Synopses & Reviews
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER 103. 1711. Operations for the investment of Bouchain. ? Obstacles encountered in the progress and conclusion of the line of cir- cumvallation. ? Correspondence. ? Termination of the siege.?Generous conduct ofthebritish commander towards Fenelon, archbishop ofCambray. Having thus baffled the defensive combinations of the enemy, and anticipated them in the passage of the' Scheld, the next object was, to complete the investment of Bouchain; an enterprise of no less difficulty than the preceding movements, as it was to be accomplished, amidst local obstacles of no ordinary kind, and in face of an army superior in force. At ten at night, the left wing of infantry, which closed the line of march, crossed the Scheld, over pontoons taken from the enemy by surprise. The weather changing in the evening, the troops were drenched in rain, but, soon after midnight, reached the plain of Avesnes le Sec, and lay under arms till morning; while a strong piquet was posted at the mill of Ivry, to watch the motions of the enemy. About eight, the active general roused his benumbed and shivering soldiers; and continuing his march by the left, formed in order of battle on the plain stretching from Douchy to Haspres, the left and centre covered by the Selle, and the right thrown back in rear of Houdain. All the posts on the Sanzet were recalled, and a body of grenadiers alone left in the camp of Caesar, on the left of the Scheld, to cover three bridges which still remained. At six in the evening, being threatened by a strong detachment of hostile cavalry, this force was also withdrawn, and a body of infantry advancing on the opposite side of the river, amused the enemy with a heavy cannonade, while the pontoons were removed. In this manner was Bouchain invested; yet obstacles of no tr...
Synopsis
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