6 * * A. C. 1708. the Difpofition being made for Invefting it on all Sides, the Army made a Movement the 18th, and took the following Posts: Count Lottum, with 36 Battalions and 30 Squadrons, between the Upper Ghent inScheld and the Lys; The Hereditary Prince of Heffe, vested. with 40 Squadrons and 20 Battalions, between the Dec. 18. Lys and the Canal of Bruges, and from thence N. S. to the Canal of Sas; The Duke of Wirtemberg, between Muleftein and the Lower Scheld, with 25 Squadrons and 16 Battalions; and Count Tilly, with 30 Squadrons and 30 Battalions, between the Upper and Lower Scheld: All which Pofts might be eas'd or ftrengthen'd, as the Service fhould require. The Day before, the Clergy, Magiftracy, Dec. 17. and Commons of Ghent fent a Deputation to the N. S. Duke of Marlborough, to defire, That the Town might The City of not be deftroyed by the Bombs and Fire-Balls; But they Ghent were anfwer'd, That their Misforture having fends a Dehappened by their own Folly, or Negligence, Putation to they had no other way to fave their Houses, but Marlbo by returning to their Duty, and taking up Arms rough. 'for King Charles. To this they reply'd, They were over-aw'd by a numerous Garrison, of Thirty Battalions and Nineteen Squadrons; So that all they could do, was not to affift the Garrison in any manner: Upon which they were told, They muft expect all poffible 'Means would be used to reduce them to the Obe'dience of their lawful Sovereign. His Grace likewife charged them to declare to the Spanish and Walloon Regiments, which make part of the Gar rifon, That if they would quit the French Intereft, and come over to the Allies, they fhould be immediately entertained in the King's Service, and regularly paid, according to their respective Qualities; for which his Grace and the Deputies gave their Affurance. ་ 6 . . The French Court could not at first imagine, That the Confederates would, at this advanc'd Seafon of the Year, venture upon the Siege of Ghent; yet, upon Intelligence, That the D. of Marlborough was march'd to Melle, Mr. de Chamillard, the French King's Prime Minifter, by his moft Chriftian Majefty's Directions, wrote the following Letter to Count de la Morte. SIR, the Duke of A. C. SIR Monfieur de Cha millard's 6 1708. THE Prefervation of Ghent is of fo great "Importance, that you can never take too many Precautions in concert with the Baron de Capres, Monfieur de la Faye, the Brigadiers and other chief Officers, for a long and vigorous Defence, in cafe the Enemy refolve to befiege you in Form. Notwithstanding the Place in it felf is not ftrong, yet it cannot be attack'd but by narrow and difficult Places. You have a great Number of Troops, which are more than fufficient to Dec. 17. defend a Cover'd Way, and fell dear to the Al Letter to Count de la Motte. dated Ver failles. N.S lies the Conqueft of that Place, if they perfift in their Defign, to make themselves Masters thereof. "I cannot forbear to tell you, That to a great deal of Courage and good Inclination, it is neceffary to add a great Calmnefs and Sedatenefs of Mind, "and Patience, in order to make use of all the Difficulties which may disturb the Enemy, and retard the Siege. Do not take upon your felf alone, C all the Motions which are to be made; for there are feveral Officers, who are capable to advise and affift you. You know how much I intereft my felf, in every thing, wherein you are perfonally concern'd: Tho' Reasons of State oblige me to explain my Thoughts to you,on fuch Things, which, in my Opinion, may moft contribute to a long Defence, I think, however, my felf obliged to tell you, as relating to you alone, That after having had the Misfortune to command in Oftend, which the Enemy reduc'd in a very few Days, and "of having not fucceeded in the Fight of Wynendale it is of the higheft Concern to your felf, as well as to his Majefty, that the Opportunity you have now, may give him fo good an Opinion of you, as may obtain from his Majefty thofe Marks of Diftinction, for which you have fo long la"bour'd. I do not know whether you want any Majors-General of the King's Troops; but as all the Forces which are to be from Ghent to Ipres, with thofe in Bruges and Newport,and all the General Officers,and others,are to obey your Orders; you may fignify to thofe, who are to command there C this Winter, what you fhall think fit to be done for the Service of his Majefty. According to the Repartition . . ८ 6 Repartition of the Winter Quarters, which I fent you with this Letter, you will find that feveral Regiments which were defigned for Ghent and Bruges, are march'd towards Neuport and Ipres; for the firft Difpofition of the Troops was made in view of Winter Quarters, and not for continuing the Campaign, and maintaining Sieges. However, his Majefty has commanded me to let you know, That it is not fitting to change any thing as to the Garrison of Ghent. He is pleafed to fend Orders to Monfieur de Puiguion,to leave in Bruges 14 Battalions and 9 Squadrons, as Mon'fieur Grimaldi has defired it; but the reft of the 'Forces are forthwith to return towards the Frontiers of the Kingdom. 