“What mean you by knocking thus furiously?” the landlord of the little
inn asked angrily.
“What mean you by keeping your door shut in the face of travellers on
such a night as this?” Hector replied, even more loudly. “Are honest men
to be kept waiting in the rain while you are taking no steps to let them
in?”
“How could I tell that you are honest men?” the landlord retorted.
“Because if we had not been honest men we should long before this have
battered your door down, as indeed I was just going to do when you
opened it.”
“Well, come in,” the landlord said with an evil smile. “Maybe you would
have done better to have passed on.”
He showed them into the taproom, where two or three rough men were
sitting.
“What did these fellows mean by knocking so loudly?” one of them asked
angrily.
“It means,” Hector replied, “that travellers have a right to claim
shelter of an inn; and indeed, inn or no inn, no one would refuse
shelter to travellers on such a night as this is going to be.” And his
words were emphasized by a crash of thunder overhead.
“You crow pretty loud, young fellow,” the man growled.
“I speak loud because I have right on my side. I desire to quarrel with
no man; but one need indeed be a saint to keep one's temper when one is
kept standing outside a door with the rain coming down in great drops,
and threatening in another minute to come in bucketfuls. It is all the
worse when, as you see, one has a sick comrade with one.”
The man spoke in a low voice to the three others seated at the table
with him. “May I ask whither you were journeying when thus caught in the
storm?” he asked in a more civil tone than he had hitherto used.
“Certainly you may. We were in haste to get on to Gunzenhausen by
morning, as a friend of ours has work ready for us there. We did not
expect this storm when we left Eichstadt just before the gates closed,
and as the nights are short we thought we would push straight through.”
“You are woodmen, I see.”
“Ay, woodmen and charcoal burners.”
“You are not from this part, at least, judging from your tongue.”
“Nor, I fancy, are you,” Hector replied.
“No,” the other said. “In times like these every one is liable to be
driven from home either because the troops of one army or another have
plundered and destroyed everything, or perhaps because he has been
forced into the ranks.”
“That is just our case, and you will understand that in times like
these, as you say, no one cares to answer questions on the part of
strangers. But we have no particular cause of concealment. We have both
been in the army, and, as you see, have left it, and have our reasons
for wishing to travel at night, when there is no chance of falling in
with troops whose officers might ask inconvenient questions. As, thanks
to our host and you, we are nearly wet through, we will thank him to get
ready as quick as may be two flagons of hot beer, and if he has got a
couple of eggs to beat up in each of them, so much the better.”
The landlord left the room, and a minute or two later the man who had
spoken to Hector got up and went out.
“These men are up to no good,” Hector whispered to Paolo as they sat
down on a bench at a table some little distance from that at which the
other men were seated. “I am sorry now that I asked for the liquor, it
was necessary to order something. I should not be surprised if they drug
it. Do you put yours to your lips, and then groan as if it hurt you too
much to try to swallow, and leave it standing in front of you. I will
pretend to drink mine, and will manage to pour it away on the floor.
Presently do you lean forward on to the table and appear to fall asleep.
As I am in the corner, I will lean back and seem to go off also. Unless
I am greatly mistaken this is a regular thieves' den. Keep one hand on
the butt of a pistol. We will both keep awake for a time, and if nothing
comes of it we will then watch by turns. It is clear that they suspect
that we are not what we seem.”
The men at the other table were talking together in low voices, and,
listening intently, Hector could hear a murmur of voices in the room
behind him.
“There were more than two voices there,” he whispered presently to
Paolo. The latter nodded, for he too had been listening. Presently the
landlord returned with the two flagons of hot beer, which were set down
on the table before them. The room was lighted only by a torch stuck in
a cresset on the wall, and Hector had purposely seated himself as far
from this as possible. Paolo took up his mug, raised it to his lips, and
then set it down again with a sudden cry.
“I am afraid that you will not be able to take it,” Hector said aloud.
“What is the matter with your comrade?” the landlord asked.
“He has a terrible abscess in his jaw, and is unable to speak or to
swallow.”
The landlord took the torch from its place and walked over and looked at
Paolo's cheek. “There is no mistake about that,” he said. “It is indeed
a terrible swelling, and the cheek looks almost raw.”
“He has put liniments on it,” Hector said, “but they seem to have done
him harm rather than good. However, he is not so bad as he was, and I
hope that the abscess will break ere long.”
