night to march the next day The 16 th in the Morning the French began to play again upon our Left with their Cannon where they killed some of our Men and our Generals Quarters were very much exposed here being just upon the River but none of them suffered any damage Besides the Batteries the French had against our Left we perceived that they were bringing of Cannon down along the River to take up the length of our Line and have Batteries from Right to Left one of their General Officers came up in the Morning to view the Wind-mill between Peteghem and the River which absolutely commanded our Right but to hinder the Enemies bringing Cannon down any farther we had Batteries made upon our side from the Kings Quarters along our Left to hinder the Enemies from advancing any further The Cannon played on both sides all the Morning but without any considerable execution that I have heard of The King rid out early to observe the countenance of the Enemy part of their Army was making a motion towards their Left which gave us reason to suspect that they design'd to march and take up the Camp of Peteghem a high ground in the way from Audenarde to the Enemies Lines from whence they might have Canonaded the Duke of Wirtemberg who upon His Majesties resolution of passing the Scheld lower at Audenarde was countermanded under the Cannon of this place from whence likewise the Enemy would have very much incommoded our passage of the Scheld even here for which reason His Majesty immediately order'd the Four Brigades of Erle Stuart Alfeldt and Haxhausen and the Two Battalions of Scots Guards to march and leave their Tents standing to joyn the Duke of Wirtemberg and take up the high ground between Poteghem and Audenarde these Brigades were Commanded by the Count de Nassau and Major-Generals Churchill La Meleniere Miremont and Ellenberg We passed the Scheld at Audenarde the same Morning and the Two Battalions of Scheltinga and Prince Charles of Brandenburgh came out of the Garrison to joyn us The French upon this motion were afraid they were coming to surround them for which reason they immediately left their Camp at Hauterive and Avelghem and marched directly to Courtray where they incamped between it and Harleber but a Party of Thirty Men of the Enemies that had advanced too near Peteghem were all made Prisoners Upon the removal of the French from Hauterive and Avelghem the Army that had passed the Scheld was ordered to halt and to incamp upon the ground where it stood every Brigade to take the most convenient way of incamping for it self About half of the Infantry of the Army had passed the River being now Six Brigades of Foot under the Command of the Duke of Wirtemberg We said above that Count Thian when the Duke of Wirtemberg was commanded before to Audenarde had Orders to come up with his Body from Ghendt and joyn him here He came up accordingly and incamped not far from Audenarde between it and Deinse but upon the March of the French to Courtray and Harleber he was sent back to Deinse where he had left Holles's Regiment for the security of the Pass The 16 th the rest of the Army passed the Scheld at Audenarde and below it upon a Bridge of Boats The Scheld above Audenarde makes a great kind of a Lake which being reduced in a narrow Channel to run through the Town does make the best and the chief defence of it and generally all along between Audenarde and Tournay the banks of the Scheld are low and the ground about it a Morass so that it is not passable by an Army at many places and the passage may be defended with a little opposition The Army marched this day between the Lys and the Scheld the King took his Quarter at Wanneghem our Right made an angle from Cruyshoutem the Elector of Bavaria's Quarter towards Deinse and the Lys our Left stretched out towards the Scheld by Peteghem our Front was covered all along with close ground and Defiles for which reason we could not incamp upon a Line but some Brigades more advanced and some less our Front running between the Lys and the Scheld faced exactly the Enemies Lines which we attacked last year which were not above Three Leagues from our Camp The Enemy upon our incamping did not think it convenient to remain upon the same side of the Lys with us at Harleber but on the 18 th they passed the River at Courtray and incamped with their Right at this place the Dauphins Quarter and their Left at Moorselle towards Menin where they were posted equally to defend their Lines between the Scheld and the Lys and their Towns between the Lys and the Sea but the Marquis de la Valette was posted at Pont de Espieres to defend their Lines towards the Scheld however the French by this motion left the Country open before us and gave us liberty of Foraging to their very Lines The 19 th our heavy Baggage came up to the Camp it had been sent away the 5 th under the Convoy of Brigadier Wynnes Dragoons and a Man of a
