the other side of the Sambre whereabouts Boufflers lay encamp'd he began this Work on Sunday the 9th of October O. S. and continu'd till the Tuesday following where his Bombarding cost infinitely more to his Master than the Mischief he caus'd cou'd amount to this being the most inconsiderable part of Charleroy and the Fortifications of it altogether neglected that lying open to the Enemy Upon these motions of the French towards Charleroy the King who was lately come from Loo to the Hague went Post to Brussels where his Majesty arriv'd Octob. 9. and lay that night at his own Palace and return'd the next day to the Hague after having held a Council of War with the Elector of Bavaria and other great Officers of the Army my Lord of Athlone was thereupon detach'd from the Army with Ammunitions Provisions and other Necessaries for the Relief of Charleroy with an Escorte of 4000 Horse and Dragoons which his Lordship got safely into the Town Boufflers having left Charleroy the Armies on both sides began to separate towards their Winter-Quarters Great Garrisons have been put in Brussels Mecklen Ghent Vilvord and Dendermond and along the Canal so that in Four and twenty hours time upon any motion of the French we can have a considerable Army about Brussels His Majesty being come back to the Hague sail'd some days after for England where he arriv'd at Tarmouth the 18th day of October and thence went to London where His Majesty was receiv'd with universal Joy and Acclamation for his happy and safe return And thus I have brought the relation of the most remarkable Transactions of this Campaign in the King's Army to a conclusion whereby it appears that if other things did second the unwearied Pains the indefatigable Toyls and Labours His Majesty takes and the continu'd Dangers he exposeth himself to the French Arms would not flourish so much as they have done hitherto and whatever Advantages the French have really had or to which they pretend in this Campaigne yet the King's Subjects have not in the least disgrac'd the Renown and Glory of their Ancestors in it but have acquir'd to themselves such Reputation as has forc'd even a Commendation and I may safely say Fear from their Enemies We have a sort of People who in magnifying the French Greatness and how useless our Efforts have been in Flanders to suppress it would insinuate that because he is Great that it is best to yield to what we cann't resist and since we have had no more success in Flanders 't is best let it go and stand for the rest upon our own Defence which indeed is the only way to break the Alliance and have this very Power which they so much magnifie wholly upon our Arms so that a Man has reason to suspect that such Insinuations do underhand tend to introduce a French Power amongst us If the French King is so Great all as a rational Man can infer is that therefore our Efforts ought to be so much the greater and that we are to make use of the utmost of our Powers not only to resist but to endeavour to humble this formidable Power to which the way seems already open by our Signal Victory at Sea 't is very plain that if a stop can be put to the French King 's Proceedings it must be by an English Power and that 't is only by the Vigour and Greatness of our Efforts as he can be humbled which I am sure is a thing to be wish'd by all true English-men and to which every one that is such will contribute according to his Condition and Capacity to the utmost of his Power FINIS ERRATA PAge 4. line 3. Dauphiné read Dauphin p. 9. l. 12. Curiassers r. Curiassiers p. 10. l. 19. idem p. 17. last l. Perteys r. Perweys p. 18. l. 26. a River r. the River p. 28. l. 24. confiement r. confinement p. 30. l. 15. Farrel r. O Farrel p. 36. l. 10. Bois Seignerer Isaac r. Bois Seigneur Isaac p. 40. l. 29. was afterwards r. as afterwards p. 50. l. 18. Gislenhem r. Gislenghem p. 51. l. 11. Lanier r. de Liniere p. 63. l. 12. Bewark r. Bewack p. 64. l. 18. Mondny r. Monday May May 17. 27. 18. 28. May 22. June 1. May 23. June 2. 24. June 3. 26. June 5. 27. June 6. May 28. June 7. 29. June 8. 29. June 8. An. 1691. June 6. 16. June 7. 17. June 9. 19. Juns 10. 20. June 12. 22. 14. 24. 12. 22. June 20. 30. 20. 30. Vide du Maurier in the Life of William I. Prince of Orange June 22. July 2. June 2◠July 5. 26. 6. June 29. July 9. July 3. 13. July 10. 20. July 16. 26. 17. 27. July 21. 31. 22. Aug. 1. July 23. Aug. 2. July 24. Aug. 3 July 25. Aug. 4. 26. Aug. 5. July 27. Aug. 6. Aug. 1. 11. Aug. 2. 12. 3. 13. Aug. 9. 19. Aug. 14. 24. 15. 25. Aug. 16. 26. 17. 27. 21. 31. Aug. 23. Sept. 2. 24. Sept. 3. Aug. 25. Sept. 4. Aug. 26. Sept. 5. Sept. 7. 17. Sept. 8. 18. Sept. 10. 20 12. 22. Sept. 21. Octob. 1. 23. Octob. 3. Sept. 26. Octob. 6. 29. Octob. 9. Octob. 2. 12. Octob. 9. 19.
