the reserve, and posted them near the center, between Blenheim and Oberglau, behind the horse. Marlborough brought up three Hessian battalions to front them, and then, drawing his sword, ordered the trumpets to sound the advance, he himself leading them on. Indescribably grand was the spectacle which ensued. In compact order, and the finest array, the allied cavalry, mustering eight thousand sabers, moved up the gentle slope in two lines at first slowly, as on a field day, but gradually more quickly, as they drew nearer, and the fire of the artillery became more violent. The French horse, ten thousand strong, stood their ground firmly the first and bravest of their chivalry were there: the banderoles of almost all the nobles in France floated over their squadrons. So hot was the fire of musketry and cannon when the assailants drew near, that their advance was checked: they retired sixty paces, and the battle was kept up for a few minutes only by a fire of artillery. Gradually, however, the fire of the enemy slackened, and Marlborough, taking advantage of the pause, led his cavalry again to the charge. With irresistible vehemence, the line dashed forward at full speed, and soon the crest of the ridge was passed. The French horsemen discharged their carbines at a considerable distance with little effect, and immediately wheeled about and fled. The battle was gained; the allied horse rapidly inundated the open space between the two villages; the nine battalions in the middle were surrounded, cut to pieces, or taken. They made a noble resistance, and the men were found lying on their backs in their ranks as they had stood in the field.*

50.

Eugene's success on the right.

The consequences of this great disaster on the right were speedily felt along the whole French line. Marsin's cavalry, now entirely uncovered on their flanks, rapidly fell back to avoid being turned, and rendered the position of the infantry in front of Eugene no longer tenable. That skillful general, perceiving the rout of

*KAUSLER, 109, 111. COXE, i., 408, 409. HARE's Journal. Marl. Disp, i., 406, 407.

the enemy on his left, and correctly judging that they could no longer maintain their ground, prepared his troops for a fourth charge, and soon issued forth at their head. The impulse of victory was now communicated to the whole line. After an arduous struggle in the plain, the enemy fell back at all points toward Oberglau and Lutzingen. Soon the flames, which burst forth from their buildings, announced that they were about to be evacuated. At this sight, loud cheers arose from the whole right, and the Danes and Prussians rushed forward with irresistible vigor against the burning villages. After an obstinate conflict, Lutzingen was carried, and the Bavarians were driven to a fresh position in rear, behind the streamlet of the same name. They still preserved their ranks, however, and faced about fiercely on their pursuers; but Marsin, having lost the pivot of his left, and seeing his flank entirely uncovered by Marlborough's advance, and the center driven back in disorder, gave orders for the general retreat of his wing.*

Meanwhile Tallard was bravely exerting himself, but in vain, to arrest the disorder in the right and center. He drew up the remains of his cavalry in battle

51. Total rout of

Tallard, who is made prisoner.

array, behind the tents of his camp, in a single line stretching toward Blenheim, in order, if possible, to extricate the infantry posted in that village, which were now wellnigh cut off. At the same time, he sent pressing requests to Marsin for assistance. But, ere succor could arrive, or time had even been gained for the delivery of his messages, the hand of Fate was upon him. Marlborough, observing that the line was unsupported in rear, and uncovered on its right, gave orders for a general charge of all his cavalry. When the trumpet sounded, seven thousand horsemen, flushed with victory, bore down with irresistible force on the now dispirited and attenuated line of the enemy. The immense body of the French force broke without awaiting the shock, and the allied cavalry rapidly piercing their center, they were divided into two

*KAUSLER, 113. CoxE, i., 412. HARE's Journal. Disp., i., 407, 408.

parts, one of which fled in wild disorder toward the Danube, and the other toward Sonderheim. Marlborough, in person,

followed the first with fifty squadrons, while Hompesch, with thirty, pressed upon the second. Both pursuits proved entirely successful. Marlborough drove the broken mass before him headlong to the Danube, where great numbers were drowned in attempting to cross, and the remainder were made prisoners on the brink. Marshal Tallard himself, with a small body of horse, which still kept their ranks, threw himself into the village of Sonderheim, on the margin of the river, but being speedily surrounded by the victorious squadrons of the enemy, he was obliged to surrender, and delivered his sword to the Prince of Hesse. Hompesch, at the same time, vigorously pressed on the broken fugitives who had fled toward Hochstedt, and on the way surrounded three battalions of infantry, who were striving to escape, and made them prisoners. Upon seeing this, the cavalry entirely broke their ranks, and fled as fast as their horses could carry them toward Morselingen, without attempting any further resistance.*

which

French left

When Tallard was taken, Marlborough immediately sent 52. his own carriage to accommodate him, and dispatchMistake by ed a pencil note, written on the parapet of a bridge, escaped de- to the duchess, to say the battle was gained.† But struction. no sooner was this done than he set himself to ren der his victory complete, by turning all the forces he could collect against the portions of the enemy's army which still held their ground. He first directed his attention to the left wing of the enemy, which was falling back, closely followed by Eugene's horse, in the direction of Morselingen. Several

*KAUSLER, 112. COXE, i., 410, 411. Mem. de Tallard, ii., 248–252. Marl. Disp., i., 418.

