The Grave, a strong Place, and of the first Moment to the Hollanders, had been block’d up by the Dutch Forces all the Summer; the Prince of Orange therefore leaving the main Army under Prince Waldeck at Ghent, follow’d the Detachment he had made for the Siege of that important Place, resolving to purchase it at any Rate.  On his Arrival before it, Things began to find new Motion; and as they were carried on with the utmost Application and Fury, the Besieged found themselves, in a little Time, oblig’d to change their haughty Summer Note for one more suitable to the Season.

The Prince, from his first coming, having kept those within hotly ply’d with Ball, both from Cannon and Mortars, Monsieur Chamilly, the Governor, after a few Days, being weary of such warm Work, desired to capitulate; upon which Hostages were exchanged, and Articles agreed on next Morning.  Pursuant to which, the Garrison march’d out with Drums beating and Colours flying, two Days after, and were conducted to Charleroy.

By the taking this Place, which made the Prince of Orange the more earnest upon it, the French were wholly expell’d their last Year’s astonishing Conquests in Holland.  And yet there was another Consideration, that render’d the Surrender of it much more considerable.  For the French being sensible of the great Strength of this Place, had there deposited all their Cannon and Ammunition, taken from their other Conquests in Holland, which they never were able to remove or carry off, with tolerable Prospect of Safety, after that Prince’s Army first took the Field.

The Enemy being march’d out, the Prince enter’d the Town, and immediately order’d public Thanksgivings for its happy Reduction.  Then having appointed a Governor, and left a sufficient Garrison, he put an End to that Campaign, and return’d to the Hague, where he had not been long before he fell ill of the Small Pox.  The Consternation this threw the whole Country into, is not to be express’d; Any one that had seen it would have thought, that the French had made another Inundation greater than the former.  But when the Danger was over, their Joy and Satisfaction, for his Recovery, was equally beyond Expression.

The Year 1675 yielded very little remarkable in our Army. Limburgh was besieged by the French, under the Command of the Duke of Enguien, which the Prince of Orange having Intelligence of, immediately decamp’d from his fine Camp at Bethlem, near Louvain, in order to raise the Siege.  But as we were on a full March for that purpose, and had already reach’d Ruremond, Word was brought, that the Place had surrender’d the Day before.  Upon which Advice, the Prince, after a short Halt, made his little Army (for it consisted not of more than thirty Thousand Men) march back to Brabant.  Nothing of moment, after this, occurr’d all that Campaign.