In about a Week’s Time after, it was resolv’d in a Council of War, to march towards Binch, a small wall’d Town, about four Leagues from Nivelle; the better to cut off the Provisions from coming to the Prince of Conde’s Camp that Way.

Accordingly, on the first Day of August, being Saturday, we began our March; and the English Voluntiers had the Favour of a Baggage Waggon appointed them.  Count Souches, the Imperial General, with the Troops of that Nation, led the Van; the main Body was compos’d of Dutch, under the Prince of Orange. as Generalissimo; and the Spaniards, under Prince Vaudemont, with some Detachments, made the Rear Guard.

As we were upon our March, I being among those Detachments which made up the Rear Guard, observ’d a great Party of the Enemy’s Horse upon an Ascent, which, I then imagin’d, as it after prov’d, to be the Prince of Conde taking a View of our Forces under March.  There were many Defiles, which our Army must necessarily pass; through which that Prince politickly enough permitted the Imperial and Dutch Forces to pass unmolested.  But when Prince Vaudemont, with the Spaniards, and our Detachments, thought to have done the like, the Prince of Conde fell on our Rear Guard; and, after a long and sharp Dispute, entirely routed ’em; the Marquiss of Assentar, a Spanish Lieutenant-General, dying upon the spot.

Had the Prince of Conde contented himself with this Share of good Fortune, his Victory had been uncontested:  But being pushed forward by a vehement Heat of Temper (which he was noted for) and flush’d with this extraordinary Success, he resolv’d to force the whole Confederate Army to a Battle.  In order to which, he immediately led his Forces between our Second Line, and our Line of Baggage; by which means the latter were entirely cut off; and were subjected to the Will of the Enemy, who fell directly to plunder; in which they were not a little assisted by the routed Spaniards themselves, who did not disdain at that time to share with the Enemy in the plundering of their Friends and Allies.

The English Voluntiers had their Share of this ill Fortune with the rest; their Waggon appointed them being among those intercepted by the Enemy; and I, for my Part, lost every Thing but Life, which yet was saved almost as unaccountably as my Fellow-Soldiers had lost theirs.  The Baggage, as I have said, being cut off, and at the Mercy of the Enemy, every one endeavour’d to escape through, or over the Hedges.  And as in all Cases of like Confusion, one endeavours to save himself upon the Ruins of others:  So here, he that found himself stopt by another in getting over the Cap of a Hedge, pull’d him back to make way for himself, and perhaps met with the same Fortune from a Third, to the Destruction of all.  I was then in the Vigour of my Youth, and none of