overtake the Enemies Rear returned the same day to Halle We Forag'd this day and the Detachment was put under the Command of my Lord of Athlene who being informed that several of the Enemy lay in Ambuscade in a Wood to steal our Horses he ordered a Party to beat the Wood where Captain Rowland Maikenzy of that Regiment as was Sir Robert Dowglas's now my Lord George Hamilton's made Twenty Prisoners who begg'd very eernestly for Quarter though Orders had been to give none This day the Chevalier de Grandval Knight of Malta Bartholomew Lanier by Name born at Liniere in Picardy was Hang'd Drawn and Quarter'd according to the English Punishment for Traytors in the midst of our Camp for having conspir'd to assassinate the King with Du Mont and Levendael the first having discovered the business as we have said before to the Duke of Zell and the second to his Brother in Holland They were confronted as Witnesses of the Fact which Grandval himself confessed and own'd This Grandval had before kill'd the Mareschal de Humiere's Nephew in a Duel and as there is no mercy in France for such Men he was oblig'd to fly to the Duke of Savoy's Country for shelter where in the beginning of the War he took Service But Monsieur de Catenat finding this Grandval Serviceable to the Duke of Savoy represented it to the French King and desired him to give him his Pardon being assured under-hand that he would quit the Duke's Service if he had it Accordingly upon Catinat's Request Grandval had the Kings Pardon and thus left the Duke of Savoy and came to Catinat's Army where he was immediately preferr'd to be Major of Dragoons and Adjutant General Du Mont having been formerly an Officer in the States Service and disoblig'd I think cashier'd by our King he was resolved to attempt a Revenge by the assassinate of his Sacred Person accordingly he made the Motion to the then Marquess de Louvois and this was designed to be executed in 91. when the King was in the Field either upon the March of our Army or at some other time when the King rid abroad to view some Posts The Marquess de Louvous pitched upon this Grandval to bring the Assassin off who was to command a Detachment of some stout desperate Fellows for that purpose For Louvois thought this Man fit for the purpose since he had been so desperate as to fight a Duel contrary to the strictest Orders of the French King and in which there was no hopes of Mercy and also because he had been so much obliged by the French King in having his Pardon in a case in which the French King had never pardoned before and therefore he lay under some Obligation to undertake this honourable Employment But Du Mont and Grandval missing of their Design that Campaign and the Marquess de Louvois dying some time after it was laid by and Du Mont retired to Hanover Barbesieux however finding this Project in his Fathers Papers would not let it fall but sent for Grandval who accordingly entred into a new Negotiation with Du Mont by Letters at Hanover and took with him a third Associate Levendael at Paris and appointed their meeting to execute their Enterprize at Endhoven near Boisleduc I need not say any more Particulars I refer my self to the Factum printed in several Languages by Authority to let the World know so horrible a Villany and what the French Court will not attempt though it be never so base and unworthy to rid themselves of a powerful Enemy and far more base and horrible than those Designs laid against the Life of William I. Prince of Orange his Sacred Majesty's Glorious Ancestor as this was carried with a Hellish Secresie whereas the King of Spain had by a publick Proscription laid a Price upon the Prince's Life These Traytors were invited to this more than Hellish Conspiracy by the Prospect of vast Rewards promised them both by the late King and Barbesieux as has appeared by their own Confession and Grandval's own Letter to Mademoiselle Juré wherein he desired her to wait upon the Archbishop of Rheins to acquaint him that he had obeyed the Marquess de Barbesieux's Orders at the Expence of his Life My Lord of Athlone General of the Dutch Horse was President at the Council of War where he was Try'd assisted by Sgravenmoor Sir John Lanier and Talmash and Mackay Lieutenant Generals La Forest de Weede Noyelles Zobell Major Generals Churchill and Ramsey Brigadiers But the business of Steenkirk cut off two of the General Officers present at the Council of War before the passing of Sentence so that their Names are not Sign'd in it viz. Lanier and Mackay The Sentence was passed and read Monday the 11 th of August at the Camp at Lembeck and Executed the Wednesday following This day the Army decamp'd from Nostredame de Halle and marched to St. Quinten Lenneck a place remarkable only for the Retrenchments which remain there which Prince Waldeck caused to be made sometime before the Army's breaking up in 1690. and the next day we came to Ninove the first Town in Flanders scituated upon the River Dender which passing by Alost falls into the Scheld at Dendermond The French were at the same time encamp'd between Grammont in Dutch Geersberg and Lessines both upon the same River about two Leagues higher The King took his Quarter in the Abbey of the Town of the Order of Premonstre or St. Norbet and the Elector at a Gentlemans House not far from the Town The Kings Quarter lying something too open in this Camp in the Front of our Army all the English and Scotch Granadiers were order'd to encamp about the King's Quarters to cover it The day before this last March viz. the â—th the Second Battalion of the first Regiment of Guards my Lord Cutts's and the Prince of Hesse's Regiments were sent to Mecklen having suffer'd very much in the late Engagement Three Dutch Regiments who suffer'd at the same time were commanded towards Maestricht All the heavy Baggage of the Army was commanded towards Ghendt under the Convoy of Four Danish Battalions who had suffered at Steenkirk and were ordered there to quarter They were the Battalion of Danish Guards the Queens Prince Christians and the Finland Battalions This was in order to the Armies marching the next day towards the Scheld The Ways being difficult and the Defilés many the heavy Baggage was ordered to Ghendt The next day being St. Lewis's day the Army march'd from Ninove The French at the same time decamp'd from Grammont and Lessines to pass the Scheld as soon as we this being their Patron Saint and reckoned amongst them as a Fortunate day Our Left Flank laid very open all this day's March if they had pleased to attack it but they thought it not convenient and so we came and encamped in very close Grounds at St. Levinus Haltheim a pretty large Village and considerable chiefly for