the Siege was kept for the Duke of Holstein Ploen Velt-Mareschal General of the States Forces accordingly upon our March from Wouterghem to Rouselar the King ordered the Duke of Holstein to go and Command the Forces to be imployed in the Siege of Huy and Major-General Cohorne who had remained with his Body of which we have already given an account near Ghendt till this time was commanded to march towards Liege The 31 th the Three Battalions of Guards the first of the English Guards the second of Dutch Guards and the third the second Battalion of Scots Guards were ordered to incamp on the other side of the Town of Rouselar towards Ipres to cover the Kings Quarters for the Country being close and Woody made the Enemies Parties very bold The same day Quarter-Master-General Dopf was sent to Dixmuyde to observe the Place he had an Escorte of 600 Men Commanded by Colonel Trelawney at his return he gave His Majesty an account of the Place upon which 't was Resolved to fortifie it The Campagne being now far spent and this being like to be the last Camp before we separated into Winter Quarters the Army had Orders to put down their Tents and to make Baracques or Huts of straw which at this time was to be found in great abundance about this place for no Army had incamped near it for many Years The same day the Prisoner of which we have given an account in the March from Sombref to Nivelle that was taken in one of the Ammunition Waggons with a lighted Match was burnt alive after he had first his Right hand cut off and flung into the fire he was put to the Torture to confess his Ruin and was found guilty by the Court-Marshal of designing to blow up our Powder Waggons I have not yet seen the Copy of the Sentence and so I cannot give a farther account of his Crime and of the Persons by whom he was set on I have only heard that it was the Marquis de Grammont We had such an Accident in the Campagne of 1691. the Evening that we returned from Beaumont to the Camp at Court Sur Heure The thing was undertaken by one of the Dutch Traine he actually set fire to Two Bombs which put the whole Army into an Alarm and if the Gunners had not hazarded themselves very much to fling them out of the Waggons it would in all probability have set all our Ammunion Waggons on fire he underwent afterwards the same punishment at the Camp of St. Gerrard his Right hand was cut off and burnt before his face and was himself afterwards burnt alive with a small fire which he indured with a great deal of constancy The Third an Ensign of King James his Irish Guards left the Enemies Camp and came over to our Army and the same day one Pierce Oliver that had been a Sergeant in the Dragoons of Valencar and Native of Tournay was hanged near the Elector of Bavaria's Quarter He had deferted the Spanish Service and went over to the Enemies where he turned Partisan he was taken Prisoner the day before by a Spanish Party and was hanged the next day for a Deserter The same the Duke of Wirtemburg began the Review of the Infantry and Reviewed this day the Brigade of Guards the next day he Reviewed the rest of the Body of Foot the same day His Majesty went to My Lord of Athlone's Camp under a strong Escorte and and because this close Countrey was hardly ever without some of the Enemies Parties they suprized one of which they made Fifty Prisoners killed some and dispersed the rest The King having dined with the Lord of Athlone returned the same night to the Camp after he had ordered a Detachment of Thirty Squadrons of Horse and some Dragoons to march towards Aeth under the Command of Count Tilly Major-General This Detachment was made to cover Brusselles from the Garrison of Mons which made some Incursions to the very Canal of Brusselles and also to observe the Enemy in case they should make any Detachments towards Huy The same day the Regiments of Hackelem Dedem and Holstein Beck were sent to reinfore the Army to be imployed in the Siege of Huy they were Commanded by Brigadier Dedem and followed the next day by the Regiments of Birkenfeldt Zobel and Sparre and the 6 th by the Regiments of the Rhingrave Holstein-Norbourg Goar and Dumont under the Command of the Duke of Holstein Norbourg Brigadier the Regiment of Lowenhaupt was detached the same Day towards the Canal of Brusselles to secure it from the Attempt of Parties The 7 th the Duke of Wirtemberg's Quarter took fire which began in his Kitchin and the Wind was so high that it presently consumed above Twenty Houses to the Leeward in the Street that goes to Ghendt most of them being covered with Straw but the Duke's Servants had the time to save the best of his Baggage and Furniture for the House so that he suffered no great Dammage by it The same day all the English Horse and Dragoons and all the Cavalry upon English Pay came up to Rouselar from the Camp of Wouterghem under the Command of Monsieur d' Anverquerque and incamped that Night upon the Left between Rombeck and Inghelmonster Wynne's Dragoons that had been sent from the Camp