Drums of War (4 page)

Marlborough
acted promptly. Gathering his army of British, German and Danish troops, he
hurried them north through the night in the direction of Elixhem. The advance
was led by General Ingoldsby and Count Noyelles with 38 squadrons and 20
battalions supported by 600 pioneers. The cavalry carried large trusses of hay
to serve as makeshift fascines when they met ditches or rivulets. Wider streams
compelled them to make diversions.

Many
complained about the rigours of a forced march through heavy mist and
persistent drizzle but Captain Daniel Rawson was not one of them. Riding as
part of Marlborough's staff, he was aware of the genius behind his commander's
strategy. A double bluff had been used. Because there had been a feint near
Leau in the north, Villeroi had been tricked into believing that the real
danger lay in the south and the whole Dutch corps — with the exception of
Marshal Overkirk - had also been misled. When they crossed the Mehaigne, they
thought that they truly were the main strike force against the French. In fact,
they merely acted as a decoy and would soon receive orders to withdraw.

By
dawn on 18 July, Marlborough had reached his destination, a section of the
Lines where the topography greatly favoured the French and where it had been
reinforced with a series of fortifications. Had the defences been properly
manned, it would have been virtually impossible to breach them. As it happened,
they were more or less deserted. Scrambling over them, the advance guard sent
the picquets scurrying away like startled animals. Pioneers laboured
strenuously to level some of the ramparts to the ground and it was not long
before Marlborough could take his cavalry and a detachment of foot soldiers
over them. They dealt swiftly with any resistance and overwhelmed the defenders
along a three-mile front, killing them, taking them prisoner or forcing a
retreat. The dreaded Lines of Brabant, deemed impassable by the Dutch, had been
broken apart with comparative ease. Progress had so far been rapid and largely
unimpeded. It was a good omen.

Daniel
Rawson was riding beside the commander-in-chief.

'We've
put them to flight, Your Grace,' he said.

'They'll
be back when they've had time to regroup and call up their reserves,' warned
Marlborough. 'We'll be up against a strong French and Bavarian counter-attack.
I daresay they'll have some Spanish horse as well.' He allowed himself a smile.
'But it was satisfying to draw first blood.'

'Where
will Marshal Villeroi be now?'

'My
hope is that he's still in the vicinity of Namur, wondering what happened to
the Dutch army threatening his stronghold. By the time he realises that they
stole away in the night to support us, it will be too late for him to get here
in time.'

'It
was a cunning strategy, Your Grace.'

'We've
yet to bring it to a conclusion.'

'Do
you have any accurate details of their numbers?'

'No,
Daniel, but my guess is that we'll have an advantage.'

'Good.'

'If
and when Marshal Overkirk gets here, of course, we'll have markedly superior
numbers but the fighting may be over by then.'

'As
long as I can play my part in it,' said Daniel, eagerly. 'I've seen no action
in the field since Blenheim.'

'You've
not exactly been idle,' noted Marlborough.

'I
know, Your Grace, and I always enjoy the assignments you've given me. Gathering
intelligence behind enemy lines is an adventure but it will never compete with
the exhilaration of combat.'

'Sound
intelligence helps to win battles.'

'Not
on its own. It has to be backed up by heavy artillery and well-trained
soldiers. And those troops have to be carefully deployed. I've watched you do
that so many times. You're a master tactician.'

'My
skills come from long experience.'

'It
takes more than experience, Your Grace,' argued Daniel. 'Marshal Tallard had
just as much experience as you and yet he was trounced at Blenheim. What he
lacked was your instinct for victory.'

'Thank
you, Daniel.'

'That's
why he's now a prisoner in England while you're free to continue the fight. One
day, under your command, we'll bring this war to an end and give Europe a taste
of peace for once. Yes,' he added with a grin, 'and, while we're about it,
we'll kick the Due d'Anjou off the Spanish throne and give it to its rightful
heir, Archduke Charles of Austria.' He raised a fist and recited the rallying
cry of the Allies. 'No peace without Spain!'

