Edward Marston - Fire and Sword

In the arrogance of youth, Burgundy had been composing in his mind the report he’d expected to send to Versailles of a magnificent victory. Instead, he would have to describe a humiliating defeat and try to explain why his left flank — comprising fifty battalions and a hundred and thirty squadrons — was marooned on a ridge throughout the whole six hours of battle.

Daniel claimed his share of the action. As the French were driven from ditch to ditch, splashing madly through stream after stream in their headlong retreat, Daniel hacked and thrust away with his sword, killing four men outright and wounding several others. When his horse was brought down by a stray shot, he jumped clear and fought shoulder to shoulder with the advancing line of redcoats. The noise was deafening, the smoke blinding, the battlefield littered with dead and dying. It was a complete rout. French cavalry, infantry and dragoons were mixed higgledy-piggledy. Battalions and squadrons became so hopelessly entangled with each other that there was no sense of order or definition. They fled in desperation.

Somewhere in the vast melee, Henry Welbeck was still fighting as well, using a discarded half-pike like the sail of a windmill and exhorting his men to pepper the backsides of the retreating French with volleys of musket fire. Lieutenant Ainley was also in his element, leading fearlessly and fighting with a ferocity that belied his mild temperament. After killing and wounding indiscriminately, his men rounded up prisoners by the score. Along with all the other British regiments of foot, the 24^th had distinguished itself yet again.

As the rings of terror tightened even more around the enemy, the light gradually faded and the battle had perforce to be adjourned. Marlborough’s delight was edged with disappointment.

‘If we’d been so happy as to have two more hours of daylight,’ he said, ‘I believe we should have made an end of this war.’

As it was, unbeknown to him, the outcome had already been decided. His exhausted soldiers spent the night on the battlefield amid the butchered corpses of men and horses, sprinkled by gentle rain. Their captain general slept in the saddle, waking early in order to renew hostilities at dawn.

But there was no foe in sight.

The ridge above the River Norken was deserted. Burgundy and Vendome had limped ignominiously away to Ghent with the remnants of their shattered army. It was all over. When Marlborough and Prince Eugene entered Oudenarde itself and rode into the square, they were cheered to the echo by their soldiers. Thousands of French prisoners were being held in the town, including some six hundred officers. When the full numbers of dead, wounded, prisoners and deserters were known, it amounted to twenty thousand men. Forty French battalions had been smashed out of existence and others had suffered savage losses. Marlborough was exhausted but exultant. He dashed off a note for the Earl of Stair to deliver to Sidney Godolphin in London.

I must acknowledge the goodness of God in the success he was pleased to give us; for I believe Lord Stair will tell you they were in as strong a post as it is possible to be found; but you know when I left England I was positively resolved to endeavour by all means a battle, thinking nothing else would make the Queen’s business go well. This reason only made me venture a battle yesterday, otherwise I did give them too much advantage; but the good of the queen and my country shall always be preferred by me before any personal concern; for I am very sensible if I had miscarried, I should be blamed. I hope I have given such a blow to their foot, that they will not be able to fight any more this year. My head aches so terribly I must say no more.

Daniel stayed long enough in camp to see Matthew Searle, Edwin Lock, Hugh Davey and the other renegades hanged for their crimes. While the rest of the army were celebrating a glorious victory, eight men who could have taken part in it were dangling from the gallows. It was not a sight that Daniel enjoyed because it reminded him too much of the occasion when he watched his father being hanged with other rebels after the battle of Sedgemoor. He turned away from the scene. Welbeck was beside him.

‘The bastards got what they deserved,’ said the sergeant with grim satisfaction. ‘It’s as well that they’re so fond of fires because there’ll be plenty of them where they’re going.’

‘I didn’t think you believed in heaven and hell,’ said Daniel.

‘I don’t believe in heaven, Dan, but I know all about hell.’

‘Do you?’

‘It’s called army life.’

Daniel laughed. ‘Only you can be grumbling at a time like this,’ he said. ‘You helped to give the French another hiding and you’ve had the pleasure of seeing Searle and his men strung up. Yet you still can’t find a good word to say. I suppose you’ll even criticise His Grace for the way he led us into battle.’

‘No,’ said Welbeck, ‘I salute him, Dan, and I take back what I said about him earlier. He’s neither blind nor stupid. The way that he routed the enemy showed that he’s still at the height of his powers. And while we’re on the subject,’ he continued, ‘I’ll admit that I was wrong about Lieutenant Ainley as well. He’s not the complete idiot I took him for. Once the smell of battle got into his nostrils, he fought like a demon. I saw him scything his way through the French.’

‘I must make a note of the date and time of day,’ teased Daniel. ‘I’ve never heard you praise two of your superiors at the same time. Such a rare event needs to be commemorated.’

Welbeck grinned. ‘It won’t happen again, I can tell you.’

‘And you were wrong about heaven — it does exist, Henry.’

‘I’ve never seen it.’

‘Then you must have kept your eyes closed at Oudenarde. That’s my idea of heaven — a wondrous victory that reminds me why I joined the army in the first place.’

‘You only joined in order to use that bleeding sword of yours.’

After sharing a laugh, they exchanged farewells. News of their triumph had already been sent to The Hague. Daniel had been given the task of delivering a full account of the event to Grand Pensionary Heinsius. It was an honour he readily accepted because it would take him back to Holland and he didn’t intend its capital to be the only place that he visited.

Glancing out of the window, Beatrix was the first to see him and her cry of delight roused the whole house. When Daniel was admitted to the voorhuis, the welcoming committee comprised Amalia, Beatrix, Emanuel Janssen, Kees Dopff, the other weavers taken on by Janssen and the rest of the servants. Daniel only had eyes for Amalia. He greeted everyone individually but was pleased when all but one of them melted away into the house or the workshop. Left alone with Amalia, he was able to embrace her and kiss away the time they’d been apart.

‘What are you doing in Amsterdam?’ she asked.

‘I was hoping that you’d be thrilled to see me, Amalia.’

‘I’m overjoyed.’

‘His Grace instructed me to deliver dispatches to The Hague,’ he explained. ‘I think he knew that I’d relish the opportunity of paying a brief visit to you.’

‘We were so happy to hear what happened at Oudenarde,’ she said, stepping back to look him up and down. ‘What makes me even happier is that you seem to have come through the battle unscathed.’

‘Good fortune attended me yet again.’

‘Did you have no injuries at all?’

‘None that prevented me from coming here,’ he said. ‘My horse was shot from under me and I collected a few painful bruises as I fell. Otherwise — thank God — I escaped unharmed.’

‘Tell me all about it, Daniel.’

‘I can’t do that.’

‘But I want to hear the details.’