The British cavalry suffered less severely at Oudenarde than did
those of the other allied nationalities, as they were during the
greater portion of the day held in reserve; and neither Rupert nor
any of his special friends in the regiment were wounded. He was,
however, greatly grieved at the death of Sir John Loveday, who was
killed by a cannonball at the commencement of the action. Two of
the captains in the 5th were also killed, and this gave Rupert
another step. He could have had his captain's rank long before, had
he accepted the Duke's offer, several times repeated, of a post on
his staff. He preferred, however, the life with his regiment, and
in this his promotion was, of course, regular, instead of going up
by favour, as was, and still is, the case on the staff.
The train for the siege of Lille was brought up by canal from
Holland to Brussels; and although the French knew that a large
accumulation of military stores was taking place there, they could
not believe that Marlborough meditated so gigantic an undertaking
as the siege of Lille, and believed that he was intending to lay
siege to Mons.
Berwick, with his army, which had since his arrival on the scene of
action been lying at Douai, now advanced to Montagne; and Vendome
detached 18,000 men from his army, lying between Ghent and Bruges,
to Malle, to intercept any convoy that might move out from
Brussels.
Marlborough's measures were, however, well taken. Eugene, with
twenty-five battalions and thirty squadrons, moved parallel to the
convoy, which was fifteen miles in length; while the Prince of
Wurtemburg, General Wood, the Prince of Orange, each with a large
force, were so placed as to check any movement of the enemy.
The gigantic convoy left Brussels on the 6th of August, and reached
the camp near Lille on the 15th, without the loss of a single
wagon. Prince Eugene, with 53 battalions and 90 squadrons, in all
40,000 men, undertook the siege; while Marlborough, with the main
army of 60,000 men, took post at Heldun, where he alike prevented
Berwick and Vendome from effecting a junction, and covered the
passage of convoys from Brussels, Ath, and Oudenarde. No less than
eighty-one convoys, with food, stores, etc., passed safely along;
and the arrangements for their safety were so perfect that they
excited the lively admiration both of friends and foes.
Feuguieres, the French annalist, asks, "How was it possible to
believe that it was in the power of the enemy to convey to Lille
all that was necessary for the siege and supplies of the army, to
conduct there all the artillery and implements essential for such
an undertaking; and that these immense burdens should be
transported by land over a line of twenty-three leagues, under the
eyes of an army of 80,000 men, lying on the flank of a prodigious
convoy, which extended over five leagues of road? Nevertheless, all
that was done without a shot being fired or a chariot unharnessed.
Posterity will scarcely believe it. Nevertheless, it was the simple
truth."
To facilitate his operations, Marlborough threw six bridges across
the Scheldt, and 10,000 pioneers were collected to commence the
lines which were to surround the city. The lines were projected not
only to shut in the city, but to protect the besiegers from attacks
by a relieving army. Never since Caesar besieged Alesia had works
upon so gigantic a scale been constructed. They were fifteen miles
in circumference, and the ditch was fifteen feet wide and nine
deep.
On the 23rd of August, the lines of circumvallation being now
nearly finished, Eugene opened his trenches and began operations
against the city, the parts selected for attack being the gates of
Saint Martin and of the Madelaine. These points were upon the same
side of the city, but were separated from each other by the river
Dyle, which flows through the town.
On the morning of the 24th the cannonade opened, Prince Eugene
himself firing the first gun on the right, the Prince of Orange
that on the left attack. The troops worked with the greatest
energy, and the next day forty-four guns poured their fire into the
advanced works round the chapel of the Madelaine, which stood
outside the walls. The same night the chapel was carried by
assault; but the next night, while a tremendous cannonade was going
on, 400 French issued quietly from their works, fell upon the 200
Dutch who held the chapel, killed or drove them out, blew up the
chapel, which served as an advanced post for the besiegers, and
retired before reinforcements could arrive.
Marshal Vendome now determined to unite with the Duke of Berwick,
and to raise the siege, and by making a long and circuitous march,
to avoid Marlborough's force. This was accomplished; the two armies
united, and advanced to relieve Lille.
Marlborough, who foresaw the line by which they would approach,
drew up his army in order of battle, with his right resting on the
Dyle at Noyelles, and his left on the Margne at Peronne. Two hours
after he had taken up his position, the French army, 110,000
strong, the most imposing France had ever put in the field,
appeared before him.
The Duke of Marlborough had been strengthened by 10,000 men dispatched
to him by Prince Eugene from the besieging army, but he had only
70,000 men to oppose to the French. And yet, notwithstanding their
great superiority of numbers, the enemy did not venture to attack, and
for a fortnight the armies remained facing each other, without a blow
being struck on either side.
