'rifon, and that he has the Honour to be, with A. C. profound Refpect,

1708.

Monfeigneur,

Your Electoral Highness's

Moft bumble Servant,

PASCAL

Accordingly, General Pafcal made all the neceffary Difpofitions for a vigorous Defence, in concert with the Majors General Murray, and Baron Wrangel; the States-Deputies; the Council of State; and the Magiftrates of that City; and to encourage the Troops to the Performance of their Duty, order'd a Pound of Flesh, Two Quarts of Beer, and Four Glaffes of Brandy, to be daily distributed Gratis to each Soldier. The 23d, the Enemy encamp d from the Villages of Ixelles, and Itterbeck, to Scarbeck, within a Quarter of a League of Bruffels; and, the 24th and 25th, were bufie in erecting Batteries; but fome of their Cannon were difmounted by thofe of the Town, which were extremely well ferved. The 26th, about Nine a Clock in the A Vigorell's Morning, they began to fire from their Batteries a- Attack gainst the City, and feveral Balls went over the made upon Ramparts, and damag'd fome Tops of the Houfes. Bruffels, Towards the Evening, they began to fire from Two Nov, Mortars into the Outworks, and Two or Three Bombs only fell into the Town, without doing any Mischief. About Seven of the Clock, the Enemy began to fire, with their Small-fhot, against the Men in the Outworks, who likewife made a continual Fire upon them, which redoubled about Nine, when the Enemy beginning a falfe Attack on the Counterscarp, near the Scarbeck Gate, and another, at the fame time, between the Louvain and Namur Gates, there enfued the moit furious, obftinate, and bloody Engagement, that ever was known. The Enemy enter'd twice the Cover'd-way, but were as often beaten out of it; and made only a fmall Lodg ment on the Glacis, from whence they were also driven by 100 Men of Sir Thomas Pendergaft's Re

giment

A. C. giment, who diftinguifh'd themselves in an extraor1708. dinary Manner. They renew'd their Attacks several times; and the whole Action lafted for 13 Hours, with great Slaughter, till 10 a Clock the next Morning, when the Enemy retreated on all Sides, in great Confufion, being utterly discourag'd by the ftout and refolute Refiftance of the Confederate Troops, who were animated by the Prefence and Example of the Generals Pafcal, Murray, and Wrangel, Colonels Egelin and Lefcher, and other Officers of Diftinction. The 27th, fome Cannonfhots were exchanged on both Sides; and General Pafcal, expecting that the Enemy would renew the Attack in the Evening, with greater Numbers and more Vigour, caus'd the Troops that guarded the Pofts most expos'd, to be reinforc'd, and a Referve to fuftain them: But, in the Afternoon, inftead of attacking him, the Elector of Bavaria demanded a Sufpenfion of Arms, in order, as he pretended, to bury the Dead, and draw off the Wounded; which The Elector prov'd but a Stratagem to raife the Siege with lefs of Bavaria Difadvantage: For upon the arrival of Two Couraifes the riers from Mons, with Intelligence, that the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene, had pafs'd the Scheld, in order to relieve Bruffels, his Electoral Highnefs fent away his Baggage, and, in the Night, march'd off, with his Troops, without Beat of Drum, or Sound of Trumpet, and with fuch Precipitation, that the Enemy left in their Camp, 12 Pieces of Cannon nail'd up, 2 large Mortars, and about 20 Barrels of Powder. They alfo left about 800 Men, wounded in the Neighbouring Villages of Itterbeck and Ixelles, and in the Abbey of Cambre; and the Dragoons and Huffars, who, the next Morning, went out in Pursuit of the Enemy, brought in a great many Prifoners, and fome Baggage: So that 'twas reckon'd, that what with their Kill'd, Wounded, Prifoners, or Deferters, this fruitless Expedition coft them above Three Thoufand Men. Among their Slain, were Count de Saillant, Governor of the Castle of Namur: Monf. de Boisfermé, a Colonel; Monf. de Beaumorel, Aid de Camp to the Elector of Bavaria; the Lieutenant-Colonel of the Regiment of Benevides; and feveral other Officers; and, of Seven Engineers they had, Five were kill'd, and

Siege,

Nov 27

N. S.

Two

Two taken Prifoners, in the Action. On the Side A. C. of the Allies, between 5 and 600 Men were kill'd 1708. or wounded; and among the firft, Mr. Pafcal, Ma-r jor of the Regiment of Dragoons of Dodigni, who fought on Foot with unparallel'd Valour. All the other Officers and Soldiers, behav'd themselves with the like Bravery; and by the Vigilance and good Difpofitions of General Pafcal, the Lords of the Regency, and the Magiftrates, all was quiet in the City, during the whole Siege, contrary to the Enemy's Expectation, who thought the Populace would have rifen in their Favour.

