and Eugene would be delivered from the presence of a col-
league, whose captious and unaccommodating temper was
likely to clog their movements. The 7th was spent in recon-
noitring the ground between the Paar and the Lech, for a
strong defensive position, and in making arrangements with
the margrave for the intended siege. On the ensuing day
the army proceeded to Sandizel and Pottiness, from whence
they could anticipate the expected movements of the enemy,
either by advancing to Neuburg, or approaching the bridges
laid near the conflux of the Lech and the Danube. On the 9th,
the margrave, with twenty-three battalions and thirty-one
squadrons, departed for Ingoldstadt; and reports that the
Gallo-Bavarians had united and were marching towards the
Danube, induced Marlboroughto advance to Exheim. Here
Prince Eugene took his leave, to rejoin his own army; but
scarcely had two hours elapsed, before he hurried back to ap-
prise his colleague that the enemy were in full march towards
Dillingen. This movement left no doubt of their intention to
pass to the farther bank of the Danube, and overwhelm the
small force left in the plains of Hochstadt. The troops of
Eugene accordingly fell back to the Kessel, and the whole ac-
tivity of Marlborough was employed to gain the other side
of the Danube before the enemy could effect their purpose.

This, however, was an arduous operation; for, besides
the length of the march, the troops had to traverse the
Aicha, the Lech, the Danube, and the Wernitz, all of which
had been swollen by the late rains. It was, nevertheless,
effected with his usual rapidity and success. At midnight of
the 9th the duke of Wirtemberg was detached at the head of
twenty-eight squadrons, with orders to traverse a pontoon
bridge over the Danube, at Merxheim, and join the cavalry
of Eugene. Soon afterwards General Churchill was sent
with twenty battalions accompanied by the artillery and
baggage, to pass at the same point, and wait on the left bank
for further directions. The 10th, in the morning, Marlbo-
rough broke up with the main body, and at sunset pitched
his camp between Middlestadt and Peuchingen, with Rain in
the front, and took up his quarters in the abbey of Nieder
Schonfeldt, near the bridge leading to Merxheim. To quiet
the alarms of the margrave, he promised to cover the siege
of Ingoldstadt; and at the same time requested him to

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