The French were, in fact, paralyzed by the jealousy of the two
great generals commanding them, each of whom opposed the other's
proposals; and nothing could be decided until the king sent
Monsieur Chamillard, the French minister of war, to examine the
spot, and give instructions for an attack.
The six days, however, which elapsed between the appearance of the
French army in front of Marlborough and the arrival of Monsieur
Chamillard in camp, had given Marlborough time so to entrench his
position, that upon reconnoitring it Chamillard, Vendome, Berwick,
and the other generals, were unanimous in their opinion that it was
too strong to be attacked. The great army therefore again retired,
and taking up its post between Brussels and Lille, completely
interrupted the arrival of further convoys or stores to the British
camp.
The siege meantime had been pressed hotly. From the 27th of August
to the 7th of September 120 cannon and eighty mortars thundered
continuously; and on the evening of the 7th two breaches were
effected in the side of the bastions of the outworks that were to
be assaulted.
Fourteen thousand men prepared to storm the outworks. The French
allowed them to get, with but slight resistance, into the covered
way, where a terrific fire was poured upon them. 800 were shot down
in a few minutes, and two mines were exploded under them. The
fighting was desperate; but the assailants managed to retain
possession of two points in the outwork, a success most dearly
purchased with a loss of 2000 killed, and as many wounded.
It was not until the 20th that a fresh attempt to carry the place
by storm was made. At this time Marlborough's position was becoming
critical. The fortress held out bravely. The consumption of
ammunition was so enormous, that his supplies were almost
exhausted, and a great army lay directly upon his line of
communication. It became a matter of necessity that the place
should be taken. Immense efforts were made to secure the success of
the assault. Enormous quantities of fascines were made for filling
up the ditch, and 5000 British troops were sent by Marlborough from
his army to lead the assault.
Rupert Holliday, with many other officers, accompanied this body as
a volunteer. The troops were drawn up as the afternoon grew late,
and just as it became dark they advanced to the assault.
The besieged in the outworks assaulted were supported by the fire
of the cannon and musketry of the ramparts behind, from which, so
soon as the dense masses of the stormers advanced, a stream of
flame issued. So tremendous was the carnage, that three times the
troops recoiled before the storm of balls.
On the fourth occasion Eugene himself led them to the assault, on
either side of him were the Princes of Orange and Hesse, and a
number of officers.
"Remember Hochstadt, Ramilies, and Oudenarde!" the prince shouted;
but scarcely had he spoken when he was struck to the ground by a
bullet, which struck and glanced over the left eye.
Then the troops dashed forward, and forced their way into the
outwork. The French fought with magnificent resolution; and were
from time to time reinforced by parties from the city.
For two hours the fight raged. With bayonets and clubbed muskets,
hand to hand, the troops fought. No one flinched or gave way;
indeed it was safer to be in the front line than behind; for in
front friends and foes were so mixed together, that the French on
the ramparts were unable to fire, but had to direct their aim at
the masses behind.
At last the allies gained ground. Gradually, foot by foot, the
French were thrust back; and Rupert, who had been fighting
desperately in the front line of the stormers' party, directed his
efforts to a part where a French officer still held his ground,
nobly backed by his men. The piled up dead in front of them showed
how strenuous had been the resistance to the advancing wave of the
allies.
Rupert gradually reached the spot, and had no difficulty in placing
himself vis-a-vis to the French officer; for so terrible was his
skill, that others willingly turned aside to attack less dangerous
opponents. In a moment the swords crossed!
The light was a strange one, flickering and yet constant, with the
thousands of firearms, which kept up an unceasing roar. The swords
clashed and ground together, and after a pass or two both men drew
back. A bright flash from a musket not a yard away threw a bright
though momentary light on their faces.
"Monsieur Dessin!" Rupert exclaimed, in delight.
"What! Is it possible?" the Frenchman exclaimed. "Rupert Holliday!"
At the moment there was a tremendous rush of the British. The
French were borne back, and hurled over the edge of the outwork;
and before Rupert could avert the blow, the butt end of a musket
fell with great force upon his late opponent's head.
Rupert leapt forward, and lifting him in his arms, made his way
with him to the rear; for with that last rush the fight was over,
and the allies had established themselves in the left demi-bastion
of the outwork--an important advantage, but one which had cost them
5000 killed and wounded, of whom 3000 belonged to the English
force, whom Marlborough had sent. The fact that more than half of
them were hors-de-combat showed how fiercely they had fought.
Owing to the wound of Prince Eugene, the Duke of Marlborough had to
direct the operations of the siege as well as to command the army
in the field. On the 23rd he followed up the advantage gained on
the 20th, by a fresh attack in two columns, each 5000 strong, and
headed by 500 English troops. After being three times repulsed,
these succeeded in maintaining a lodgment in another outwork;
losing, however, 1000 men in the attack, the greater part being
destroyed by the explosion of a mine.