The landlord fastened the torch up again, and said in a low tone to the
other men: “There is no doubt about his face being bad.” As he turned
away from the table he stood between Hector and the other men, and the
former seized the opportunity of pouring the contents of his mug against
the wall by his knee, knowing that as the floor was of earth it would
soak it up at once. From time to time he lifted the mug to his lips,
until he apparently drained it. Then half closing his eyes he leant up
against the corner. Paolo had already laid his head down on the table,
and after a time both breathed heavily and regularly. Half an hour later
one of the men rose noiselessly and left the room. Two or three minutes
afterwards he returned with the host, the man who had gone out before,
and two others.
“Seven against two,” Hector thought to himself. “However, we shall have
the advantage of a surprise.” He touched Paolo with his foot to assure
himself that he had not really gone off to sleep, but the responsive
movement showed that he also was on his guard. The man who had first
left the room and one of the others drew their long knives and stepped
quietly forward, while the others, also with bared weapons, prepared
to support them if necessary. Hector waited until the two leaders were
close, then he exclaimed sharply, “Now!” at the same moment throwing
forward his hand with the pistol. Two reports rang out at the same
moment, and the men pitched heavily forward. A yell of surprise and
fury broke from the others, but ere they could step over their fallen
comrades, Hector and his companion stood erect with their second pistols
in their right hands and their axes ready for action in their left.
Hector's second shot took effect on the landlord, Paolo's apparently
missed, for the other four rushed forward. Hector dashed the table
aside, and he and Paolo, poising their heavy axes, rushed forward to
meet their assailants.
“Mind the beams,” Hector shouted, as with a sweeping side blow he clove
in the head of one opponent. But the warning came too late. Paolo struck
a downward blow, the axe caught the low beams of the ceiling, and it
flew from his hand. His opponent sprang upon him. Paolo caught the man's
right wrist as he struck at him with his knife, and drew his own from
his girdle. His assailant threw his other arm round him, and, grappling,
they fell on to the ground. Hector could do nothing to assist him, for
the other two men were trying to circle round him, keeping beyond the
swing of his axe but watching for an opportunity to spring upon him.
Keeping his back against the wall he made feints against them. Presently
one of the men passed between him and the two antagonists struggling on
the ground. Suddenly they rolled over and over, coming in contact with
him from behind and almost throwing him over. Before he could recover
from the shock Hector's axe struck him below the ear.
The other man would have turned and made for the door, but Hector knew
that it was important that he should not escape and carry the news to
others of his party, who might be in the forest. He therefore sprang
after him, and before the wretch could open the door struck him between
the shoulders with his long knife. As he did so Paolo sprung up with a
shout.
“Thank God that you are alive, Paolo! I was afraid that he might have
killed you.”
“No, no, master. I had him by the wrist too firmly for that, and my
knife did its work almost directly. But with those two fellows hovering
round I should have been at their mercy had I tried to get on my feet.
So I kept on struggling until I saw my opportunity, and then as that
fellow's back was turned I rolled over against him, and so gave you
the chance that you were waiting for. Well, master, it has been a sharp
business.”
“It has indeed. Now the first thing is to see if there is anyone else
in the house, and the next to look about for some clothes for you to put
on, for those you wear are covered with blood. Then we must be off, and
put as many miles between us and this place before morning as we can.”
A brief search showed that the place was empty, save for the dead in the
taproom. An old doublet belonging to the landlord was found hanging up
in the loft where he slept. Taking off his outer garments, Paolo put
this on.
“It is lucky I kept my breeches on under the others,” he said, “for I
certainly could not have gone into a town with these stained things on.
I suppose there is some money hidden somewhere, but we have not time to
look. You may be sure that many a traveller has been murdered here.”
“I quite agree with you, but we have certainly no time to spare to hunt
for it. Let us be off at once.”
Reloading their pistols and carefully wiping their axes they went out by
a door at the back of the house, for neither cared to re-enter the scene
of the slaughter. Before doing so, however, they took a long draught
from the landlord's beer barrel, to make up for the drink of which
they had deprived themselves. The storm had passed, and the stars were
shining brightly. They met nobody on their way until within two or three
miles of Gunzenhausen; it was found that the haft of Paolo's axe was
deeply stained with blood; and he threw it away on issuing from the
wood, as it did not accord well with his present attire, which was
rather that of a discharged soldier or a worker in cities than of a
countryman. Soon after eight o'clock they approached the town. They were
now greatly fatigued, for they had done two long days' marches without
any sleep between them, and turning off from the road they made their
way to a little clump of trees, and there threw themselves down in the
shade and slept until late in the afternoon.
