Little Gheet, he encamped with his right at Borchloen, and his left at Corswaren. Here he had the satisfaction to receive intelligence that the Danes, by forced marches, were arrived within the distance of a league. By this accession he calcu- lated that his army would consist of 73 battalions and 123 squadrons, making a numerical total of about 60,000 men, which so nearly approached the force of the enemy as to leave little cause for apprehending the result of a battle. At the same time he was apprised that the enemy had crossed the Great Gheet and were moving on Judoigne. Resolving to attack them in this position, he gave orders to march by the left, in eight columns, intending to pass round the sources of the little Gheet, and come in contact with the enemy in a situation where they could draw no advantage from nature or art. The army was again in motion in the morning, but a violent rain which fell during the night retarded the advance of the infantry. While the heads of the columns halted to close the march, the duke, who led the way, accompanied by the Dutch generals and deputies, was informed that the enemy had anticipated his design, and were moving towards the position of Mont St. André, between the two Gheets and the Mehaigne. To gain certain intelligence, Cadogan was de- spatched at one in the morning with 600 horse, the ordinary guard of the day. He advanced in a thick fog; but on reach- ing the uplands near Mierdorp at eight, he descried the enemy traversing the plain of St. André, and stretching their right by Ramilies, towards the Mehaigne, on the very ground which the confederates hoped to occupy. On receiving this information the allied commanders pro- ceeded about ten to reconnoitre; but could not decide whether the squadrons in sight were pushed forward to cover the ad- vance of the main body, or to protect a lateral movement towards their new lines. Meanwhile, the allied forces con- tinued their march; and the duke, as yet uncertain of the enemy's designs, ordered the cavalry to push forward, re- solving, should the troops seen by Cadogan be merely a rear guard, to charge them with the cavalry only. But the heads of the columns had no sooner passed the demolished lines than the fog dispersed; the two armies appeared in sight of each other; and the enemy made dispositions to receive the -408- |