BLENHEIM (Ger. Blindheitn). a village of Bavaria, 23 m. n.n.w. of Augsburg, memo rable in connection with Marlborough's great victory over the French and Bavarians, Aug. 13. 1704. The battle. however, did not actually take place here, but at a village in the vicinity called libelist:1dt, and is known to the Germans by that name. France and Bavaria, on the one hand, stood opposed to Holland, England, Austria, Savoy. Portneml, and the German empire, on the other. The French and Bavarian army sisted'of 36.000 men, commanded by Tallard, Marsin, and the elector of Bavaria. Opposed to it was an army of 52.000 men, under the command of Marlborough and prince Eugene. The French and Bavarian generals had no idea that the allies would act on the offensive, and accordingly, when, about two o'clock in the morning, on the 13th Aug., the line of the allies put itself in motion, they believed that it was about to retreat. at seven o'clock, when the heads of the eight columns advancing under
Eugene and Marlborough became visible, Tallard regarded the whole proceeding as a stratagem to cover the retreat. When the mistake was discovered, the army was hastily drawn up in battle-array, and fought with dauntless courage; but at five in the after toon Marlbormigh broke through the line of battle, and won a victory most complete and decisive. The French and Bavarians left about 10,000 killed and wounded on the field, vast numbers were drowned in the Danube, and about 13,000, including Tallard, were taken prisoners. Altogether their loss was estimated at between 30.000 and 40,000; 120 pieces of cannon and 300 standards were captured. The loss of the victors amounted to about 50 killed and 8000 wounded. Near to B., also, the French defeated the Austrians in 1800.