Account of it to my Lord of Athlone Du Mont gave an Account of this Design much at the same time to the Duke of Zell who likewise gave Notice of it to the King which as it was an Argument of his Sincerity in discovering of it and likewise upon the Duke of Zell's Intercession he was also pardoned The said Du Mont came up afterwards to the Army to give his Evidence upon the Assurance his Highness of Zell gave him of a safe Conduct This Du Mont having given Grandval the meeting at Endhoven not far from Bois-leduc upon Levendael's Discovery my Lord Athlone sent a Detachment of 110 Horse thither who seized both the Prisoners I mean Levendael that discover'd it and Grandval and carried them to Boisleduc to the Prince of Nassaw Sarbruck Governour of the Place Grandval at first made as if he were very ignorant of the matter and altogether innocent but when the Prince of Nassaw Sarbruck ask'd him if he knew one Du Mont at the Court of Zell the other own'd the matter and reply'd That his Life was in his Majesty's Power The French King having at last invested Namur opened the Trenches before the Town attacking of it with all the Vigour imaginable and the Besieged on the other side making a stout Resistance This Town is situated upon the Brabant-side of the Sambre The Castle is very strongly seated upon the Ascent of a Hill which makes a Nook of Land caus'd by the meeting of the Sambre and the Meuse looking towards the Town and opposite to the Castle on the other side of the Meuse as you go up to Dinant is a small Suburb of Old Houses This Garrison was compos'd of Ten Dutch and Brandenburgh Battalions which had been there all Winter in Quarters besides some Spanish Regiments between which there happen'd during the Siege some Discord which forwarded very much as 't is said to the yielding of the Place 'T is very probable that the French King design'd this Siege very early in the Spring if the foul dirty Weather that follow'd the Rigour of the last Winter had not prevented it or even in the Winter it self if it had not been so severe for he had gain'd in his Interest the Baron de Bersé Lietenant Governour of the Place a Gentleman if I may call a Traytor so born in the Franche-Conté and who had been as is reported Forty Five Years in the King of Spain's Service The Inhabitants of Namur rely'd very much upon him and indeed more than the Prince of Brabançon their Governour whom they suspected because a great part of his Estate lay in the French Conquests between the Sambre and the Meuse This Lieutenant Governour was so much trusted that he took care of all the Magazines Provisions and Ammunitions that were in the place and such Care that he left them almost unprovided Whether it was that things were ripe for the Design if a kind Season had seconded it or that he saw that he had gone so far that he could stay no longer in the place for fear of being discovered he took occasion one day to go and visit some Out-posts and by this Pretext got himself intercepted by a Party of the Garrison of Dinant where he was carried Prisoner to cover the Plot but his being so easily perswaded to take the French Service does very plainly prove that his being taken Prisoner was but a Sham. It is said he did very great Service in this Siege in directing the Attacks where he thought they would be must convenient who knew so well the State of the Fortification Upon this Treacherous Governour 's deserting of the Place which gave reason to suspect some Design the Magazines were immediately visited and found in a very had Condition upon which Orders were sent to the Governour of Maestricht to send forthwith a Convoy of all sorts of Ammunition as Powder Ball Match c. and Seven Pieces of Canon which was sent under the Escorte of a very strong Detachment of the Garrisons of Maestricht Liege and Huy and Quarters thereabouts being commanded by Count Cerclaes of Tilly who safely got the Convoy into Namur about the latter end of February or the beginning of March last But to return to our Army Whilst we were incamp'd at Bethlehem the Elector of Bavaria with the King of Spain's Troops lay incamp'd within two Miles of us on the way between Louvain and Brussels which afterwards with his Bavarian Curiassers made our Right Wing of Horse that being still the Elector's Post of Command The King early in the Morning had by an Express the happy News of our Victory at Sea by Admiral Russel over the Count de Tourville the French Admiral which tho' it gave but a confus'd Relation as yet of the French loss and our advantage over them the Express being sent immediately after the French Fleet began to make off yet it was a Victory of such consequence that in the Evening the King caus'd all the English Artillery which had joyn'd us but little before if not that very day to be drawn upon the top of a Hill upon the Right of our Army looking towards Namur the Dutch Artillery was likewise plac'd on the same Hill upon the Left of ours and Orders were given for the drawing out of the whole Army in the Evening to express our Joy for the Victory by the triple Discharge of our Artillery and Small-shot and at the same time to give Notice of it to the French who were very busie in prosecuting the Siege of Namur the Wind standing very fair for that purpose The whole Army in expressing their Joy for this Victory shew'd such an alacrity and eagerness to be with the Enemy to second this great Success of our Fleet and not to be behind-hand with our Maritime Forces that we had all the reason in the World to expect great Matters if they had been set on the Enemy This day we were likewise joyned by the Danish Troops commanded by Prince Wirtemberg consisting of Eight Battalions of Foot and a proportionable number of Horse Col. Earl's Regiment came in likewise the same Day and Orders were given out this Night for our marching the next Morning We marcht from Bethlehem to Park another Abbey on the other side of Louvain as you go to Namur in this March the Second Line mov'd through the First because we marcht upon the Right and fronting another way at Park towards the Enemy The Second Line by this motion remain'd in the Rear when we came to our ground where we halted the next Day in which we were joyn'd by the Bavarian Curiassiers about 1400 strong who took their Post in the Right Wing of Horse immediately upon the Right of the English Foot-Guards The King resolving to use his utmost endeavour to raise the Siege of Namur gave Orders this Day for all the heavy Baggage of the Army as Carts Waggons and Coaches to be sent away to Arschot a Captain of