brave De

the Duke

and Prince

Lieutenant General Pafcal was, for his brave and General vigorous Defence of Brussels, juftly advanc'd by his Pafcal cre Sovereign King Charles III. to the Honour and ated aMar Dignity of a Marquis: But tho' he gain'd immor- quis for his tal Glory by that Single Action, yet 'tis certain, it fence of had been next to impoffible for him to maintain Bruffels. himself above one Day or two longer, with a Garrifon fcarce 5000 Men ftrong, in a Place of a vaft Extent, and almoft open on all Sides. Therefore The Preferthe Preservation of Bruffels was, under God, prin- vation of cipally owing to the Duke of Marlborough, and that City Prince Eugene, who, with incredible Expedition principally and Secrecy, pafs'd the Scheld the 27th of November, owing to in the Morning, without almost any Opposition: The French, in a Panick Fear and Diftraction, and of Marlborough, to their eternal Reproach, abandoning thofe Lines and Intrenchments which they had been caiting up Eugene. for Three Months paft: Which happen'd in this Manner. The Duke of Marlborough having receiv'd confirm'd Intelligence of the Elector of Ba varia's march towards Bruffels, fent the 23d_and 24th of November, the Artillery and Baggage from Rouffelaer to Menin; and the 24th at Night, detach'd Lieutenant-General Dompré, with 20 Squadrons, and 10 Battalions, with Orders to march to` Harlebeck, the 25th in the Morning. A few Hours after, the whole Army moved from Rouffelaer, in two Columns; pafs'd the Lys at Courtray; and the der to pafs Right Wing arrived at Harlebeck the fame Day; the Scheid but the Left, which made the Rear, could not reach that Place till the 26th, at 8 in the Morning, by Reafon of the bad Roads, Defiles, and continual

L. 4

Rains;

Their Mo

tions in or

༡

S

A. C. Rains: Notwithstanding which, the Army wa 1708. order'd to purfue their march at Three in the Afternoon. An Hour before, 20 Squadrons and 6 Battalions were detach'd from the Left, under Major-General Bothmar, and Brigadier Smettau, to join Lieutenant-General Dompré's Detachment; which being thus encreased to 40 Squadrons, and 16 Battalions, was to be commanded by Count Lottum, and the Earl of Orkney, with Orders to march, and pafs the Scheld at Gavre, or Afperen, and entrench themfelves on the other Side, till they could be fupported by the rest of the Army. Prince Eugene march'd, at the fame Time, to Roubaix, with 20 Battalions and 40 Squadrons, in order to endeavour to pass the fame River at Escanaffe; and about Four in the Afternoon, the Duke of Marlborough began his March from Harlebeck, having detach'd, fome Hours before, Major-General Cadogan, and Brigadier Evans, with Eight Battalions, the Pontoons, and all the Artillery, in order to lay Bridges at Kerkhoven and Elfeghem, where his Grace defign'd to pass with his Army, and where the Enemy had a Body of Troops, commanded by Monfieur de Soufternon, a Lieutenant-General. Thefe well-laid Meafures were put in Execution, with fuch Expedition and Secrecy, that tho' the French had Notice of the Duke of Marlborough's paffing the Lys, yet they never fufpected his Defign of going over the Scheld; for they could not imagine the Allies would venture upon fo bold an Attempt. The feveral Detachments march'd all Night, by Favour of the Moon; and Count Lottum arriving on the Banks of the Scheld, at Four of the Clock, the next Morning, order'd two Bridges to be laid thereon, and fent fome Infantry to take Post on the other Side; but the Cavalry did not go over The Allies till it was Day-light. The Morning proving fogpals the gy, a Guard of Dragoons of Count la Motte, who were patrolling, fell in amongst the Allies, and without gave Notice to their General of their Approach; any Oppof- of which he had already fome Sufpicion; because a tion, inTwo Guard of his Infantry had fir'd 5 or 6 times, upon

Scheld

Places.

the Noife the Workmen made in laying of the Bridges. Count Lottum drew up immediately his Forces in the Plain of Gavre, as he was directed,

while

while Count la Motte did the fame in his Sight: But the former marching towards the Hills of Oudenarde, to join the Duke of Marlborough, to whom he fent Notice of his Paffage, the French retired towards Ghent, having ftill kept at Half a League's Distance from the Confederates. At the fame Time, Maj. Gen. Cadogan having laid Bridges at Kerkhoven, with the like Succefs, and extraordinary Diligence, began to pass his Troops before Break of Day, without being perceiv'd by the Enemy; till efpying their advanc'd Guard, pofted on a rifing Gound, he order'd the Gunners to fire upon them, from a Battery raised for the Security of the Bridges. On the firing of the Guns, the Enemy, moft of whom lay fecure and afleep in their Intrenchments, a long the Scheld, took immediately the Alarm, and began to bethink themfelves of committing their Safety to a fpeedy Retreat; according to which Counfel, they fet Fire to their Huts and Barracks, and whilft their Foot march'd off, their Horfe drew up on a Hill near Oudenarde.

A. C. 1708.

At the fame Time, the reft of the Duke of Marlborough's Forces continued to march on with all poffible Diligence; and having pafs'd the River at Kirkhoven, and Elfeghem, formed themselves in order of Battle; Upon which Prince Eugene, who was arriv'd feme time before at Hauterive, where he had defign'd to pafs, immediately join'd his Grace; it being before agreed, That which-ever Body pafs'd firft, the other fhould march to that Place; and it having been refolv'd to attack the Body of Troops entrench'd before Oudenarde, under the Command of Monfieur de Hautefort, his Grace, and the Prince prefs'd on their March thither. Affoon as the French perceiv'd the Allies advancing to attack them, they began to retire with fo much Precipitation, that notwithstanding all the the Diligence the Latter made, they could only come up to attack their Rear, which the Earl of Albermarle did, at the Head of his Carabiniers, with The Rear a great deal of Vigor and Bravery, and entirely of the broke and difpers'd the Enemy, killing not a Few, French and taking 5 or 600 Prifoners, befides a great deal defeated. of Baggage, the Bread-Waggons, Two Standards,

and