While these occurrences were passing on the left of the confederate army, the Prince of Holsteenbeck, in the centre, at the head of 10 battalions, passed the rivulet, with undaunted resolution, to attack Marshal Marsin at Oberklaw ; but, before he could form his men on the other side, he was overpowered by numbers, mortally wounded, and taken prisoner. His division, however, supported by some Danish and Hanoverian cavalry, .renewed the charge ; but were repulsed a second time ; and it was only by the ) arrival of the Duke of Marlborough in person, with some fresh squz_lrons from the body of reserve, that the enemy were compelled to retire. Prince Eugene on the right, having surmounted a multitude of dif ficulties, sustained a most obstinate opposition, and ha ving seen his cavalry three times repulsed, had at length .begun to force the enemy from their ground. The Duke of Marlborough, having completed the defeat of the enemy's right wing, had made a disposition to -send him reinforcements ; but, before these could the Prince had driven his opponents from 0 berklaw and Lutzingen, and pursued them as far as Morsdingen and Teissenhoven. The confederates being now masters of ,the field of battle, surrounded the village of Blenheim, in which so large a propor tion of the French army had been posted at the be ginning of the engagement ; and as these troops were thus cut off from all communication with the rest of their army, as well as unable to force their way through the ranks of the allies,.they were under the necessity of capitulating, and surrendered them selves prisoners of war.
The success of the attack has been represented --as owing irta great measure to the errors committed by the French commander, in weakening his centre by the detachment of so many troops to the -village of Blenheim ; in failing to advance against the right wing of the confederates, while making its way
.through the.marshy plain ; and in neglecting to drive back the attack upon Blenheim, before the Duke of Marlborough had time to form the great body of his troops after passing the valley in his front. The de tention of so many of his forces in the village, which at once weakened his front and gave his opponents the superiority in point of numbers ; and the distance between his wings, which were still farther separated by the confederates pressing upon their inner flanks, and forcing them to give-way in opposite directions, must indeed have contributed in no small degree to the success of the allied army. But the highest praise must, nevertheless, be considered as due to the Duke of Marlborough ; who concerted the pre vious arrangements with so much discernment ; who took advantage of the mistakes of his antagonists ; who rude through the hottest of the fire with the greatest intrepidity ;,and who issued his orders as occurrences required, with the utmost composure and presence of mind.
'Twas then Great Marlin-0's mighty soul was prov'd, That, in the :hock of charging hosts unmov'd, Amidst confusion, horror, and despair, Examined all the dreadful scenes of war : In peaceful thought, the field of death surveyed ; To fainting squadrons sent the timely aid ; Inspired repuls'd battalions to engage ; And taught the doubtful battle where to rage.