had reduced the place to advance up the Meuse, and on the
29th of September, Stevenswaert and Ruremond, two for-
tresses between Venloo and Maestricht, were at once invested.
The same difficulties and delays occurred as in the preceding
siege; but the energy of Marlborough was not to be checked
by the negligence of the Dutch officers, the misgivings of
Athlone, or the scruples of Cohorn, which last Guelder-
massen justly termed "the general of difficulties."

Stevenswaert, being provided with a garrison of only four
hundred men, made a weak defence, and was surrendered
after a siege of five days. The resistance of Ruremond was
scarcely more obstinate. The attacks were opened on the
2d of October, by the Prussians on one side of the river, and
the English on the other. The batteries began to play on
the 6th, the besieged beat a parley the same afternoon, and
on the ensuing day the garrison capitulated, and were con-
ducted to Louvain.

In the midst of these operations the army of the empire,
under the command of Joseph, the young king of the
Romans, had resumed the offensive; and after an arduous
struggle, on the 11th of September reduced Landau, which
was regarded as an outwork of Alsace. This loss obliged
the French still farther to reduce their army in the Nether-
lands, and encouraged Marlborough to prosecute his success.
He extorted the consent of the States to attempt the reduc-
tion of Liege, which commanded the navigation of the Meuse
above Maestricht. This enterprise he executed with his
usual diligence. Apprised that Boufflers had examined the
defences of the place, and was preparing to post himself
under the walls, he suddenly broke up his camp, and marched
with such celerity as to anticipate the enemy on the very
ground which they intended to occupy. So secret and well
combined was this movement, that the French commander
approached within cannon-shot of the confederates, before he
was conscious of his danger. His defeat would have been
inevitable, had not the caution of the Dutch deputies saved
him. Taking advantage of the night, he, on the thirteenth,
made a precipitate retreat to Orp-le-petit, and placed his
camp between Lannuye and Landen. The city having
opened its gates on the approach of the confederate army,
preparations were instantly made to reduce the citadel, into

-97-