“I think that after our experience of last night, Paolo,” Hector said,
as they walked towards the town, “we had better wait until we can join
some party going to Hall before we leave this place. From what I hear,
the road is a great deal more infested with bands of lawless men than
that along which we have come.”
“Then, master, I think we had certainly better wait, for I don't want
anything worse than we had yesterday.”
They went to a small inn, had supper, and then lay down on some straw in
an outhouse and slept soundly until morning. Then they breakfasted,
and as there was no one else in the room Paolo was able to eat freely.
Presently the landlord came in, and Hector entered into conversation
with him.
“We want to go on to Hall,” he said. “We have friends there, and we are
obliged to leave home because we should be taken for the army.”
“Well, I don't think that you will find yourself better off at Hall than
here. They are catching up every ablebodied young fellow and putting him
into the ranks, and as you both look strong and active, except for your
comrade's face, you are both likely to be seized as soon as you enter
Hall, especially if you have no papers to show.”
“We are not thinking of entering Hall, landlord. Our friends live a few
miles away, and they will hide us till the army moves away from these
parts.”
“That will be before long, thank the saints! There is news that a great
French army marched from Spires three days ago, and there is like to be
a great fight before long; and if the French are beaten Merci will chase
them back to the Rhine, recapture all the towns that they have taken,
and perhaps enter Alsace.”
“Which way do they say that the French are marching?”
“They took the road to Weisloch. Some think that they will come through
Wimpfen, and then by Weinsberg here, unless Merci bars the way. Others
again think that they will make their way down through Stuttgart. Five
hundred men march from here tomorrow to Hall, whence they go on to
Heilbronn to strengthen the garrison there. All the waggons in the town
and country round have been fetched in to carry their stores and baggage
and a convoy of ammunition. I should say that you could not do better
than go on with the waggons. No one is likely to ask you any questions,
for it will be thought that you are drivers.”
“Thank you very much,” Hector said; “that would certainly be a capital
plan. We were afraid of going through the forests alone.”
“Yes, and you were right. They are full of marauders. A party of
troopers arrived here from Eichstadt yesterday evening. They stopped to
get a drink at a cabaret in the forest, and on entering found seven men
lying dead, and no one living to say how they got there. That some,
if not all, were robbers was evident from the fact that, on the bodies
being searched, articles evidently plundered from travellers were found
upon all of them. An examination was made of the house, and considerable
quantities of plunder found hidden. Searching in the forest behind,
several mounds of earth, evidently graves, were discovered. The landlord
himself was among the killed, for one of the troopers, who had before
stopped at the house, recognized him. It was supposed that the brigands
were killed by some other party with whom they had quarrelled. Three of
them were shot and two killed by tremendous blows from an axe, and as
neither pistols nor axes were found in the room it is clear that those
within had been killed by some other band.”
The next morning, when the column started, Hector and Paolo fell in
among the carts, and rendered good service on the road by helping to
move them when the wheels of the waggons stuck fast at spots where the
road crossed marshy valleys. So bad was the journey that it occupied two
days. Then the waggons were parked outside the walls of Hall, a guard
being placed round them to prevent desertion. The troops slept inside
the town. At daybreak the next morning their march was arrested by an
officer riding out from the town, saying that news had arrived on the
previous evening that the French were marching upon Heilbronn, that
General Merci was concentrating his army there to oppose the passage of
the river, and that the troops were to push on with all speed, leaving
their baggage train at Hall. Hector at once decided that, with the
Bavarian army gathering in front, it would be madness to endeavour to
push on, and that indeed it would be far better to fall back until the
direction of the French march was fully determined, when they could make
a detour and come down upon their flank without having to pass through
the Bavarian army. He did not, however, care about remaining in Hall,
which might be occupied by the Bavarians if they fell back, and they
therefore, after entering the town with the waggons, purchased a store
of provisions, and, going out again, established themselves in a small
farmhouse, whose occupants had deserted it and fled into the town upon
hearing that the French were but some thirty miles distant.