† This note is still preserved at Blenheim: "I have not time to say more, but beg you will give my duty to the queen, and let her know that her army has had a glorious victory. Monsieur Tallard and two other generals are in my coach, and I am following the rest. The bearer, my aid-de-camp, Colonel Park, will give her an account of what has passed. I shall do it in a day or two by another, and more at large.-MARLBOROUGH."-COXE, i., 413.

In

squadrons were added to Hompesch's division, and the duke was preparing to lead them on in person upon the flank of the column, which was defiling along the skirt of the wood. the dusk of the evening, however, and with the view obscured by the volumes of smoke which were wafted from the field, the Bavarian and French troops were mistaken by Marlborough and his staff for Eugene's men in pursuit, and the charge, when on the point of being executed, was therefore countermanded. Thus the enemy on that side escaped without serious loss. This accidental mistake alone saved the French left from the utter ruin which had already overtaken the center, and was soon to involve the right wing.*

Blenheim, and

Marlborough now turned all his forces against the troops in Blenheim, which, entirely cut off from the re- 53. mainder of the army, and enveloped in darkness, the troops in Capture of all were in a situation wellnigh desperate. To pre- conclusion of vent the possibility of their escape, Webb, with the the battle. queen's regiment, took possession of a barrier the enemy lad constructed at one of the outlets of the village, to cover their retreat toward the eastward, and having posted his men across the street which led to the Danube, several hundred of the enemy, who were attempting to make their escape that way, were made prisoners. Prince George's regiment, in like manner, occupied the other issue toward the Danube, and all who came out that way were immediately captured. Others endeavored to break out at other places; but Lord John Hay, at the head of his regiment of Scots Greys,† speedily met them at the top of a rising ground, and, making them believe his troops were but the advanced guard of a larger force, stopped them on that side. When Churchill saw the defeat of the enemy's horse in the center decided, he sent to request Lord Cutts to attack Blenheim in front, while he himself assailed *KAUSLER, 113. COXE, i., 412, 413.

This regiment might have Blenheim and Waterloo, the two greatest defeats France ever experienced in fair fight, on their colors, joined to Napo leon's words, "Ces terribles chevaux gris, comme ils travaillent." Few regiments in Europe would have so glorious an emblazonry.

it in flank. This was accordingly done: Orkney and General Ingolsby entering the village at the same time, in two different places, at the head of their respective regiments. But the French made so vigorous a resistance, especially at the church-yard, that they were forced to retire. Marlborough, however, now brought up his guns on all sides, and opened a fire on the village. Soon several houses took fire, and the flames casting a red light over the sky, enabled the gunners to direct their fire with unerring aim. M. Clerambault, their commander, had already fled, and the troops having lost all hope, and being entirely cut off, at length, after vainly endeavoring to obtain a capitulation, surrendered at discretion. With despair and indignation the soldiers submitted to their fate; the regiment of Navarre burned their colors and buried their arms, that such trophies might not remain to grace the triumph of their enemies.*

Results of

In this battle Marlborough's wing lost five thousand men, 54. and Eugene's six thousand, in all eleven thousand. the battle. The French lost thirteen thousand prisoners, including twelve hundred officers, almost all taken by Marlborough's wing, besides thirty-four pieces of cannon, twenty-five standards, and ninety colors; Eugene took thirteen pieces. The killed and wounded amounted to fourteen thousand. But the total loss of the French and Bavarians, including those who deserted during their calamitous retreat through the Black Forest, was not less than forty thousand men ;† a number greater than any which they sustained till the still more disastrous day of Waterloo. It is remarkable that by far the greatest defeats ever experienced by the French on land, Cressy, Azincour, Poitiers, Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Salamanca, Vittoria, Waterloo, all came from the

*HARE'S Journal. Marl. Disp., i., 408, 409. KAUSLER, 112. COXE, i., 415. CAPEFIGUE, Hist. de Louis XIV., v., 218, 219.

† CARDONNELL, Disp. to Lord Harley, 25th Sept., 1740, Disp., i., 410. By intercepted letters it appeared the enemy admitted a loss of forty thousand men before they reached the Rhine.-MARLBOROUGH to the Duke of Shrewsbury, 28th Aug., 1704, Disp., i., 439.