The French now fled in the utmost confusion, all but the corps of 13,000, who were surrounded in Blenheim, and obliged to surrender prisoners of war. About 12,000 French and Bavarians were killed in the field, or drown ed in the Danube. One hundred colours, 200 standards, 3000 tents, and all the baggage and military chests of the French, were the trophies of Blenheim. Of the al lies, 13,000 were killed, wounded, or missing ; but the conquerors gained by this day an extent of 100 leagues of country. expert in the cabinet as in the field, repaired in person, after finishing the cam paign, to other parts of to excite the powers in support of the emperor, and returned to England, deservedly welcomed by the transports of his country men. The manor of Woodstock was conferred upon him; and the Lord Keeper, in the name of the peers, honoured him with the praise he so well deserved.
See BLENHEIM, Nor were the arms of Britain less fortunate by sea. By a conquest, of which the value was so little under stood at that time as to be voted unworthy of thanks, S'ir George Rooke and the Prince of Hesse took Gi braltar. The former commander, with a fleet of 52 ships of the line, engaged the grand fleet of France off the coast of Malaga ; but the French, though they af terwards claimed the victory, retired when their van had been broken, and, as they would not hazard ano ther meeting, the British had no decisive success.
The success of the second campaign in Germany, in duced the English to increase their supplies for the third, and Marlborough fixed upon the Moselle for the scene of action; but being disappointed by Prince Louis of Baden, he returned to the Netherlands to oppose Vil leroy, who, in his absence, had undertaken the siege of Liege. Villeroy, at the Duke's approach, retreated within his lines. Marlborough led on his troops to force them, and defeated the enemy's horse with great slaugh-. ter. The infantry being abandoned, retreated in dis order to an advantageous post, where they again drew up in order of battle. Had the Duke been permitted to take advantage of their consternation as he proposed, he might have gained a complete victory ; but the Dutch officers would not consent to the charge ; and the in dignation of the English at their coldness in this busi ness, may be reckoned one of the chief causes that ali enated the affections of the nation towards their allies, and disgusted them at an expensive though brilliant war. The capture of Gibraltar had already signalized the British arms in Spain, where the greatest efforts were made to fix Charles, Duke of Austria, on the throne, in opposition to Philip IV., the grandson of Louis XIV., who had been nominated successor by the late king of Spain. The greatest part of Spain had de clared in favour of the latter prince ; but Charles, sup ported by the allies, and invited by the Catalonians, was assisted by England with a fleet and an army.' The troops were commanded by the earl of Peterborough, a man of deformed shape, and diminutive stature, but of such romantic valour, that his services were reckoned equal to all the other aids that were lent to the Duke of Austria. The first attempt in Spain was to besiege Barcelona, a strong city, with a garrison almost equal to his own army. Never was an attempt more bold or more fortunate. The operations began by an attack on fort Monjuic, strongly situated on a hill that commanded the city. The outworks were taken by storm. A shell chanced to fall into the fort, and blew up the powder magazine, on which the garrison of the fort surrender ed in consternation. But the town still remained un conquered. It, however, capitulated after a treaty. During the time of the treaty, the Germans and Cata lonians, who acted with the English, entered the town, and plundered all before them. The governor complained to Peterborough of the breach of faith. Peterborough knew that the plunderers were not his own troops, but led on his English against them, drove them out, and returned to finish the treaty. His good faith and gene
rosity facilitated the capitulation. The conquest of all Valencia was ensured by the capture of this place, which the enemy made a vain attempt to retake. The partizans of Charles flocked from every quarter ; he subdued Arragon, Granada, and Carthagena. The Earl of Galway entered Madrid in triumph, and pro claimed him king of Spain.
These successes were soon eclipsed by the triumphs of Marlborough in Flanders, during the campaign of 1706. The army of Villeroy, near Tirlemont, amounted to 80,000 men, and with these he had orders to attack the allies, whose numbers were nearly equal, before the Danish and Prussian succours should reach Marlbo rough. Villeroy, with the intention to be the assailant, was himself attacked in a situation which prevented him from exerting all his strength. With the river Me haigne on his flank, his centre occupied the village of Ramillies; but a marsh was before his left, which Marl borough knew that he could not cross, and therefore bore down upon his centre. A victory, nearly as splen did as that at Blenheim, was..obtained. About 6000 French were made prisoners, and 8000 were killed or wounded. The whole of Brabant was gained by the victors. Louis XIV., lately the tyrant of Europe, now trembled for the safety of his capital, and was saved from ruin only by dissensions in the English cabinet. The councils of the queen had hitherto been governed by a Whig ministry, who were sincere in the design of humbling France. But from different concurring causes, the influence of the Whigs began to decline, and the general disposition of the nation to lean to Toryism. Among allies it is difficult long to preserve unanimity ; and already the English had conceived many causes of offence at their confederates in the war. Some of the writers of the Tory faction were men eminent in litera ture, and-they inveighed incessantly a:-ainst the personal ambition and selfishness of Marlborough and Godolphin, who governed the queen, and lavished the treasures and blood of the nation, in prolonging a war for the personal glory and private emolument of conducting it. Small as the taxes then were, the people were taught to con sider them as insupportable. Amidst these causes of discontent, the genuine principles of Toryism had been also lately awakened, by sonic discussions respecting the toleration of the dissenters ; and doctrines of tyran ny, and passive obedience, were promulgated by those who inveighed against the war, worthy of the worst years of James and Charles II. As the queen's under standing was very limited, we may easily suppose, that these doctrines of the Tories made her more favourable to them than all their other complaints against the Whigs. The slightest misfortune in the war, was a sufficient encouragement to those who declaimed against its inutility. The loss of a battle in Spain, near Al manza, where the Earl of Galway was defeated and taken prisoner, with a large English force, dispelled the inebriation of former success. In consequence of this victory, all Spain, except Catalonia, returned to the dominion of Philip. Other disasters increased the national discontent. The Duke of Savoy and Prince Eugene were foiled in an attempt upon Toulon. A fleet under Sir Cloudesly Shovel, was wrecked upon the Scilly islands. \Vhile Marlborough was in the field, it is true, there might still be sanguine prospects of success on the continent ; but though the Duke, in the campaign of 1707, drove the French before him from one post to another, and forced them to take shelter under the cannon of Lisle, and behind the Scheldt, yet he gained no general pitched battle, and his military genius suffered a diminution of renown, not that he had committed any fault, but that he had not dazzled the public eyes with such splendid achievements as those of Blenheim and Ramillies.