Camp, A Great Artois A. C. Advice, That the Duke of Berwick was march'd 1708. from Douay to Tournay, with 23 Squadrons, and the Cavalry of the Garrifon of Lille, in order, as 'twas The heavy fuppos'd, to attack the Baggage of the Allies, in Baggage their March from Aerb; the Duke of Marlborough arrives in detach'd immediately Six Squadrons from the Right, the Confe- under the Command of Major-General Bandits, to derate reinforce Lieutenant-General Dompré; and fo the Baggage arriv'd fafe and undisturb'd in the Camp, July 25. the 25th. The fame Day, 50 Squadrons, 12 BatDetach talions, and 1000 Grenadiers, commanded by Count ment fent Tilly, the Lieutenants-General, Earl of Orkney, Rantzau, and Hompefch, and the Majors-General Webb, and Picar- Rantzau and Count d'Erbach, were detach'd with dy, toraife Orders to march into Artois, the Infantry to take Contribu- Poft at La Baffee, and the Cavalry to advance into the French Territories, as far as Picardy, to put the fame either under Contribution, or Military Exe*July 26. cution. The next Day, Count Tilly fell in with 800 Horfe, detach'd from the Duke of Berwick's Army, of which a confiderable Number were kill'd, and a Colonel, a Major, 3 Captains, and about 200 Troopers taken Prifoners; the reft were pur fued to the Gates of Lens, wherein the Enemy had +July 27. pofted 1400 Foot, who † abandon'd the Place, on Lens - the Approach of the Confederate Infantry. Count bandon'd Tilly having taken Poffeffion of Lens, and put Five by the tions. French. * Battalions therein, fent out feveral Detachments as far as Picardy; and upon Advice that 40 Squadrons. and 20 Battalions from the Duke of Burgundy's Army, march'd to Newport the 23d of July, N. S. and afterwards advanc'd between Bourbourg and St. Omers, in order to join the Duke of Berwick,the Duke of Marlborough fent the Lieutenants-General Dedem and Prince of Eaft-Friefland, with 20 Battalions and 15 Squadrons, with Orders to poft themselves at Armentiers, and lie ready to reinforce Count Tilly. Upon this Conjunction, that General advanc'd. nearer the Scarpe, and the Deputies of Artois having agreed with him for Contributions, and at the fame Time, the Detachments fent towards Picardy, having burnt the Suburbs of Dourlens, and brought off feveral Hoftages, he was order'd to return to the Grand Confederate Army. On the other hand, the Dukes of Burgundy and Vendofme, having recover'd. * their 1 their late Distraction and Confufion, and put their A. C. Soldiers fomewhat in Heart, by the Taking of the 1708. Fort of the Red-Houfe; provided for the Subfiftence Sword in Hand, as of their Forces, by carrying off all the Corn they The French could find in the Country of Waes, and as far as take the Aloft; and to retaliate what Count Tilly was doing Fort of Red in Artois and Picardy, they detach'd 10000 Men, Houfe, under the Command of the Chevalier du Rozel, to make an Irruption into Dutch-Flanders. Upon their, hey did Approach, General Fagel, and Major-General Mur-Plaffenray, having but Three Battalions, and a Regiment dael the of Dragoons with them, did not think fit to ex- Night be pofe that Handful of Men; and therefore quitted tween the the Lines from Birvliet, thro' Fort Philippine and 10th and Iffendike, to Sluyce, and retired with their Forces 11th of into this laft Place; whereupon the Enemy entred July,N. S.. the Ifland of Cadfandt, plunder'd and burnt about And make an Irrup100 Houses, and having levell'd part of the Lines, tion into return'd to their Camp at Lovendeghem, with feve-Cadfandt. ral Hoftages for Contributions, a great Number of Horfes and Cattle, and other rich Booty. This Invafion of Dutch-Flanders, made the StatesGeneral very uneafie; but neither that Expedition, nor the Menaces of the Enemy, occafion'd any Alterations in the Measures that had been concerted for a confiderable Siege; in order to which, a great Train of Artillery, and a vaft Number of Waggons laden with Warlike Stores, had, with all poffible Expedition, been provided at Bruffels. The Ene my having made feveral Motions, which gave the Confederate Generals reafon to judge, that they intended to attack that Convoy, on the fafe Bringing whereof to the Army, the further Operations of the Campaign fo much depended, made feveral Detachments to cover its March; and on the 4th of Auguft, Prince Eugene fet out with General Dopf, to put himself at the Head of his Army, for the fame purpose. On the 8th in the Morning, upon Ad-The Artillevice, that the Enemy had reinforc'd the Troops they ry brought had posted at Melle, between Ghent and the Coun- in Safety to ty of Aloft, to the Number of about 30000 Men; the Confe and that the Duke of Burgundy was gone thither, derate the Duke of Marlborough fent Notice of it to Prince Army. Eugene, that he might take his Precautions for fecuring Bruffels. But his Highnefs, upon the like Intelligence, G A. C. Intelligence, had already fent a strong Detachment 1708. of Horfe and Foot, to obferve the Enemy; and advancing himself to Soignies, join'd about that Place the Artillery, which by the Vigilance and good Conduct of the Prince of Hefe-Caffel, was brought thither, without any Disturbance from the Enemy; and on the 9th of Auguft, in the Evening, fafely conducted to Aeth. The March of that Train, with Prince Eugene's advancing to Soignies, gave the French a Jealoufy for Mons; whereupon the Duke of Berwick threw Seven Battalions, Two Squadrons of Horfe, and One of Dragoons into that Place: But the High Allies having refolv'd to go upon an EnThe Siege of terprize of the greatest Eclat, agreed at laft, upon Lille re- the Siege of LILLE, rightly judging, they could folu'd upon not attack the Enemy in a more fenfible Part; that great City being the Capital of a large and rich District; the Staple of all the Trade between France and the Netherlands; whofe Merchants generally fupply'd the Wants of the French King's Armies, and whofe Customs were a confiderable Part of his Revenue. Add to thefe, That (as the French King us'd to fay himfelf) LILLE being the first and fairest of all bis Conquests, and one of the Principal Keys of France, on the Fortifications whereof, the late famous Engineer, Monfieur de Vauban, had exerted his utmoft Skill: The Glory which would redound to the Confederate Arms, from the Reduction of a Place every way fo important, was no fmall Incentive to the Undertaking. On the other Hand, the French us'd all humane Means for the Prefervation of Lille; for befides the Prefence of the Marefchal de Boufflers, Governor of all French-Flanders, and of the Lieutenants-General de Surville, Lee, and other Officers of Diftinction, they threw into the Place 21 Battalions of the beft Troops of France, viz. 2 of Conflin; 2 of Turenne; 2 of Foix; 1 of Perigord; I of la Fay; I of Carraman; 1 of Brancart; 1of Vearffieux; I of Du Till; I of the Kingdom; 1 of Phifer, 1 of Villars, both Swiffers; I made up of Soldiers that efcap'd from the late Battle; 2 of the Queen's Fufileers; 1 of Chateauneuf; 1 of Rofelli; and 1 of Sablanque; befides 3 Squadrons of theQueen's Dragoons; 3 of Bellifle; 140 Horfe, and 7 or 800 Invalids, yet in a Condition to ferve. But notwithstanding the Difficulties |