Every day Hector went into the place to gather news, and learned that
Wimpfen had been captured by the French by a sudden assault, and that
they had crossed the Neckar. On returning he at once started with Paolo,
but on approaching the Neckar learned that the French had marched on to
Rothenburg. They fell in, however, with a detachment which had been left
on the Neckar. Hector found among them several officers to whom he was
known, and, borrowing Paolo's money, fitted himself and follower
out again, bought a couple of horses that had been captured from the
Bavarians, who had, he learned, retired to Franconia, and set out
to join the army. Rothenburg had been, he found out on his arrival,
captured in a few hours, and the main body of the French had marched
to Dinkelsbuhl, and there he came up with them. He had learned from the
party on the Neckar of the defection of Konigsmark and the Swedes, and
that Conde and Turenne's united army did not exceed twenty thousand men,
and, as he knew, that of Merci was at least equal to it in strength. His
first question on entering the camp was as to the quarters of his own
regiment, and he at once rode there. As soon as he was recognized
the men ran to him, cheering wildly, and so great was the tumult that
Turenne himself, whose headquarters were but a short distance away,
rode to the spot to enquire the cause of the tumult. When he saw Hector
surrounded by his cheering soldiers he passed through the crowd, and,
reaching him, shook him warmly by the hand.
“I had hoped that we might have made an exchange for you during the
winter, colonel, but I had not thought it possible that I should see you
again before that time; for in the first place, we captured no prisoners
in this campaign, but, on the contrary, have had many of our own
officers taken; and in the second place, we have been too busy ever
since Marienthal to enter into negotiations. You have, I suppose, given
them the slip, you and that varlet of yours, for I see him over there.”
“Yes, marshal; we had no very great difficulty in getting away. I have
been very well treated, and until I heard that you were again taking the
offensive, I had no reason to fret over my imprisonment.”
“Well, you have joined us just in time, for at any moment we may fight a
great battle. When you have leisure this evening come over to my tent.
I shall be glad to hear how you managed to escape, and any news you have
gained as to Merci's force and intentions.”
As soon as the marshal had ridden off, his officers pressed round him,
but before speaking to them individually Hector said a few words to the
men, thanking them for the greeting they had given him, and saying that
he was glad indeed to be back among them. Then he talked for a time to
the officers, two or three of whom, after saying a few words apart to
Captain de Thiou, had hurried away. Half an hour later de Thiou said:
“I have no doubt that you will be glad of supper, colonel. Ours is just
prepared, and we hope that you will join us.”
“I am hungry, de Thiou, now I come to think of it, for except a crust of
bread this morning I have not touched anything today.”
“It is fortunate that we are better off than usual,” de Thiou said. “We
had the luck to buy a pig from one of Weimar's troopers. The cavalry get
the best of it, for though there are orders against pillaging, there is
no doubt that a good deal of it goes on; and, marching as we have been,
there is no one to see that orders are strictly carried out. However, we
have benefited by it this afternoon.”
Accompanying de Thiou, Hector was surprised to find that at a short
distance in front of the spot where the regiment was bivouacked a large
arbour had been erected.
“I did not notice this as I rode in,” he said.
“It was not even thought of then, colonel; it was begun a few minutes
after you rode up, and the men have worked right willingly, and
fortunately there was a copse hard by. I may say that it was the
men's own idea. I had given orders that a table should be made of any
materials that came to hand, and one of the men started the idea of
building an arbour over it, and as many hands make quick work it has, as
you see, been constructed in little over half an hour.”
As the evening was warm the front of the arbour had been left open.
Inside, a rough table had been constructed of empty casks, planks taken
from the bottom of the waggons, and a couple of doors from cottages
near, while powder barrels served as seats.
“Now, colonel, will you take the head of the table?” de Thiou said.
“Certainly not, de Thiou. I am your guest upon this occasion, so do you
take that place, and I will sit upon your right hand.”
“I only wish that we could have given you a dinner like those you so
often gave us at St. Denis.”
“I shall enjoy it as much as if it were a royal feast,” Hector said,
seating himself; “for indeed since I escaped from Ingoldstadt some ten
days ago I have been living on black bread, sausage, and cheese.”
The meal was a joyous one, for at the assault of Rothenburg on the
previous day several barrels of wine had been captured by the soldiers
of the regiment. These had been bought from them by the officers, who
had feared that some of the men might drink to excess, and so damage the
reputation which the regiment had obtained for sobriety and discipline.