6 . If you are befieged, you must ufe all poffible means to protract the Siege, infomuch, that it may coft the Allies very dear, and difpute the Ground Inch by Inch, as Monfieur the Marefchal of Boufflers has done at Lille. I know the Difference between the Fortifications of Lille and thofe ' of Ghent; but there is in the latter a good Cover'd Way, which is equally good every where; and after 6 Weeks time the Enemy were not entirely 'Masters of that Lille, tho' the Garrifon of that Place was not fo strong as yours. I write to Meffieurs the Baron de Capres and de la Faye, to defire them to act in concert with you in every thing 'that may contribute to the Good of the Service, and content the Burghers of Ghent, which deferve, and fhould have had a happier Fate. I tell you "nothing as to the Prefervation of the Troops; you have in my Opinion a long time before you ought to think of their Prefervation, and I have 'reafon to believe, that they will ferve with much Diftinction and Affection under your Command. I am most perfectly, SIR Your most humble and moft Affectionate Servant, CHAMILLARD. Which Letter was intercepted. A. C. 1708. A. C. N. S. Whilft the neceffary Preparations for the Siege 1708. were making, Prince Eugene went to Bruffels, where he continued 3 or 4 Days, and on the 20th Dec. 18. of the fame Month, the Duke of Marlborough remov'd his Quarters from Melle to Meerlebeck, that he might be near the Center of the feveral Attacks. The fame Evening, the Befiegers took Poft near the Castle of Ghent, and attack'd a Guard of 30 Men, commanded by a Lieutenant, which the Enemy had without the Gate of Gavre, and put all the Men to the Sword, except the Officer, who was taken Prifoner. The 22d, Detachments were made from the Body of Troops commanded by the Prince of Heffe and the Duke of Wirtemberg, to block up the Red-Fort, on the Canal between Ghent and the Sas; and Cannon, Mortars, and other Neceffaries, were Exchange order'd, for the Attack of that Place. The fame Eve of Prisoners ning, Maj.-Gen. Cadogan came from Leuze, after haSettled at ving fettled there the Treaty for Exchange, of the Leuze. The Tren Prifoners of War, and left Brigadier Cronftrom with the French Commiffaries, to fee the Articles put in Execution; the Prifoners, on both Sides, being, by this Time, advancing towards the Frontiers. The Pioneers having repair'd and enlarg'd the Roads, for the easier Communication of the Quarches open'd ters; the Gabions and Fascines being in a Readibefore nefs; and the Artillery and Ammunition at Hand, Ghent, the Trenches were open'd the 24th, about Eight-aDec. 24. Clock in the Evening, at the Attack commanded N. S. by General Lottum, between the Scheld and the Lys: Two Thousand Workmen, cover'd by Seven Battalions, and Two more in Reserve, with 600 Horse, being order'd for that Service, under the Command of Lieutenant-General Fagel, Major-General Weeke, and the Lord North and Grey, Brigadier. The Night being very light, the Enemy's Centinels foon difcover'd the Befiegers; but before they could get their Troops together, the Workmen were fo well cover'd, that, notwithstanding the great Fire from the Town, both of Cannon and fmall Shot, the Allies had hardly 30 Men kill'd, and about 70 flightly wounded, including Officers, and, in particular, Colonel Gorfuch, who commanded the British Foot-Guards. The Trenches were carry'd on from the Gate of St. Peter towards Fort Monterey, and a Parallel Parallel of 1000 Paces finifh'd from the Right to A. C. the Left, within 200 Paces of the Counterfcarp; 1708. and the 25th, the Trenches were open'd, at the Duke of Wirtemberg's Attack, before the Citadel, by 1400 Workmen, cover'd by 4 Battalions, and 600 Horfe, commanded by Major-General Murray and Brigadier Borch. Between 6 and 7, in the Evening, the Befiegers began to trace the Lines, and, notwithstanding the Enemy's great Fire, from 8 till I in the Morning, finish'd a Parallel of 750 Paces, within 150 Paces of the Palifadoes, and made a very good Communication, with the Lofs only of 10 Men kill'd and wounded, The fame Night, the Allies broke Ground at a Third Attack, before the Bruffels Gate, between the Upper and Lower Scheld, at which Brigadier Evans commanded, with 4 Battalions, and boo Workmen, who carried on the Trenches near 700 Paces, and made a Communication, without any Lofs; But the Work on the Right being full of Ruins, and requiring more time and a greater Quantity of Fafcines, than ordinary, to finish, the Enemy made a Sally there the 26th, in the Morning, with 10 Companies of Grenadiers, and put the firft Regiment into fome Disorder. While Brigadier Evans was bringing up the next Brigadier Battalion to fuccour them, he was taken Prifoner, Evans ta with Colonel Grove, of the Lord North and Grey's ken PrisoRegiment; and the Allies had, befides, 20 Officers ner, Dec. and Soldiers kill'd, wounded, and taken; but the 26. N. S. Enemy, upon the firft Fire of the Men in the Trenches, retir'd in great Hafte, without attempting any Thing upon the Works. The Brigadier, and fuch Officers as were not wounded, were immediately fent back, on their Parole; And the fame Day, the Batteries of the Allies fired upon * the Red-Fort, with fo good Execution, that the Gar- * Dec. 26. rifon, confifting of 200 Men, beat a Parley, and N. S. furrender'd themselves Prifoners of War. The 27th The Redand 28th, the Works at the feveral Attacks before Fort ferGhent were carried on with very good Sucçefs, and renders. inconfiderable Lofs; and all the Batteries being finifh'd the 29th, in fuch Manner that Orders were given for the Cannon to fire the 30th, at Six in the Morning, and the Mortars, Carcaffes, and red-hot Bullets, at Ten; Monfieur de la Motte fent out a ΜΙ Trumpet |