we came near them they all cry'd Quarter but the Germans firing immediately upon them that dispers'd them so up and down the Wood and Thickets that they made their escape The Elector of Brandenburg having removed his Court this Summer to Cleves to be nearer his Forces te give them such Orders as he thought convenient pass'd the Meuse at Roermoade and came as far as Vrecklen not far from Louvain to conser with His Majesty upon the present State of Affairs where His Majesty went to meet him about the middle of this Month being guarded by a strong Escorte of Horse and Dragoons After the Conference the King return'd to the Camp at Genap and the Elector went to view his Forces that were now incamp'd on the other side of the Meuse near the River Outre not far from Liege and afterwards his Electoral Highness having pass'd by Maestricht return'd to Cleves Much about the same time the Elector of Bavaria went to Brussels having a very strong Escorte all along the way that goes thro' the Bois de Sogne to Brssuels this Wood being generally very full of French Parties and more particularly at this time that they expected the Duke of Bavaria's going to Brussels to the Procession of the Bloody Host where the Governors of the Spanish Netherlands are still us'd to assist This bloody Host is kept in the great Church of Brussels it was stabb'd by a Jew as they say in contempt of our Saviour and immediately there fell from it some Drops of Blood which remain upon the Host to this day The Elector return'd the same day in the Evening after the Procession to Brussels having as is said escap'd many dangerous Ambuscades in this Bois de Sognes by his quick and speedy Riding This day the Army decamp'd from Genap and made a great March as far as Nostredame de Hall having passed by Nivelle the Abbey of Bois Seignerer Isaac and a very bad Defile at Brain le Chateau it rain'd also most part of this day which made the ways very difficult and deep particularly for the Rear of the Army by this long March which lasted from Morning till Night we assur'd ourselves of the Camp at Halle where otherwise the French might have been before-hand with us and thus have hinder'd by possessing themselves of this Pass the Subsistence of our Army in this unforrag'd Country and afterwards in Flanders We encamp'd this day our Right upon the Senne our Corps de Reserve flanking it and fronting towards Halle and our Left extended itself as far as Brain le Chateau we pass'd this day through the Ground that was mark'd for the Hanouer Troops to encamp that day they marching up in all hast to joyn us The next day the Army pass'd the Senne in several Columns one with the Corps de Reserve going through the Town the others upon several Bridges of Boats that were laid above it the King took his Quarters at the Castle of Lembeck and the Elector in the Town of Halle a place famous for the Devotions made to an Image of our Lady given about Four hundred Years since by Elizabeth Queen of Hungary and a Daughter of the House of Flanders which as the Legend of it pretends hath wrought abundance of Miracles Pictures being hung all about the Church that represent them but none of later date than the Fifteenth Century I don't know whether 't is because it has not that Faculty at present or whether the Reformation has not put a stop to several of their pious Cheats This Church is of late given and impropriated to the Jesuites that have a very pretty little Colledge by it The Town of Halle when we had pass'd the Senne and pitch'd our Camp remain'd in the Rear of our Right Wing of Horse where the Hanover Troops afterwards took their Post In this Camp likewise the Infantry of the Corps de Reserve was commanded in the Body of the Army Brigadier Churchill's and the Earl of Bath's Regiments taking their former Posts amongst the English We were likewise joyn'd this Day in the Afternoon by the Hanover Troops computed to be between 7 and 8000 strong Horse and Foot and all very fine and gallant Troops particularly the Horse of his Highnesses Guard of which there was two Troops the one upon Grey and the other upon Bay Geldings which being very well accouter'd and incomparably well mounted made a very fine and martial shew His Troop of Dragoons du Corps did almost equal his Life-Guard in fineness and goodness of Equipage and in their Horses The next day we were also joyn'd by two English Regiments of Horse namely Colonel Langston's and the Marquess de Ruvigny now Lord Gallaway the first of the two was afterwards some few days after the Engagement at Steenkirk broke into our other Regiments to augment their Complement the Officers being remov'd according to their Posts into those Vacancies as were in other Regiments and what remain'd being allow'd Subsistence till they are provided for the same way in the Evening Orders were given out for Six Battalions to be ready to march an hour before day and to parade at the Head of Prince Waldeck's Regiment The Battalions were the Second of the first Regiment of Guards the first of Sir Robert Douglas's Col. Fitz-Patrick Col. O Farrels a Battalion of the Danish Guards and the Queens Orders were likewise given for Seventeen Men of each Battalion in Churchill's Brigade to be ready at the same time and place and to be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Manwayring their business being to make the ways through the Defilés they were all to receive a Ducat a Head for their Labour and as they were to joyn with the Vanguard in time of business they carried their Arms with them as well as Hatchets and Spades All this Detachment was to be commanded by the Duke of Wirtemberg as the Vanguard of our Army Orders were likewise given for the whole Army to march very early in the morning the General to beat at break of Day and the Army to be ready to march at Sun rising All these Preparations were in order to attack the French the next day in their own Camp at Enghein who the same Day as we march'd from Gennap to Hall decamp'd from Soignes and made all haste to Enghein lest we should get that Ground from them and thus oblige them to get farther to their own Conquests Luxembourg's Right being at Steenkirk and his Left at Enghien he took his Quarters at Hove According to Orders the Six Battalions paraded at the Head of Prince Waldeck's Regiment and the Detachment of 17 Men per Battalion of Churchill's Brigade and received the Commandment of Prince Wirtemberg and very early in the Morning the whole Army followed them making their way to the Enemies Camp through nothing but Defilés being close Ground all the way and no other way but such as was made by our Detachment for that purpose the Baggage being