of Mount St. André to Ghendt to get their Horses in better case being now refreshed from the Fatigues they had indured came up to the Camp along with them and the 8 th they were all sent to canton upon the Villages between our Right and Dixmuyde My Lord of Athlone left at the same time the Camp of Wouterghem and marched to canton the Dutch Cavalry and Dragoons from Nivelle to St John de Lerne upon the Lys between Deinse and Ghendt Major General Ramsay came the 8 th to the Camp with the Two Brigades of Foot under his Command and incamped upon the Left where he flanked it near Rombeck My Lord of Athlone's Camp being thus separated Count Thian was ordered to march from Wacken back to Deinse to fortifie that Place and the government of it during the Winter was given to Brigadier Off arell This Place is situated upon the Lys Three Leagues higher above Ghendt it lyes upon both sides of the River and in a convenient Post to cover Ghendt and part of the Canal of Bruges from the Enemies Parties who before would venture up to the Gates of the Town and besides our Forces now were so numerous that we could not quarter them conveniently in the Frontier Towns and Garrisons for which reason we have fortified several such Posts this Year to inlarge our Quarters and advance them as far as we could towards the Enemy's Frontier The 8th the Dauphine left the Enemy's Camp between Courtray and Menin to return to Versailles by Eight in the Morning he parted from Courtray being saluted by a Triple Discharge of the Enemy's Cannon by Twelve he arrived at Lisle and
Battalions which at Five Hundred each Battalion one with another the usual way of reckoning the latter end of a Campagne makes Twenty Thousand Foot and Thirty Eight Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons at One Hundred each Squadron the latter end of a Campagne makes Three Thousand Eight Hundred Horse by which the total of our Army before Huy consisted of Twenty Three Thousand Eight Hundred Men the Ten Regiments which were detached from our Army at Rouselar under the Brigadiers Holstein-Norbourg and Dedem came to the Camp before Huy but the very day of the Capitulation for which reason I have not incerted their Names in this List The same Day that we invested Huy the Count de Guiscard Governour of Namur who had put himself into the place to defend it in person went out of it betimes in the Morning under a good Escorte of Dragoons by an express Order of the Court which injoyned him to go back to his Government of Namur whither he got with some difficulty We had the News in our Camp that he was forced to leave his Baggage behind him which fell by this means into our hands but afterwards was returned safely to him The Count de Guiscard at his going out paid the Garrison which was made up of the Regiments of Ponthieu and Angoumois consisting of Twelve Companies each which made between Thirteen and Fourteen Hundred Foot and One free Company of Dragoons The defence of the place was recommended to Monsieur de Regnac Commandant of the Castle About Noon some Deputies from the Magistrates of Huy came to wait upon the Duke of Holstein by Monsieur de Regnacs leave to make some Propositions according to which he was willing to deliver the Keys of the Town into their hands and to retire into the Forts and Castle if the Duke would consent to them 1. That the Roman Catholick and Apostolick Religion should be maintained in it in the state it was now 2. That the Burghers and Inhabitants should return under the Government of their Natural Prince the Bishop of Liege and the See being now vacant of his Illustrious Chapter 3. That the Magistrates Mayors c. should be continued in the possession of their Charges Priviledges Rights and Liberties as well as the Burghers and Inhabitants of the Town 4. That the Town being under the Power of the Allies none of the Ecclesiasticks either Secular or Regular nor the Burghers and Inhabitants nor those of the Neighbourhood which have fled thither for refuge shall be insulted disturbed or molested in their Persons Goods or Effects wherever they may be 5. That when the Allies should have taken possession of the Town they should not attack the Castle from it and those of the Castle should not commit any Hostilities against the Forces in the Town 6. That if the Allies were obliged to raise the Siege and to abandon the Town they should in no wise molest or disturb the said Ecclesiasticks Burghers and Inhabitants c. nor their Effects nor burn ruine or plunder their Houses nor seise themselves of any of them upon any pretext whatever 7. That in case they abandon the Town they should not demolish cut down nor blow up the Ramparts Bulwarks Towers Gates Barrieres or any other works of defence belonging to the Town 8. That they should not demolish nor do any damage to the great Bridge of the Town upon the Meuse nor those built upon any Rivulets either within the Town or liberties of it 9. That they should not sieze