A. C. 1708. tach'd to bring in Corn. On the 7th of November, N. S. upon Advice tha the French had fummon'd the Villages and open Towns about Dixmuyde and Furnes, to bring their Corn, and other Provifions, into Ipres, and other walled-Places, the Earl of Stairs was detach'd from The Earl of Rouffelaer, with Six Squadrons; and being join'd Stairs de- by Four more, and Ten Battalions, from the Detachment encamp'd at Cortemarque and Longuemarque, took Poft in Dixmuyde; from whence he fent out Orders, enjoining the Inhabitants of the District, forthwith to carry to the Confederate Army, their Corn and Forrage; with a Promise they should be paid for the fame, if they obey'd; if not, threatning them with Military Execution. Hereupon, the Inhabitants, not only of that District, but also of Furnes, St. Omer, Berg-St.-Winox, and Bourbourg, very plentifully fupplied the Confederate Army with Cattle, Corn, and other Neceffaries. On the 9th, the Earl of Stairs attack'd the Fort of Hautpont, near Dixmuyde, which he carried after a fhort Resistance, and made the Garrifon, confisting of 200 Grenadiers, commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel, Prifoners of War. The roth, Brigadier Evans march'd from Longuemarque, and with 5 Battalions, and Six Squadrons of Horfe, reinforc'd the Earl of Stairs, who advanc'd to Loo, and fent out Detachments to gather in more Corn and Forrage. Upon Notice hereof, the Duke of Vendofme fent Two Brigades of Foot, one of Horfe, and another of Dragoons, which lined the Canal from Newport to Furnes, and made Thirteen Coupures in it, that drown'd the Country on both Sides, and hindred the Allies from penetrating farther that Way. The 13th, Count de Mouroux, a Major-General, who commanded that Body, having Intelligence that a Two Pruf- Detachment of Pruffian Troops, (confifting of a fianBatta- Battalion of Grumckow, and one of the Markgrave Allions, and bert, a Squadron of the Regiment of Katten, and as many another of Heyden) was advanc'd between Furnes Squadrons, and Berg-St.-Winox, march'd in the Evening, and, the 14th, in the Morning, furprized them in the VilNov. 14. lage of Beauvorde, and having furrounded them, forced them, after fome Refiftance, to yield themfelves Prifoners of War: For which, Colonel Kat, their Commander, was afterwards try'd at taken Pri foners, N. S. Berlin A, C• 1708. Berlin, but honourably acquitted. Upon this unfortunate Accident, General Fagel was order'd to march from Cortemarque towards Dixmuyde, with a ftrong Body of Troops, to gather in the rest of the Provifions that could be found in that Neighbourhood; and, on the other hand, the fame Day the Earl of Stairs march'd * from Rouffelaer, Major Ge- * Nov. 7. neral Cadogan, and the Prince d'Auvergne were de- N. §. tach'd towards Artois, from whence they brought a great Quantity of Corn to Lille. This done, Major General Cadogan, and Monfieur Cronftrom † went to Nov.12. + Turcoin, the Place appointed to confer with Two N. S. ExFrench Commiffioners about an Exchange of Prifo-change of Prifoners ners, where, in Two Days a Treaty was con- agreed up on,* Nov, 14. N. S. and 29. cluded, by which it was agreed, That the private Men and Officers,from a Colonel downwards, fhould be exchanged against others of the fame Character, as far as they went, and the reft to remain Prisoners. Whilft thefe Things happen'd on this Side, the Duke † O&. 28. of Vendofme caus'd a few Bombs to be † thrown into Damme; after which he appear'd with a Body of N. S. Troops before Oftend; and, at the fame time, fome. Erle Squadrons of Horfe march'd along the Sands from retires into Newport, as if, with Defign to cut off Lieutenant-th: Outworks of General Erle's Camp; but that Commander* re- Oftend, treated very feasonably, into the Outworks of Oftend, Nov. 8. where many of his fickly Soldiers died. N. S. The Belieged in the Citadel of Lille, fparing Prince Eu their fmall Stock of Ammunition, as well as the gene in Befiegers, the Attack of that Fortress was carried Danger of on with very inconfiderable Lofs: Yet on the Ele-his Life, venth of November, Prince Eugene, who ftill con- Nov. 12. tinued to expofe himself, was in great Danger of his Life, his Gentleman of the Horse being kill'd by a Musket-Shot, by his Side. The 13th, the Befiegers lodg'd themselves by the Palliffadoes of the First Cover'd-Way, with the Lofs of a few Men, The Allies and one Ingenier kill'd, and another wounded; and makethem the next Day they made themfelves Mafters of the elves whole Counterfcarp, except two Places of Arms, fters of the which the Enemy abandon'd the 15th. Hereupon firft Coun the Allies erected Two Batteries on that Work, terfearp of but did not defign to play their Artillery from the Citadel thence, till they had lodg'd themfelves on the Se-of Lille, cond Counterfcarp; for which Purpose, they continued L L A. C. tinued to drain the Ditch; made feveral Openings 1708 into it; pafs'd the fame the 17th in the Night, and in lodg'd themfelves on the Glacis of the Second *Nov. 13. Cover'd-Way, without any Lofs. Four * Days beN. S. The fore, the Prince d'Auvergne was detach'd by Count Prince of Wackerbart from la Baffee, with a Body of Horfe Auverg and Foot, to attack the Fort of St. Venant upon the ne takes Lys, on the Frontiers of Artois, in which the Enemy s.Venant. had pofted a Hundred Men, who, upon the Ap proach, made only one Difcharge, and retired towards Aire. Hereupon the Prince d'Auvergne took Poffeffion of the Place, where he left Eight Hundred Foot, and Three Hundred Horfe, under the Command of Colonel Lambert, and the next Day return'd to la Baffée. Whilft the Siege of