left behind by order at the Camp at Hall About Nine or Ten in the Morning our Vanguard came to the Advanc'd Posts of the Enemy the Mareschal of Luxembourg as the Paris Account gives it having been informed of our Design by Monsieur de Tracey who commanded a Detachment of Horse that Night between the Enemies Camp and ours had taken care to possess himself of the most considerable Posts in the Defilés but notwithstanding our Vanguard oblig'd the Enemy to retreat from them all till they came to a little Wood just upon the Right of the Enemies Camp except a small Guard in a Village upon the Left of our Columns almost a League from the Enemy's Camp who upon the March of our Army were all made Prisoners of War their number about Thirty Men and an Officer Between Ten and Eleven of the Clock in the Morning our Advanc'd Guards under the Command of Prince of Wirtemberg lodged themselves in the Wood that fronted the Right of the Enemy's Army the Danes and the Battalion of Guards taking their Post upon the Left in the Wood and Sir Robert Douglas Fitzpatrick's and O Farrel's upon the Right of them on the other side of the Wood was the Enemy's Camp a little Valley remaining between and a great many Hedges which the Enemy resolved to maintain with all Vigour possible though they yielded so easily their Advanced Posts Prince Wirtemberg planted upon a little Rising on the Left of the Wood a Battery of Canon which began to play about Eleven of the Clock and another upon the Right by Sir Robert Douglas his Battalion Captain Macrackan of the same Regiment who afterwards was killed pointed a Canon from this Battery so successfully that it put a whole Battalion of the Enemies in disorder sweeping almost an entire Rank before it Whilst Prince Wirtemburg was playing upon the Enemy with these Batteries of Cannon the Army marcht up to the Head of the Defile about half an English Mile from the Wood where it open'd in a little Plain upon our Right not above half a League over which terminated upon the Right of the Wood where our Van-Guard was and at the Right of our Army upon several Rows of high Trees which seem'd planted in great order as if 't was the Avenue of some Person of Quality's House which being towards Enghien makes me suppose that they may belong to the Duke of Arschot's House where these famous Gardens be as are said to be the Pattern of Versailles through these streight before us on the other side of the Plain we could see the French Infantry drawn up in two Lines and making towards their Right to defend the Post upon the Wood. Upon the Right of this Plain not far from these Groves and Rows of Trees there was a pretty considerabâ—e Farm which soon after the Engagement was set on fire by the Enemy to cover as 't is said several of their Battalions by the Smoak who were order'd this way and was afterwards engag'd with Fagel's Brigade between this House and the Wood where our Advanc'd Guard was posted From the Head of our Defile upon the Left of the Plain there went for almost half a Mile in length a deep hollow way with high Trees and Hedges upon the Banks of it which reach'd as far as the Wood where the Van-Guard was posted and where it branch'd itself in three other deep ways one going through the Wood upon the Left to the Danes Attack and to that of the Guards one almost streight forwards and the other upon the Right going along the outside of the Wood between these two last was the place where Sir Robert Douglass Col. Fitz-Patrick's and O Farrel's Regiments were posted On the other side of the deep way as went from the Head of our Defile to the Post where was our Van-Guard went several narrow Fields which lay between it all along and a part of the Wood which reach'd as far as from our Advanc'd Guards to our Defiles When the Army was come up to the Head of these Defiles and just entring into the small Plains they were order'd to halt except the English Life-Guards and Horse and Dragoons which were commanded upon the right skirts of the Wood where was our Van-Guard and my Lord Cutts's Lieutenant-General Mackay's Sir Charles Graham's and Earl of Angus's Regiments which being interlin'd with the English Horse were commanded at the same time to the outside of the Wood on this side of that way as branch'd upon the Right which made the Figure of the Arch of a Circle as the skirts of the Wood did here before us these four Regiments were posted here to be ready to second the Attack of our Van-Guard Prince of Hesse's Col. Lauder's and Earl of Leven's Regiments who were also interlin'd with the Left Wing of Horse were likewise posted upon the side of the Wood. Things being thus dispos'd and our Army continuing on the halt Prince Wirtemberg after he had Cannonaded for above two Hours begun the Attack with the Danes upon the Right which was immediately follow'd by the other four English Regiments as compos'd our Van-Guard and seconded by Cutts Mackay Angus Graham Lauder the Prince of Hesse and Leven's Regiments Certainly never was a more dreadful and at the same time bolder firing heard which for the space of two Hours seem'd to be a continu'd Thunder and equall'd the Noise even of the loudest Claps our Van-Guard behav'd in this Engagement to such wonder and admiration that tho' they receiv'd the Charge of several Battalions of the Enemies one after another yet they made them retreat almost into their very Camp so far that the Second Battalion of the First Regiment of Guards possess'd themselves of a Battery of the Enemies Cannon which the Enemy were oblig'd to quit by the vigour of our Charge and Colonel Wacup who commanded the Battalion and who behav'd himself extreamly well in this occasion plac'd a Serjeant and Guard upon it but the French having cut off the Traces and taken away the Horses we could not bring them off but were oblig'd afterwards to leave them Sir Robert Douglass with his first Battalion charg'd several of the Enemies and beat them from three several Hedges and had made himself Master of the fourth where going through a Gap to get on the other side he was unfortunately kill'd upon the spot all the other Regiments performing equal wonder and behaving with the same Bravery and beating the Enemies from their Hedges so far that in this Hedge-fighting their fire was generally Muzzle to Muzzle we on the one side and the Enemy on the other But to return to our Army As soon as we were come to the Head of the Defile it was order'd to halt particularly our Left Wing of Horse that the Foot that were interlin'd with them which were most English and Scotch and which I have before mentioned might march up through the Horse we were oblig'd to this halt tho' it was
