Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton by Daniel Defoe
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page 14 of 250 (05%)
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Waggon appointed them. Count _Souches_, the Imperial General, with the
Troops of that Nation, led the Van; the main Body was compos'd of _Dutch_, under the Prince of _Orange_. as Generalissimo; and the _Spaniards_, under Prince _Vaudemont_, with some Detachments, made the Rear Guard. As we were upon our March, I being among those Detachments which made up the Rear Guard, observ'd a great Party of the Enemy's Horse upon an Ascent, which, I then imagin'd, as it after prov'd, to be the Prince of _Condé_ taking a View of our Forces under March. There were many Defiles, which our Army must necessarily pass; through which that Prince politickly enough permitted the _Imperial_ and _Dutch_ Forces to pass unmolested. But when Prince _Vaudemont_, with the _Spaniards_, and our Detachments, thought to have done the like, the Prince of _Condé_ fell on our Rear Guard; and, after a long and sharp Dispute, entirely routed 'em; the Marquiss of _Assentar_, a _Spanish_ Lieutenant-General, dying upon the spot. Had the Prince of _Condé_ contented himself with this Share of good Fortune, his Victory had been uncontested: But being pushed forward by a vehement Heat of Temper (which he was noted for) and flush'd with this extraordinary Success, he resolv'd to force the whole Confederate Army to a Battle. In order to which, he immediately led his Forces between our Second Line, and our Line of Baggage; by which means the latter were entirely cut off; and were subjected to the Will of the Enemy, who fell directly to plunder; in which they were not a little assisted by the routed _Spaniards_ themselves, who did not disdain at that time to share with the Enemy in the plundering of their Friends and Allies. The _English_ Voluntiers had their Share of this ill Fortune with the |
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