themselves of nor take any Bell or piece of Mettal belonging to the Town Ecclesiasticks or Inhabitants neither should they cause them to be redeemed for money or otherwise 10. That it should be Lawful for any of the Burghers and Inhabitants to retire where they please with their Effects for the space of six Months 11. That the Hospitals Pious Houses and Lumber Houses should not be molested nor disturbed in any of their Revenues or Effects These are the Articles upon which the Town was given up to the Allies most of them are upon condition the Allies should raise the Siege of the place by which it appears that the Besieged had great hopes of it About Four in the Afternoon Monsieur de Regnac caused the following Article to be added to it That the Allies should not attack the Castle by the Town or Faubourgs nor cause any Troops to pass the Bridge in a Body during the Siege nor any Cannon Ammunitions or any other Provisions of War and that by vertue of this Capitulation he should deliver the next Day by Six in the Morning the Keys of the Town in the hands of the Magistrate This Capitulation having been agreed unto and signed by the Duke of Holstein and Monsieur de Regnac the Besieged left the Town and retired into the Castle and Forts Four of of our Battalions entered into the place to take possession of it Having now the Castle and Forts to besiege the Duke of Holstein took his Quarter upon the Hill of Coureux with most of the Generals we began to work at our Batteries and we finished our Bridge of Communication at Taverne The Enemy made a great Fire with their Artillery against our Works and shot some Bombs but without doing any considerable damage The Evening they made a Salley on that side where Major-General Cohorne Commanded thinking to possess themselves of three Field-Pieces we had there but the Guard having perceived it gave the Alarm and we repulsed the Enemy with some loss on their Side The 9 th the Besieged continued to fire with their Artillery but not so briskly as the day before and some Deserters who came over to us reported that they had some Gunners killed in the Fort Picard by three Pieces of Cannon which had broke We hastened our Work at the Batteries and other Works and landed as fast as we could our heavy Artillery which had come up to our Bridge of Communication at Taverne by the Meuse consisting of Fifty and Five battering Pieces and Twenty Eight Mortars besides the Cannon we had brought by Land The 10 th we had advice that the Besieged resolving to defend themselves to the last extremity did work within as fast as they could chiefly to cover themselves in their Works with Earth and Hay to defend themselves from our Bombs They fired upon none but those who appeared out of the Faubourgs of the Place and made but a small Fire upon us this day and hitherto they had killed us but very few Men The 11 th the Enemy fired upon us with their Cannon and Mortars with more Vigour than they had done the day before We finished this Enening our Batteries for Cannon and Mortars we had one upon the Hill of Coureux the second near the Counterscarpe Major-General Cohorné had one above Croisiers upon the Saur Brigadier Swerin another near St. Leonard and Prince Circlas of Tilly had the fifth The 12 th the Enemy fired very briskly upon
us till Nine in the Morning that the Duke of Holstein being come to the chief Battery upon the Hill de Coureux gave the Signal by ordering a Bomb to be fired in the Air after which this and all other Batteries both of Cannon and Mortars fired without intermission all the Generals had posted themselves by the main Battery to be Spectators of this Work This Evening we opened the Trenches at the Brandenbourg Quarter who directed their Attack towards the Fort Picard the rest did the same at their other Attacks The 13 th we had a thick Fog in the Morning which interrupted the Vigour of our Fire but as soon as it was over our Cannon and Mortars began to play with more force from all our Batteries that of St. Leonard fired perpendicular upon the Head of the Fort Picard to make a Breach The Enemy who kept themselves in their Works fired but seldom with Two Six-pounders of which we soon dismounted one they fired some Vollies of Shot upon the Bridge of the Town which caused the Duke of Holstein to send a Message to Monsieur de Regnac to let him know that it was against the Tenor of the Capitulation which would oblige him to give no quarter when once he should be Master of the Castle The Governour endeavoured to excuse himself but the Duke of Holstein returned for Answer by a Drum that he was a German and could not understand the wrangling of the French A Deserter came in and told us that the Besieged could not hold out much longer that our Bombs had ruined their Well and had broke to pieces most of their Casks filled with Beer and Water that they had spoiled their Provisions and put their Magazines of Fascines on fire thereupon we push'd our Approaches