One of these had been broached, and this and the pork afforded an
excellent supper even though the bread was of the worst possible
quality. When the meal was over, de Thiou stood up and proposed the
health of the colonel, and congratulated him most warmly upon his escape
from the enemy, expressing the extreme satisfaction of all the men as
well as officers at his return. The toast was drunk with enthusiasm,
and Hector briefly returned thanks. Then, in accordance with the general
request, he related the particulars of his escape from Ingoldstadt and
of his journey. Paolo, who had been waiting behind his master's chair,
came in for warm praise for the share he had taken in the matter.
“I certainly did not think when I first, against the advice of everyone,
took Paolo as my lackey five years ago, that he would turn out so
valuable a servant as he has done,” Hector said as de Thiou handed a
goblet of wine to the man. “He has been more than a servant, he has
taken part in all my adventures, and truly I regard him as my friend.
Indeed, gentlemen, had it not been for him I certainly should not be
here tonight, for my own money gave out altogether at Hall, and I had to
borrow from his store the means of buying clothes and horses.”
“By the way, colonel,” de Thiou said, “from the day that you were
captured I have drawn your pay for you, knowing that if it fell into
arrear you would have had hard work in getting it, so that I have now
three months of your money in the regimental chest.”
“Thank you, de Thiou, it will be very welcome; though Paolo would not
have been a very hard creditor.”
At eight o'clock the party broke up, and Hector walked across to
Turenne's quarters. The latter had just returned from a consultation
with the other generals.
“We shall open our trenches here tonight; the place is of some
importance, as it is on the direct road to Nordlingen, and it is as well
not to leave it behind us. This, however, we shall do, if news comes
that Merci is marching to give us battle before that city, which we
expect he will do. The Imperialists will like to fight there, for it
was the scene of their great victory over the Duke of Weimar and the
Swedes.”
“We must hope that we shall reverse matters this time, marshal.”
“We must hope so,” the latter said gravely; “if we fight on a fair
field I have no misgivings whatever. But Merci always takes up strong
positions and entrenches himself, and Enghien is so anxious to fight
that he will do so at a disadvantage rather than wait until we can meet
them on even terms. You know what happened at Freiburg, where we lost
some nine thousand men and gained no great advantage; while if we had
moved round and threatened their line of retreat the enemy must have
fallen back at once, we should have obtained our object without the loss
of a man, and might possibly have fallen upon Merci in his retreat, and
well nigh annihilated his army. Do not think, Campbell, that I am for a
moment underestimating Enghien's genius. It is extraordinary, and in the
hour of battle he is superb, not only from his extreme personal bravery,
but from the quickness with which he grasps every point, seizes upon
the spot where a blow can be best delivered, and snatches victory, where
another would see only defeat before him. But he is reckless of life so
long as he carries his point, and rather than lose a day in turning the
enemy's position and so forcing him to relinquish it, will sacrifice
whole regiments by marching straight against the most formidable
entrenchments. Had he but patience in addition to his own splendid
qualities, I think he would be the greatest military genius the world
has ever seen. And now let me hear what happened to you after you left
my side that night after Marienthal.”
Hector again related his adventures. Turenne laughed at the account of
his escape, hidden under the flour bags.
“It was a good scheme,” he said; “and it was well that you had that
lackey of yours with you, for I do not think that you could ever have
managed it unaided.”
“I am sure I could not, marshal; it was entirely his suggestion, and he
arranged all the details splendidly. He was equally valuable in another
way afterwards;” and he described the fight in the cabaret.
“That was more dangerous than taking part in a pitched battle; seven
against two are heavy odds indeed, though you had the advantage of
weapons. The fellow has a ready wit to think of rolling against the man
who was waiting for a chance of running in and stabbing you; he would
have made his fortune somehow even if he had not had the good luck to
fall in with you. In some respects you resemble each other; you both
have enterprise, quickness, and daring, but he lacks your studious
habits, your determination to master everything connected with your
profession, and your ability to turn your knowledge to account. He would
have made a good soldier, an excellent leader of an irregular corps, but
he would never have gained distinction. Well, I am very glad to have had
a quiet talk with you; it takes one out of one's worries and anxieties.
By the way, I had a letter from Mazarin; it reached me while I was at
Spires. He said he was sorry to hear that you had been taken prisoner,
and requested me to make an exchange for you as soon as possible, even
if I had to give a general officer for you, for he was very deeply your
debtor, and had the highest esteem for you. What have you been doing to
make him your debtor? You never mentioned anything of the sort to me.”