Marlborough
was practical. 'No peace without more battles.'

'Oh,
yes - France is far from beaten yet.'

As
they talked, their eyes were scanning the horizon ahead. It was Marlborough who
first picked up the warning signal from one of his scouts. He turned to Daniel.

'When
were you last involved in a cavalry charge?'

'Such
opportunities don't exist in a foot regiment.'

'One
may present itself very soon.'

'What
makes you think that?' asked Daniel.

'Listen
carefully.'

Marlborough
knew that a counter-attack was at hand. It was only a matter of time before it took
place. Minutes later, there was a distant rumble that built steadily until it
became a roll of thunder. Bavarian cavalry then rode into sight, their black
helmets and cuirasses glinting. Seeing themselves outnumbered, the enemy
generals decided on an immediate attack. A charge was signalled. Marlborough
took up the challenge at once. The order was given, the drums started to beat
and the red-coated British cavalry kicked their horses into action. Battle was
joined.

Daniel
made sure that he was involved in it. Drawing his sword, he rode with the
cavalry and felt the familiar surge of excitement. It never palled. He had
first experienced the thrill when he was only a youth, fighting for King
William III in the Dutch army. Now that he was in a British regiment, holding
the rank of captain, the thrill was somehow intensified. Many soldiers were
driven by a crude lust for blood. Others had enlisted out of blind patriotism.
It was different for Daniel Rawson. He fought with a sense of mission and a
kind of jubilation. War was his element.

The
Allied force comprised 16 squadrons of British cavalry as well as the
Hanoverian and Hessian horsemen of the advance guard. At their back were the
infantry, drawn up in two lines near Elixhem, more troops arriving every minute.
Facing them were 33 squadrons of French, Bavarian and Spanish horse with 11
battalions of foot. Though they had some triple-barrelled cannon at their
disposal, there was little opportunity to use it. The battle was essentially a
cavalry engagement with no quarter given. Both sides flung themselves at each
other with determination, blood racing and sabres flashing.

In
the first brush, Marlborough led the charge himself and Daniel rode alongside
him. The first Bavarian line was routed, the Scots Greys going on to capture
several cannon. When a second line of enemy cavalry approached, there was a
renewed charge by the Allies with Marlborough once again leading by example. He
and Daniel were everywhere, controlling their mounts with one hand while they hacked
and thrust away with their swords. The earth was soon stained with gore and
strewn with bodies. The frantic neighing of wounded horses added to the general
cacophony. Because there was no large tract of open ground, most of the
fighting took place along the narrow sunken lanes in the area. Daniel was
embroiled in a series of individual duels. As one Bavarian fell from his
saddle, another replaced him and Daniel had to hack him to death before taking
on a third adversary. He was indefatigable. The weariness of the long march
through the night was replaced by a frenetic energy.

Marlborough,
too, was fighting with great vigour, scorning danger and inspiring his men. He
almost paid the penalty for his audacity. Singling him out, a Bavarian trooper
came at him and swung his sabre with murderous force. Had it made contact, the
Allied army would have been mourning its commander-in-chief. As it was, the
trooper put so much effort into his swing that, when his weapon missed its
target, he lost his balance and fell to the ground. Cursing his misfortune, he
quickly hauled himself up and tried to strike at Marlborough again but Daniel
Rawson was now in his way. Parrying the sabre, Daniel kicked the man hard under
the chin and sent him somersaulting backwards. Then he dismounted long enough
to thrust his sword right through the man's heart, impaling him briefly on the
ground. Back in the saddle, Daniel rejoined the ferocious melee with
enthusiasm.

Though
his men fought valiantly, Count Caraman, one of the enemy commanders, could see
that there was no hope of victory. His second cavalry charge had failed and
Allied infantry were arriving to swell the numbers against him. They were being
demolished. A retreat was sounded. Daniel was able to knock one more Bavarian
from his horse before the beaten cavalry turned tail. No signal was given for
pursuit. The Allied army was left to savour its triumph. Marlborough was
cheered to the echo by officers and troopers alike because they appreciated the
significance of what he had done in crossing the Lines of Brabant at one of its
strongest points. The defences were no longer an indestructible barrier. By
skilful strategy, they had finally been smashed wide open.