to the Foot of the Counterscarpe and the Besieged killed and wounded some of our Soldiers The 14 th the Enemies Fire ceased The General held a Council of War where it was concluded That the Breach in the Forts Rouge and Picard being wide enough for an Assault Orders should be given to the Brandenbourgers who were the most advanced to prepare themselves for it and all things being ready the Signal was given about Four in the Afternoon after which they made the Assault upon the Fort Picard with so much bravery that in less than half an hour they carried it Sword in hand without any great resistance from the Enemy of whom they made a great slaughter The Fort Rouge had the same success our People came into the place with the Enemies before they had time to know themselves The Paris Gazette gave an account that they sustained our Assault twice but that we carried it the third time after a vigorous Resistance Thus 't is honourable to have to do with a proud Enemy We carried at the same time the Tower of St. Leonard and another which surrendred at discretion Monsieur de Condron the King's Lieutenant that Commanded in these Forts escaped with 60 or 70 Men out of 300 though he was very much wounded after he had nailed three pieces of Cannon which he was forced to leave in our power and sprung a Mine which had no effect at all Among the Prisoners we took those of note were Monsieur de Tromboy Lieutenant-Colonel of the Regiment of Ponthien one Major three Captains aad other Officers but the Sieur Fronier Lieutenant-Colonel of Angoumois was not found in the Castle nor amongst the Prisoners and so it was concluded that he was killed Our Soldiers stript all those that were killed naked so that he could not be found We had in this Action but 9 or 10 Soldiers killed and some wounded The 15 th we changed some Batteries with which we continued our Fire to ruine all the Works the Casemates c. of the Castle We had several Fascines brought to fill the Ditch and disposed all things for an Assault about Eleven in the Evening the Duke of Holstein sent to summon the Commandant to surrender and deliver to the Magisttates of the Town divers Burthers whom he detained in the Castle contrary to the Capitulation During this Message we had a cessation of Arms for half an hour at which time the Officer the Duke of Holstein had sent returned with this Answer from the Commandant That it was not time yet to surrender that he would stay till things were brought to a greater Extremity that for the Burghers demanded he had reason to retain them without explaining himself any further The Besieged did think of making a Retrenchment in the Castle where to retreat and capitulate in case of an Assault The 16 th we began again as soon as it was day to fire from all our Batteries to make the Breach wider and to overthrow all the Defence the Besieged had but we found it more difficult than was at first believed to bring down the heaps of Stone at the Breach The 17 th we continued the same Work till One in the Afternoon that the Besieged beat the Chamade and asked to capitulate which surprized us very much since they might yet have defended themselves very well for some days for though the Breach was wide enough yet 't was very difficult to go up to it Hostages were Exchanged on both Sides and the Count de Lur Colonel of the Regiment of Angoumois brought the Conditions in Writing to the Duke of Holstein according to which the Commandant would deliver up the Castle which after examination some were agreed unto and some rejected We would have given no other Conditions but those which the Mareschal de Villeroy had granted the Year before to the Baron de Ronesse when he took it which caused great contestations on both Sides and several Messages backwards and forwards The French insisted very much to have marched out with Cannon which was absolutely refused but at last the Duke of Holstein sent word to Monsieur de Regnac If that Night passed without accepting the Conditions he had prescribed that the next Morning he would make a general Assault upon the Place without any regard to the said Conditions which Message had the success we expected for the Count de Lur came about Mid-night to the Duke of Holstein with Monsieur de Regnac's Cousent to the said Articles which I shall here insert for the satisfaction of the Reader as they were proposed by Monsieur de Regnac and granted by the Duke of Holstein Ploen The Capitulation Granted by the Duke of Holstein Ploen Commanding the Confederate Army before Huy to Monsieur de Regnac Commandant for the French King in the Castle of Huy I. THat the Garrison shall go out of the place with Arms and Baggage Drums beating Colours flying Matches lighted at both ends and that they shall march out of the Breach Granted II. That they shall carry out along with them Two Brass Pieces of Cannon and Mortars which are in the place which shall be at the choice of the Commandant of the Castle Rejected