patriot squadron, which had so long been sheltered, emerged from the
cover of the hill, made a detour around its base, enveloped the rear-
guard of the Spaniards before they could advance to the succor of their
perishing comrades, and broke them to pieces almost instantly. Gonzalo
de Braccamonte, the very Spanish colonel who had been foremost in
denunciation of Aremberg, for his disposition to delay the contest, was
now the first to fly. To his bad conduct was ascribed the loss of the
day. The anger of Alva was so high, when he was informed of the
incident, that he would have condemned the officer to death but for the
intercession of his friends and countrymen. The rout was sudden and
absolute. The foolhardiness of the Spaniards had precipitated them into
the pit which their enemies had dug. The day, was lost. Nothing was
left for Aremberg but to perish with honor. Placing himself at the head
of his handful of cavalry, he dashed into the melee. The shock was
sustained by young Adolphus of Nassau, at the head of an equal number of
riders. Each leader singled out the other. They met as "captains of
might" should do, in the very midst of the affray. Aremberg, receiving
and disregarding a pistol shot from his adversary, laid Adolphus dead at
his feet, with a bullet through his body and a sabre cut on his head.
Two troopers in immediate attendance upon the young Count shared the same
fate from the same hand. Shortly afterward, the horse of Aremberg,
wounded by a musket ball, fell to the ground. A few devoted followers
lifted the charger to his legs and the bleeding rider to his saddle.
They endeavored to bear their wounded general from the scene of action.
The horse staggered a few paces and fell dead. Aremberg disengaged
himself from his body, and walked a few paces to the edge of a meadow
near the road. Here, wounded in the action, crippled by the disease
which had so long tormented him, and scarcely able to sustain longer the
burthen of his armor, he calmly awaited his fate. A troop of the enemy
advanced soon afterwards, and Aremberg fell, covered with wounds,