“The matter was to some degree a state one, marshal, or I should
have told you of it; but as it took place nearly a year ago, and the
circumstances are altogether changed, I can mention them to you in
confidence--for even now, were it known, it might make me some powerful
enemies.” He then related how it was that he had thwarted the attempt on
Mazarin's life.
“That was a piece of singular good fortune,” Turenne said. “Mazarin is
a staunch friend and a bitter enemy. I owe him no goodwill, for he has
behaved shamefully to de Bouillon, refusing to hand to him the estates
for which he exchanged his principality of Sedan; but I do not permit
myself to allow family interests to weigh with me against my duties to
France. Truly, as you say, it were well to hide your share in a business
that sent De Beaufort and a score of others to prison, and a dozen
members of powerful families into exile; it might well cause you serious
trouble were it known. You did well to keep the matter to yourself, and
you did specially well to refuse to accept any personal honour, for had
you done so Mazarin's enemies would at once have connected that fact
with the discovery of the plot.”
On returning to his regiment, Hector found that an order had come just
after he left, for four companies to march down under the guidance of an
engineer officer to begin work on the trenches. De Thiou, knowing
that he had gone to the marshal's, had gone down with the four
leading companies. The other infantry regiments had furnished similar
contingents, showing that the siege was to be pushed forward with all
haste.
“Enghien does not allow the grass to grow under his feet,” Captain
Mieville said. “We stormed Wimpfen a few hours after our arrival before
it; we carried Rothenburg in a single night, and I expect that by
tomorrow evening we shall be masters of this place.”
In the morning four more companies went down to relieve those who had
been at work all night, and these had made great progress when, in the
afternoon, the news came that Merci was marching with all his strength
towards Nordlingen. Trumpets at once sounded to recall the troops from
the trenches, a meal was hastily cooked, and at sunset the army marched
for Nordlingen. All night they pushed on through the forest, and just
as the leading squadrons emerged from it on to the plain, Merci's forces
were seen issuing out from the forest facing them. Both armies at once
formed in order of battle.
Enghien, anxious to attack, rode forward with Turenne, de Gramont, and
Geis to reconnoitre the ground. It was found that between the armies
there was a small river, with great pools and swamps on either side,
and that the only approaches were by narrow and winding paths where two
horsemen could scarcely ride abreast. Even Enghien felt that it would
be madness to venture upon an attack. His artillery opened fire, that of
the Bavarians replied, and the cannonade was continued till nightfall,
inflicting a certain amount of loss on either side but in no way
altering the position. Seeing that a battle could not be brought on
here, Enghien marched two hours before daybreak for Nordlingen. At nine
the army came down on to the great plain in front of that town, but he
found that Merci had been beforehand with him, and had already taken up
a strong position two leagues away, and between him and the city, and
that his troops were already at work throwing up intrenchments. The
prince ordered all the baggage to be left behind, and at once marched
against the enemy. At four o'clock they were facing each other. Merci
had, as usual, chosen his position with great judgment. In the middle
of the plain rose two little hills about a thousand yards apart. On the
hill on his left stood the castle of Allersheim, and here Merci's left
wing, under General John de Werth, was posted; while at Weinberg his
right, commanded by General Gleen, took up its station. The main body of
the army, under Merci himself, lay behind a village a couple of hundred
yards beyond the hills, and at the head of the passage between them. He
had his cavalry on his two wings, his infantry in the centre, and had
thrown forward some regiments to hold the village. On the two hills he
had planted his cannon, sheltered by intrenchments, and in a position to
sweep the entrance to the valley.
His army consisted of between fourteen and fifteen thousand men, that of
Enghien of seventeen thousand. After examining the position a council
of war was held. Turenne was strongly against attacking the enemy in a
position of such strength, but Enghien as usual overruled his opinion.
Turenne then urged that the cavalry on the wings should not charge up
the hills and attack the positions held there until the enemy's centre
had been defeated, and his advice in this respect was taken. The
generals then separated and rode to their respective commands. De
Gramont commanded the right wing, consisting of all the French cavalry,
and having as a second line a reserve consisting of four battalions of
infantry and six squadrons of horse commanded by Chevalier de Chabot.
Turenne commanded the left, which consisted of his own army, with twelve
squadrons of Weimar's cavalry, with the Hessian army--six battalions
and six squadrons--as a second line. The centre, consisting of ten
battalions and five squadrons of horse, was commanded by Count de
Marsin. Enghien took no special command, preferring to remain free to go
where his presence was most needed.