the Citadel of Lille was carrying on with all the Vigour that is confiftent with the cautious Method of Sapping, both out of a juft Tenderness for the Lives of Valiant Men, who had already gone thro' incredible Fatigue, and innumerable Dangers, and for want of fufficient Stores of Ammunition; the Enemy prefumed to have taken fuch right. or, as they thought, infallible Measures for diftreffing the Allies, both by their Inundations between Bruges and Newport, and their IntrenchThe French inents along the Scheld, That their publick Miboast of ha nifters in Rome and Venice did not flick, confidently ving coop'd to give out, That the Confederate Army was so coop'd up the Con- up, that they would foon either be famifh'd or oblig'd to federate abandon Lille. But our Two Great Generals being Army. indefatigably intent upon their proper Bufinefs, the Duke of Marlborough in providing Corn, and Prince Eugene in Husbanding what was provided by the Duke of Marlborough, both Armies lived in parfimonious Plenty. Hereupon the Enemy open'd a new Scene: Their Parties made Incurfions into the District of Boifleduc, burning and ravaging Part of the open Country; which recall'd to the Remembrance of the Dutch, the great Lofs they fuftain'd Three Months before, by the Irruption of the French The Duke into Cadfant; and the Elector of Bavaria, (who by of Bava- this Time was return'd from an unactive Campaign ria's De in Germany) approaching Brussels, at the fame time, fign upon with a Body of about 10000 Men, drawn from Bruffels. feveral feveralGarrifons, reminded them of the Lofs of Ghent A. C. and Bruges by Intelligence, which it was reasonable 1708. to imagine the Elector could not want in a Place where he had formerly refided, and had undoubtedly fecured a great Party, at least among the Fair Sex, who, in all Governments, have a Share in the fecret Turns of State. Nor were the Hollanders without Apprehenfions, left the Elector of Bavaria's clandeftine Projects might fucceed as well in Antwerp as in Bruffels, to the infinite Prejudice of the Affairs of the Allies,in the Spanish Netherlands; which in Confequence, might have been of moft pernicious Confequence, in Reference to thofe of Italy and Spain. fels. No fooner had the Elector of Bavaria made a Care taken fhew of marching with an Army towards Brabant, for the Sethan the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene, curity of concerted Measures to pass the Scheld; and it being Antwerp yet uncertain whether Antwerp or Bruffels, was moft and Brufin Danger, Orders were fent to the British Regiments of Hill, Mackartney, Wynne, Hamilton and Townshend, under the Command of Brigadier Wynne, and the Walloon Regiment of Davila, to be forthwith transported from Oftend, to Antwerp; whither the States General order'd other Troops to march from Naerden, Heufden, Grave, and other Places, and dispatch'd thither fome of their own Members, with General Frefheim, an experienc'd Officer. At the fame time, the Duke of Marlborough fent an Express to Lieutenant-General Pafcal, the Governor of Bruffels, to affure him, That in cafe he were attack'd, he and Prince Eugene would certainly march to his Relief; upon which Encouragement the States Deputies refolv'd to stay in Bruffels; and, by the vigorous Measures they took with the Council of State and the Governor, were very Inftrumental in the Prefervation of that important Place. On the other hand, his Grace recall'd the Troops commanded by General Fagel, who join'd the Army at Rouffelaer, the 22d of November, bringing with him Two Hoftages for the Performance of an Agreement made with the Dependencies of the District of Furnes; whereby they were to furnish Six Thoufand Sacks of Corn into the Magazines of Menin; And, L 2 * * See the Appen. dix, Num. VIII A. C. And, the fame Day, receiv'd Advice, That the 1708. Enemy had detach'd fome Troops from the Bodies they had near Oudenard and Ghent; and that the Dam they were making near Gavre, to ftop the Course of the Scheld, in order to make that River overflow its Banks, and render its Paffage more difficult, was broke and carried away by the Rapidity of the Stream, the Night between the 20th and 21st. The Elector The fame Evening this Intelligence reach'd the of Bavaria Confederate Camp, the Elector of Bavaria arrived Bruffels. in the Neighbourhood of Bruffels, with a Body of His Sum mons to the Governor. General about Ten Thoufand Horfe and Foot, Sixteen Battering-Cannon, and Twelve Field-Pieces; and the 23d, at Noon, whilft his Men were bufie in breaking Ground, and drawing Lines, his Electoral Highness fent in a Trumpeter with the following Order: HE fhall fummon the Commandant of the City of Bruffels, to furrender to his Electoral Highness; who is about to attack him with his Army and Artillery, which is coming up. His Electoral Highness knows, that the Commandant is not in a Condition to defend himself with the few Troops he has; wherefore if he obliges his ⚫ Electoral Highnefs to begin the Attack, he fhall have no Capitulation for himself, or his Garrifon. Let not the Commandant flatter himself that he can retire, with his Garrifon to Antwerp, if 'he delays to furrender; for he is to know, that he will foon find Troops pofted to hinder his ⚫ Retreat. Hereupon the Governor, who had Nine Battalions, and a Thousand Horfe under him, return'd the following Antwer, by the fame Trumpeter: Monfeigneur, 'T HE Commandant of Bruffels is very unfortunate, in not having the Honour to be 'known to your Electoral Highnefs. He dares "affure you, that he will do all that a Man of Hcnour ought to do; that he is fatisfy'd with his Gar ⚫rifon, |