Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton by Daniel Defoe
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page 16 of 250 (06%)
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About two Hours after, the Confederate Forces follow'd the Example of
their Enemies, and drew off. And tho' neither Army had much Reason to boast; yet as the Prince of _Orange_ remained last in the Field; and die _French_ had lost what they before had gain'd, the Glory of the Day fell to the Prince of _Orange_; who, altho' but twenty-four Years of Age, had the Suffrage of Friend and Foe, of having play'd the Part of an old and experienc'd Officer. There were left that Day on the Field of Battle, by a general Computation, not less than eighteen Thousand Men on both Sides, over and above those, who died of their Wounds: The Loss being pretty equal, only the _French_ carried off most Prisoners. Prince _Waldeck_ was shot through the Arm, which I was near enough to be an Eye-witness of; And my much lamented Friend, Sir _Walter Vane_, was carried off dead. A Wound in the Arm was all the Mark of Honour, that I as yet could boast of, though our Cannon in the Defiles had slain many near me. The Prince _of Condé_ (as we were next Day inform'd) lay all that Night under a Hedge, wrapp'd in his Cloke: And either from the Mortification of being disappointed in his Hopes of Victory; or from a Reflection of the Disservice, which is own natural over Heat of Temper had drawn upon him, was almost inconsolable many Days after. And thus ended the famous Battle of _Seneff_. But though common Vogue has given it the Name of a Battle, in my weak Opinion, it might rather deserve that of a confus'd Skirmish; all Things having been forcibly carried on without Regularity, or even Design enough to allow it any higher Denomination: For, as I have said before, notwithstanding I was advantagiously stationed for Observation, I found it very often impossible to distinguish one Party from another. And this |
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