Both besiegers and besieged were now becoming straitened for
ammunition, for the consumption had been immense. The French
generals succeeded in passing a supply into the fortress in a very
daring manner.
On the night of the 28th, 2500 horsemen set out from Douai, under
the command of the Chevalier de Luxembourg, each having forty
pounds of powder in his valise. They arrived at the gate of the
walls of circumvallation, when the Dutch sentry cried out:
"Who comes there?"
"Open quickly!" the leader answered in the same language; "I am
closely pursued by the French."
The sentry opened the gate, and the horsemen began to pass in.
Eighteen hundred had passed without suspicion being excited, when
one of the officers, seeing that his men were not keeping close up,
gave the command in French:
"Close up! close up!"
The captain of the guard caught the words, and suspecting
something, ordered the party to halt; and then, as they still rode
in, ordered the guard to fire. The discharge set fire to three of
the powder bags, and the explosion spreading from one to another,
sixty men and horses were killed. The portion of the troops still
outside the gate fled, but the 800 who had passed in rode forward
through the allied camp and entered the town in safety, with 70,000
pounds of powder!
Another deed of gallantry, equal to anything ever told in fiction,
was performed by a Captain Dubois of the French army. It was a
matter of the highest importance for the French generals to learn
the exact state of things at Lille. Captain Dubois volunteered to
enter the fortress by water. He accordingly left the French camp,
and swimming through seven canals, entered the Dyle near the place
where it entered the besiegers' lines. He then dived, and aided by
the current, swam under water for an incredibly long distance, so
as entirely to elude the observation of the sentinels. He arrived
in safety in the town, exhausted with his great exertions.
After having had dry clothes put on him, and having taken some
refreshment, he was conducted round the walls by Marshal Boufflers,
who showed him all the defensive works, and explained to him the
whole circumstances of the position. The next night he again set
out by the Dyle, carrying dispatches in an envelope of wax in his
mouth, and after diving as before through the dangerous places, and
running innumerable risks of detection, he arrived in safety in the
French camp.
But it was not the French alone who had run short of ammunition.
Marlborough had also been greatly straitened, and there being now
no possibility of getting through convoys from Brussels, he
persuaded the home government to direct a considerable expedition,
which had been collected for the purpose of exciting an alarm on
the coast of Normandy, and was now on board ship in the Downs, to
be sent to Ostend. It arrived there, to the number of fourteen
battalions and an abundant supply of ammunition, on the 23rd of
September; and Marlborough detached 15,000 men from his army to
protect the convoy on its way up.
On the 27th of September, the convoy started, crossed the canal of
Nieuport at Leffinghen, and directed its course by Slype to defile
through the woods of Wyndendale. General Webb, who commanded the
troops detached for its protection, took post with 8000 men to
defend its passage through the wood, which was the most dangerous
portion of the journey, while Cadogan with the rest of the force
was stationed at Hoglede to cover the march farther on.
Vendome had received information of the march of the column, and
detached Monsieur de la Mathe with 20,000 men to intercept the
convoy. At five in the evening the force approached the wood,
through which the convoy was then filing. Webb posted his men in
the bushes, and when the French--confident in the great superiority
of numbers which they knew that they possessed--advanced boldly,
they were received by such a terrible fire of musketry, poured in
at a distance of a hundred yards, that they fell into confusion.
They, however, rallied, and made desperate efforts to penetrate the
wood, but they were over and over again driven back, and after two
hours' fighting they retired, leaving the convoy to pass on in
safety to the camp.
In this glorious action 8000 English defeated 20,000 French, and
inflicted on them a loss of 4000 killed and wounded. Several fresh
assaults were now made, and gradually the allies won ground, until,
on the eve of the grand assault, Marshal Boufflers surrendered the
town, and retired with the survivors of the defenders into the
citadel, which held out for another month, and then also
surrendered. In this memorable siege, the greatest--with the
exception of that of Sebastopol--that has ever taken place in
history, the allies lost 3632 men killed, 8322 wounded, in all
11,954; and over 7000 from sickness. Of the garrison, originally
15,000 strong, and reinforced by the 1800 horsemen who made their
way through the allied camp, but 4500 remained alive at the time of
the final capitulation.
Marshall Boufflers only surrendered the citadel on the express
order of Louis the 14th not to throw away any more lives of the
brave men under him. At the time of the surrender the last flask of
powder was exhausted, and the garrison had long been living on
horseflesh.
After Lille had fallen, Marlborough, by a feint of going into
winter quarters, threw the French generals off their guard; and
then by a rapid dash through their lines fell upon Ghent and
Bruges, and recaptured those cities before Vendome had time to
collect and bring up his army to save them.
Then ended one of the most remarkable campaigns in the annals of
our own or any other history.