the loss of the day because the Ground was so streight and the Enemy had such Hedges Copses and little Woods to cover them that there was nothing to do for the Horse so that when the Van-Guard began to engage they had none but part of the Infantry interlined with the Left Wing of Horse to second them the Body of the Infantry being almost a Mile in the Rear however as soon as the Action began the King made all diligence possible to get the Infantry up ordering a Brigade to march up to the Wood and forming a Line of Battel in the Plain with that Infantry as could come up the Soldiers shew'd such eagerness to come to the Enemy that they ran to the Relief of those as were engag'd even so fast that they put themselves into some disorder which was the reason that they took more time to form their Battalions than was at that time convenient this was the case of those Battalions as were sent to the Wood to the Relief of our Van-Guard so that when they came up our Van-Guard and Infantry of the Left Wing being over-powr'd by the vast many Battalions of the Enemy as charg'd them successively one after another and lastly by the survening of Boufflers's fresh Troops they were forc'd to retreat in great disorder and to leave the Wood in which they had lodg'd themselves entirely to the Enemies possession The Baron of Pibrack's Regiment of Lunenburgers being in great disorder in the skirt of the Wood and the Baron their Colonel lying dangerously wounded upon the place which he got in rallying of his Regiment the Earl of Bath's one of the Regiments that was commanded towards the Wood the other English being Brigadier Churchil's was order'd by Prince Casimir of Nassaw to their Relief two Sergeants of this Regiment rescu'd the Colonel who lay wounded almost in the Enemies hand and brought him off in spight of their fire upon these Orders of Prince Casimir of Nassaw Sir Bevil Granville who commanded the Earl of Bath's Regiment march'd up to the Relief of this Lunenburg Regiment bearing the Enemies fire before he suffer'd any Platton of his Battalion to discharge once by which method the Regiment lodg'd itself in the Trench or deep way that lay upon the skirt of the Wood which it maintain'd till it was commanded off again by the same Prince of Nassaw The King having form'd a Line of as many Battalions as cou'd come up in this little Plain the Enemy upon their Right and our Left of the Wood as wefac'd planted a Battery of about ten Pieces of Cannon to put them in disorder by their fire we at the same time brought another against it and thus continued firing one upon another for a considerable time What mischief we did to the Enemy by our Cannon then I cannot tell but theirs kill'd several of our Soldiers some in the Regiment of Fuzileers and some in the Battalion of the Second Regiment of Guards but the most considerable loss we sustain'd by it was Col. Hodges who was shot with a Cannon-ball at the Head of his Regiment of which he soon after dy'd There was likewise a Skirmish between some of the French and some of our Battalions between the Wood and that Farm which was fir'd by the Enemy but it did not last long what Regiments they were I cannot tell but I suppose they were some of the Dutch interlin'd in the Left Wing of Horse commanded by Brigadier Fagel The Van Guard being thus disorder'd for want of a timely Relief which was occasion'd by the narrowness of the Ground and consequently beaten out of their Post in the Wood Luxemburg being likewise joyn'd by the Marquess of Boufflers's fresh Troops who came time enough to compleat the Defeat of our Van-Guard with his Dragoons and besides the Night drawing on the King order'd the Army to retreat which was done with admirable Order for tho' the French did follow us for some time yet they did not fire a shot such was the order of our Retreat that they did not dare venture upon it the English Grenadiers brought up the Rear and whenever the French mov'd towards us they fac'd to the Right about and presented themselves to the Enemy then the Enemy would halt and so our Rear-Guard then march'd on this halting and facing and then marching continu'd for some time till the Night put an end to the Enemies farther motion And thus the Army came back to Halle on Munday Morning about Three of the Clock We lost in this Action several Pieces of Cannon some taken by the Enemy and some we could not bring off the Horses being tired we likewise blew up some of our Powder-Waggons in the Retreat which we could not bring off some having their Carriages broken and others their Horses tir'd The English lost two Colours and the Dutch likewise some we had about Two thousand Men kill'd and about Three thousand wounded in which number we comprehend the Prisoners taken by the French disabled by their Wounds to come off being about 8 or 900. Of the English and Scotch twelve Battalions engag'd viz. The Second Battalion of the First Regiment of Guards the First Battalion of Sir Robert Douglass's Col. Fitz-Patricks and Col. O Farrel's in the Van-Guard Cutts Hesse Mackay Graham Angus Leven and Lauder interlin'd in the Left-Wing of Horse Of the Body of the Infantry the Earl of Bath's Of the Danes Battalion of Guards the Queen's Battalion Prince Christians and the Finland Battalion Of the Dutch Waldeck Fagel Noyelles Torsey L'Fcluse Nassaw commanded by Colonel Goz. Lunenburgers in the States Service Boisdavid and Pibrac besides Epingers and Fitzhardings Dragoons and the Horse Granadiers who charg'd on Foot Officers killed of Note were Lieutenant General Mackay Sir John Lanier Lieutenant General of Horse mortally wounded who died few days after at Brussels Sir Robert Douglas Earl of Angus Colonel Hodges my Lord Mountjoy who had been two or three years in Prison in France and came upon his Liberty to serve the King as a Voluntier he was killed with a Canon Ball at the Head of Colonel Godfrey's Regiment Lieutenant Colonel Fullerton Foxon Hawley Wacup and Hamilton Major Carre of Angus's Regiment wounded mortally and died soon after Chief Officers wounded my Lord Cutts Colonel Mackay Lieutenant Colonel Eaton Courthop Major Fox of Fitzpatrick's Prisoners of Note Colonel Lauder Lieutenant Colonel Eaton Bristol and Courthop Several Officers of the Danes killed wounded and some Prisoners whose Names I cannot Insert As likewise of the Dutch Lietenant General Tetteau wounded Colonel Goz Commandant of Prince Casimir of Nassaws Guards and Colonel Moor Commandant of Torsey's Regiment both killed This is an Impartial Account of the Business of that Day of which the French notwithstanding their Te-Deum have no great reason to brag All as Impartial Men can say of their Advantage is that we attack'd them in their own Camp and that they repuls'd us though with the greater Loss both of
