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

so unexpectedly assigned him to a cavalry regiment, and his

fore him in the person of your servant here, and so turned you over to me. I'm mighty deli

plenty to do," George

of days George found himself one of a large body of troops heading for the Rhine valley. A halt was called before Landau, and the siege of this stronghold began. The aff

ldsend one evening. The latter with his regiment was assisting in the siege, and he had alr

ly be matched even in the wilds of Connemara. On man and horse tramped, till the ancient city of Trèves was reached. The Duke prepared for a siege, but he was saved the trouble. The garrison was far too weak to hold the

ss fashion, and before many hours were over Fairburn was as keenly interested in the siege as if he had never scampered all t

ot, regardless of the whistling bullets that flew around. In a breach of the defences, a place not more than four or five feet wide, stood a huge Frenchman, whirling his sword over his head. The attackers pulled up for a moment, all except George, who kept right on, till he was close upon the big fellow with the sword. The Frenchman lunged out fiercely at the lad, but the Englishman skippe

t," said the colonel that same evening,

marked to George. "Wonder if the old

as Trooper Fairburn. It was by the Duke's own order, it appeared. That night the three friends, all with commissions in their poc

eight thousand troops to the help of the Duke of Savoy, in Italy. Then he went

gs, and he was working more and more energetically to put their party in power. Harley and St. John took the place of more violent Tories, and in 1705 a coalition of Whigs and Tories, called the Junto, managed public affairs, more or less under Marlborough's direction.

ss Scotland should be guaranteed her own religious establishment and her laws. Now this year, 1705, the Parliament in London placed severe restrictions on the Scotch trade with England, and ordered the Border towns to be fortified. The irritat

was one of the most extraordinary men of his time. His energy and activity were amazing, and he would dash about the Continent in a fashion that often astounded his frien

ful his e

e not the le

ou like an

a place which had successfully withstood Rooke, and in the most remarkable fashion he captured the strong fort of Monjuich, the citadel of the town, with a force of only 1,200 foot and 200 horse. Barcelona itself fell for a time into the hands of Peterborough and the Archduke Charles, now calling himself Charles III of Spain. Success f

ere ready to dance with delight. They were still frisky boys out of school, one may say. But the plan was opposed in two quarters. First, the Dutch, statesmen and generals alike, threw every obstacle in the way. They would not hear of the project. Then Louis of Baden was in one of his worst sul

ckett said to his

pold died, and the Archduke's el

dy the lads were beginning to take an interest in great matters of state, as was natural in the case of well-educated and

ds, stretching from Namur to Antwerp. No invasion of France could possibly be made from the Netherlands so long as Louis held this formidable line of defences. Moreover,

uy, the frightening of Villeroy from Liége, and what not-but now something more serious was afoot. That the task the Duke had set himself was a difficult one, every man in his service knew, but the

farther side of which the French were very strongly posted in great numbers. So formidable an affair did the crossing appear that the Dutch generals objected to the at

ything," Blackett said quietly to George, as their regiment

s laughing answer; "without hard

et at no great distance away, the field-pieces were in position, the infantry and reserves somewhat to the rear.

e sat his steed firmly. Then a ball struck the gallant animal, and in an instant the rider was flung over its head. The young cornet narrowly escaped being trampled to pieces by his comrades as they swept by in full career.

and horses to the brink of the Gheet; the press and the confusion were too great. Accordingly he ran on behind the lines of horse, to find a place where he might thrust himself in. Where his own comrades were he could not tell. Bullets were flying thi

s a matter of fact the waters were dammed lower down by the mass of fallen men and animals lying across their bed. Without hesitation he dashed into the flood, his sole thought being to get hi

A moment later he grew faint. In vain he struggled to keep aflo

e, a comical sight, if anybody had had the time to notice it. Looking back, this man saw George disappear, and without hesitation he dashed int

rue; Matthew Blackett had saved his friend's life at the risk of his own. And it had been

nt or two later, when, recovering, he

poor wretch

t was you who dragged me out! I shall remember

ss, in spite of the fiercest opposition on the part of the enemy. In vain Blackett urged his companion to withdraw and get himself away with his wounded arm. George would not budge an in

respite came. But the interval of rest was short. Colonel Rhodes, their commanding officer, catching sight of the pair, as he was collecting his men again, joyfully hailed them, an

osition was like wise carried, with

hodes. Instantly the gallant officer and his men were galloping off to a distant part of the field, the troopers wondering what was afoot. The explanation soon appeared. Marlborough had

was saved, and the enemy retired in woeful disappointment. The first to reach the Duke were Blackett and Fairburn, and the lads were flushed with

seless. No longer did an impassable barrier stretch between the Netherlands and France. The importance of the victory could hardly be overstated. As one writer ha

n with their officers were drawn up, and the General's eyes ran along the line. Presently he spoke a word to the colonel in c

he Duke inquired, as

ace." "Just turned nineteen, by your

. You are young, and can afford to wait for it." This to Matthew. "As for you"-