The
spoils of victory were heartening. French losses of almost 3000 dwarfed the
number of Allied casualties. Many prisoners were taken, including the wounded
French general, the Marquis dAlegre, along with cannon, colours, standards and
kettledrums. Marlborough did not let his men rest. He ordered them to raze the
barricades to the ground so that the French could never again hide behind them
in complete safety and taunt him. The battle of Blenheim had shattered the myth
of French invincibility. During the engagement at Elixhem, another telling blow
had been inflicted on Louis XIV's army.

Daniel
was always ready to give credit to an enemy. Their cavalry might have been
chased from the field but the Bavarian infantry was not. Abandoned by their
horse, the battalions withdrew by forming themselves into a hollow square. Even
though they were surrounded by Allied horse and dragoons, they marched steadily
on, maintaining their shape and sweeping the squadrons out of their way as they
did so. Having fought exclusively in foot regiments throughout his career,
Daniel was full of admiration for the discipline shown by the Bavarians. Not
for the first time, he saw that well-drilled infantry could be a match for
horse.

When
he rode back to join Marlborough, he arrived in time to witness an argument.
General Slangenberg had galloped ahead of the labouring Dutch columns to take
part in the battle. He was aggrieved that it was all over and that Marlborough
had not pressed home his advantage by harrying the enemy.

'We
must pursue them,' he urged. 'This is nothing if we lie here.'

'I
disagree, General,' said Marlborough, urbanely. 'In breaching the Lines, we've
made a powerful statement this morning. It will make King Louis a very
frightened man.'

'We
achieve a greater victory if we deprive him of more soldiers.'

'My
men are exhausted. They marched through the night.'

'So
did we,' said Slangenberg, resentfully. 'Why was I not told that we were simply
a decoy? We spent all that effort crossing the Mehaigne, only to be recalled by
your orders. It was maddening.'

'The
strategy
worked,
General,' said Marlborough.
'Surely that deserves congratulation even from you.'

'I
congratulate nobody who gives up when the job is half- done.'

Slangenberg
added some unflattering comments in Dutch and was amazed when Daniel answered
him back in his native language.

'Pursuing
the enemy is too dangerous,' he said, 'because we have no idea how close
Marshal Villeroi is with his main army.'

The
general blinked in annoyance. 'Who are you?'

'Captain
Daniel Rawson, attached to His Grace's staff.'

'And
working as his interpreter, I see.'

'Do
you think you could speak in English?' said Marlborough, understanding nothing
of the exchange.

'I'm
sorry,' said Daniel. 'I was just explaining that Marshal Villeroi will have
marched north as soon as he realised that he'd been duped. It would be folly to
confront him when our men are so weary.'

'Captain
Rawson is right. That's my view exactly and I suspect that it will accord with
Marshal Overkirk's opinion. A long march over difficult terrain will not have
whetted his appetite for pursuit of the enemy. We've achieved our objective,
General, and must be satisfied with that.'

Slangenberg
fumed for a few moments then swore in Dutch.

Daniel
caught Marlborough's eye. 'I don't think I need to translate that, Your Grace,'
he said. 'Do I?'

Having
burst through the French defences, Marlborough steadily consolidated his
position. Within a few days of the victory at Elixhem, the Allies had control
of almost fifty miles of the Lines, including the towns of Aerschot, Diest and Leau.
The success helped to atone for the disappointments in the Moselle valley.
During a lull in activities, Daniel Rawson found time to return to his regiment
and seek out Henry Welbeck in his tent. The sergeant had just finished dressing
down two errant soldiers who crept away with their tails between their legs.
Daniel saw the look of shame and anguish on their faces.