the Burying-place of St. Levinus a Scotch Man and sometimes Bishop of Ghendt a Martyr beheaded there as the Legend will have it and buried in this Church as we came up to our Ground in this Camp it being all high Trees and Inclosures a Party of about 100 French were surpriz'd Prisoners between our two Lines the Defiles being such here that one Line could not see the other The next day the Army march'd and pass'd the Scheld at Gavre a little Town belonging to the Count d' Egmont where he has an old ruinous Palace which gives him the Title of Prince of Gavre the other side of the Scheld between this River and the Lys is all close Ground full of Trees belonging to the Count d' Egmont which made such difficult Defiles that the Army cou'd march but very slowly this made the French before-hand with us in their passage of the Scheld between Audenarde and Tournay in this March before we came upon the Scheld we had a very fine prospect of the whole Province of Flanders which on the other side of the Scheld is all a perfect Level not as much as a Hill to be seen so that the Hills on the Brabant-side give a full view and prospect of it we had the Town of Audenarde and the Hills and Plains of Tournay upon our Left Ghendt upon our Right and before us all the Low Flanders which gave us such a Prospect that we cou'd see as far as Bruges and Antwerp this Night we encamp'd amongst the Woods between the Scheld and the Lys the King taking his Head-Quarter at Nassaret The Army march'd towards the Lys being now joyn'd by that Detachment as was made at Genap under the Command of Count Horn Master of the Dutch Artillery we had a very difficult March through the Defiles till we pass'd the Lys at Deynse which was very late in the Evening tho' but a short March by reason of the narrowness of the ways the Army encamp'd late at Night on the other side of the River the King took his Quarter at Grammen and the Elector of Bavaria in the Town of Deynse situated upon the Lys about three Leagues higher than Ghendt and gives the Title to the Marquess Deynse Colonel of a Walloon Regiment as we reliev'd at Damme The Saturday following we were joyn'd by three Regiments of Horse lately come from England viz. that as was Sir John Lanier's now Col. Lumley's my Lord of Athlone and Col. Schack's who then took their Post in the Line The Mareschal of Luxemburg marching as we did to observe our motions came about the same time with his Army to Harlebec where he encamp'd between that place and Courtray along the Lys Luxemburg made the more hast to cover Courtray a place which lies open all the Summer and which the French have hitherto pallisado'd and fortify'd every Winter for a Garrison and of which we might have otherwise possess'd ourselves and made it a Winter-Quarter for our Troops here Luxemburg lay ready likewise to cover Ipres or Dunkirk in case the Army had march'd that way The King order'd this day a Detachment of Six Regiments towards the Canal of Bruges five being English and Scotch viz. Bath Castleton Mackay Graham and Leven and the Sixth Major-General Wey's Regiment of Dutch commanded by Count d' Ohna this Detachment march'd accordingly towards the Canal of Bruges and pass'd it about half way between Bruges and Ghendt upon a Bridge of Boats and encamp'd the other side of the Canal under the Command of Brigadier Ramsey the next day the said Detachment continu'd their March towards Bruges and encamp'd within a quarter of a mile of that place about Katarina Port where they halted the next day to expect Lieutenant General Talmash who was detached the 22d of August O. S. Sept. 1. N. S. from the Army with five Battalions most English and Scotch viz. his own of Guards Second Battalion of Scotch Guards Col. Trelawney English Fuziliers commanded by Col. Fitz-Patrick and that Regiment as was Col. Hodges now Col. Stanley's who came up to Bruges by the same Road as Brigadier Ramsey's Detachment had march'd and encamp'd just under the Walls The same day the Dutch Regiment commanded by Count d' Ohna march'd through Bruges and joyn'd four Dutch Regiments of the Garrison of Bruges and Sluys who were put under the Command of Major-General Count de Noyelles who march'd the same day towards Newport This Day the aforesaid Detachment of ten English and Scotch Battalions under the Command of Lieutenant-General Talmash march'd through the Town of Bruges and so kept along the Canal of Ostend till they came to Placendael where we turn'd to the Left upon the Canal of Newport and so encamp'd at Oudembourg an old ruinous Town about half a League from Placendael where the Canal of Newport falls into that of Ostend and so goes on to Bruges there are still some ruinated Ramparts about the Abbey of St. Pierre in this old Town of the Order of St. Benoist where Lieutenant General Talmash took his Quarters for that Night This Detachment of ten Battalions from the King's Army under the Command of Lieutenant-General Talmash was sent to joyn the Duke of Leinster who on the 22d Aug. O. S. Sept. 1. N. S. came with the Transport-Ships under the Convoy of a Squadron of our Men of War into Ostend Harbour having on board fifteen Regiments viz. Selwyn Beaumont Hastings Sir David Collier Tiffeny West-Meath Brewer Venner Sir John Morgan Lloyd Beveridge Earl of Argyle La Meloniere Belcastel and Cambon these Troops as they landed march'd to Mariekirk about a League from Ostend towards Newport where they encamp'd some days to refresh themselves the Duke of Leinster at his landing order'd a Detachment of Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Officers and Men proportionable out of his Transport-Troops to keep Guard at all the Passes along the Canal from Placendael to Newport The Detachment under the Command of Lieutenant-General Talmash march'd from Oudenbourg along the Canal of Newport and so came to Newendam a square Fort within half a League of Newport where there is a Spanish Governor and a small Garrison detach'd from time to time from the Garrison of Newport Majer-General Count de Noyelles who was since Bruges still a days march before us enter'd this day into Furnes without any opposition with the five Dutch Regiments under his Command and took possession of the place This Town lies upon a Canal between Newport and Berg St Winnox within two Leagues of Newport three of Berg St. Winnox and about five from Dunkirk and in all the Wars between the two Crowns since Dunkirk and Berg have been in the French hands this Town has still serv'd for a Winter-Quarter to the French which in the Spring they still abandon'd to have their Garrison in the Field and return'd their Pallisades to Berg or Dunkirk and in the Winter they took care to fortifie it so as
