With Marlborough to Malplaquet: A Story of the Reign of Queen Anne

forget it!" were the first words Blackett uttered, an

other asked in surprise, "a

it all, my dear fellow-Mary-t

you have been keeping tha

e can never forget it. From that day you became the dear

ighted to be so. We are no longer silly s

old rivals was complete, and th

ently, "and a lieutenant. I understood from my father's letter t

e in war, and one of them came to me-only a week or tw

t was," said G

n, on the Rhine, then at Huy, and again at Guelders-but there was no chance for me. But this summer, as we were marching here, not a man of us except the Duke himself, with a notion why we were coming this way at all, we

George, in surprise; "isn'

t as a matter of fact at that time the Duke was takin

the listener

ing me that he had not another officer left who could ride, all our fellows had been laid low or dispersed. I galloped off like the wind, on a big hard-mouthed brute. Just as I was nearing the spot where the Duke stood, a dozen Bavarians suddenly blocked my path and levelled their muskets. I was on a bit of a slope and above their heads, in a manner, so I kicked up my n

talking in this off-hand sort of

t. It'll be quite time enough to bother about that sort of thing then. Off

he same regiment, for George from that time was a cavalry man. Hi

le of Blenheim, just won by the Allies. He was not a great hand at a tale, whatever he might be on the field, and we may piec

he Empire, making Bavaria, the Elector of which was his only supporter in that part of the world, his advance post. For some time Louis had been secretly encouraging Hungary in the rebellion she was contemplatin

he two famous generals saw each other for the first time. Mutual admiration and friendship sprang up between them, to last through the rest of their lives. Prince Louis of Baden had given some trouble by wishing to share the command with Ma

ne of the defeat of the allied troops the year before, and joyfully the leaders prepared to join battle. The commanders on the side of the enemy were

lborough himself. Opposed to Eugene were the Elector and Marsin, while Tallard faced the Duke, but on the farther bank of the little brook Nebel, which empties itself into the Danube

, August 13, 1704. The Duke had been waiting till he heard that Prince Eugene was ready, and he had occupied the interval in breakfast and prayers.

ook. This work of crossing was likely to be a long and tedious, not to say a difficult bit of business, the intervening ground being very boggy. Matthew was far towards the rear of th

so indifferent was he to danger when under fire. This gallant leader led his men to attack the village of Blenheim. Twice the assault was made with the utmost

e Duke was posted, and his movements were watched with interest b

served to a man near him; to which the other r

r along by the stirrup. Without a second's delay, Blackett threw his own beast across the track of the runaway steed, caught his h

he held tightly clutched in his hand. "Quick!" he

ented himself before his commander in the part of unofficial aide-de-camp. The Duke nodded as he recognized the lad, and, pencilling a few words of reply, said, "To Lord Cutts; then back to your post." And as Blackett rode off like the wind in a bee-line

he sped to confront the second line, and the opposing forces met with a tremendous shock. For a moment all was doubtful, but the enemy stood their ground stoutly. Eugene could make no impression and had to fall back. By this time the scattered front line of the French had rallied, and, in spite of the Pr

e. The worst spots had been bridged over, as it were, by the help of fascines, with here and there pontoons. By this time, however, many of these had been shifted from their places by the pas

olonel commanding the regiment, "till we ha

they did not budge. Not so Matthew Blackett; with a bound he sprang to the ground, and waded thro

he young lieutenant, the work of repairing the road was soon in rapid progress, the colonel standing by to direct the opera

d with a will. "Many's the time I've stood up to my wa

paired. Then, with many a joke at each other's expense, the men remounted and pursued their journey, covered from he

e know that Tallard had left his centre weak, by sending so many men into the village on the right. Still less, of course, could the Duke know that Tallard was expec

lage of Oberglau, near the spot. A minute later, almost before the colonel had drawn up his men, there was a fie

a man by Matthew's side.

untry, in the service of Louis. Before the Englishmen realized the situation the Irishmen had dashe

regiment, seeing the state of things at Oberglau, as he toured it, shouted, "Go and tell the Duke, Mr. Blackett!" and away dashed Matthew once more to the Gener

ded, and the regiment in difficulties. With a swoop, the reinforcements fell upon the Irishmen, and, almost for the first time, Matthew found himself engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter.

later on, when for the moment operations had ceased, to which Matthew replied simpl

neither side could be said to have gained any real advantage over the other. All th

ration for a grand charge. For a time the field was a scene of rapid and pu

own, we have written; the course was slightly upwards, as a matter of fact, from the stream. There was one check

in two. In two different directions the French cavalry ran, and Marlborough followed after that section which was making for Blenheim. It wa

st of applause the gallant Frenchman surrendered, and before he knew well what he was doing, Blackett was leading Tallard's horse by

n the one side, and bounded by the river on the other, gave little trouble. The poor fellows, in fact, were unable to stir, and

e Englishmen when their gallant foes in the village gave in. One French

ty thousand men. The Allies had had fifty thousand troops and had lost eleven thousand of them. The wonderful re

and the palace of Blenheim. To the humble Matthew Blackett it