pallisado'd The Canal of Newport goes through the South part of the Town and joyns the River a little below and being a perfect Morass on this side it does not require much Fortification The Town is environ'd with a double Ditch and cover'd way and the Faces of each Bastion are cover'd with a Half-Moon besides good spacious Ravelins upon the Curtins This is what we had to repair and to go on with the more Speed a Detachment of a hundred Men per Battalion except the Guards were commanded to work under the Inspection of a Captain Lieutenant and Ensign each so that we had Soldiers and Boors very near 5000 Men on work every day The six Regiments that were in Town came out and encamp'd and six others were order'd in their places viz. Princess Ann's the Earl of Bathe's Lord Castleton's Col. Venner's Col. Mackay's and Earl of Leven's and encamp'd within the Ramparts of the Town where besides the ordinary Guard a Re-inforcement of the Bewarke mounted every Night at each Port towards the Enemy This day the ordinary Detachments of the Earl of Bathe's Regiment and Fusiliers being at work at the Bastion by Ipres part in enlarging the Ditch found an old hidden Treasure which quickly stopt the Soldiers working who fell all a scrambling in a heap one upon another some bringing off a very good Booty some Gold and some Silver several Jacobus's and Sovereins being found by the Soldiers and a great many old Pieces of Silver of Henry the Second Charles the Ninth Henry the Third Henry the Fourth's Coyn which are now hardly to be found in France The People of the Town suppose that this Money belong'd to one Elfort a Gentleman dead many years ago who bury'd his Treasure when the Mareschal de Rantzau took the Town in the Bernardine Nuns Garden this Ground where the Money was found having been formerly in that Garden which Count de Monterey caused to be demolished and they think that there might have been about 900 Pound Groot which makes the value of Four Hundred and Fifty Guineas English This Elfort left it by Will to his Children and the Marks where to find it but his Children could never discover it 'T is a wonder that it has not been found till now since the French have work'd every Winter this War and several times before in repairing the Works of this Fortification 't is very likely that we should have gone without it too if we had not enlarg'd the Ditch at this time Count Horne Master of the Dutch Artillery who has had the Command both of Furnes and Dixmuyde given him came to this place with Five Dutch Regiments and Colonel Lauders to Garrison there this Winter and the other six Regiments that were there marched out and encamped with the Army But the Works being now pretty well repair'd these six Regiments were ordered to march towards Newport under the Command of Major General Sir Henry Bellassis who encamp'd at a Village call'd St. George about half a League from Newport and on the Mondny following the Duke of Leiuster came to the same place with the rest of the Forces under his Command The Train of Artillery was order'd back to Newport under the Escarte of Sir Henry Bellassis's Detachment where it was put on board our Transport Ships The Horse likewise march'd away to joyn each Detachment their proper Body in the great Army All the English and Scotch Battalions as were to Winter in the Country march'd towards their Winter-Quarters under the Command of Lietenant General Talmash towards Bruges and were Canton'd that night upon Oudenbourg and the next day they Canton'd in the Villages about Bruges Lieutenant General Talmash having his Quarter at the Abbey of St. Andrew where the rest of the English and Scotch that were to have their Winter Quarters at Bruges were detach'd from the great Army to joyn him viz. First Battalion of Scotch Guards Lord George Hamilton's two Battalions Col. O Farrel's and Col. Monro's the other Troops under Lieutenant General Talmash's Command as were to go to Winter Quarters to Ghendt and Mecklen marched on through Bruges and Canton'd some days upon the Canal viz. Lieutenant General Talmash's Battalion of Guards Col. Trelawny and the Fusiliers But upon the Enemy's Motion about Charleroy they joyn'd the great Army again at Drongen The Earl of Bathe's Regiment was ordered to Damme for Winter Quarters a strong little Garrison between Bruges and Sluys scituated upon a Canal that goes to Bruges having such Sluces under its Command that it can overflow all the Country about where the Regiment came the 4 14th of October The rest of the Troops Canton'd about Bruges came to Garrison one after another as fast as Quarters could be made ready for them Col. Beveredge's and Stanley's Regiments remained behind at Dixmuyde for some time to re-inforce the Garrison till others came to relieve them and then they were ordered to Ostend for their Winter Quarters As for the most remarkable Transactions in the great Army since we had left it they continued encamp'd at Deynte and Grammen whilst his Majesty remain'd in the Field and some days after we had been detach'd from thence the King was inform'd that a Party of French was made of about 500 Men to come and surprize one of our Out Quarters and order'd thereupon a suitable Detachment to lie in Ambuscade to receive them but upon the Approach of the Enemy some of ours spoiled the Design by firing too soon and so the French retir'd only with the Loss of Two Men. His Majesty left the Field on Friday the 16th of September O. S. and went to Breda and afterwards to Loo where His Majesty remain'd between a Fortnight and three Weeks whereby the Command of the Army remain'd in the Elector of Bavaria's hands who sometimes after march'd nearer to Ghendt part encamping about Drongen on the Lys and part at Gavreon the Scheld making a Line of Communication between them the distance being but small the Elector took his Quarters at Drongen a very fine and noble Abbey of White Monks of the Order of St. Norbert and about a League from Ghendt afterwards his Electoral Highness remov'd towards Alost where 't was design'd to separate into Winter Quarters but the Count de Montal having joyn'd the Marquess de Boufflers on the other side of the Sambre and both making a considerable Body march'd towards Charleroy with a Train of Artillery Bombs and Mortar-pieces with a design to attack it this oblig'd the Elector to march with his Army towards Brussels and afterwards to advance as far as Waterloo and Genap to be ready to relieve it in case of an attack Baron Fleming with the Brandenburg and Liege Troops having repass'd the Meuse at Huy march'd up to Fleury to joyn his Electoral Highness The Marquess de Boufflers finding Affairs in so good a posture contented himself to bombard the Lower Town of Charleroy which lies on