Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-09-19
MARLBoRoUGH's BATTLES.

A very interesting paper in late number 0
Blackwood (says the Courier and Enquirer) i
that on Marlborough's Dispatches, which present
view Of the closing campaigns of that great Cap
tain, written with great spirit and knowledge of de
tails. The siege Of Tourney and the battle of Nal
pLaquet especially are painted with particularly
of detail and fire of narration that causes the
eye almost to see the moving columns swept out O
existence by the springing of secret mines, or the
murderous discharge from countless batteries, ane
the heart to listen as it throbs under the trumpet
tones of the great commanders, Marlborough and
Eugene on the one side, Bou9qers and PILLARS on
the other, as they spring forward to lead their gal
liant battalions
The victory of Malplaque cost the allied forces OF
English, Dutch, and German, commanded by MARI
borough, 10000 men in killed and wounded or about
one-flth Of the number engaged. The vanquished
party, the French, with about equal forces in the
field, did not lose more than 1900 men. This dis
parity is accounted for by the enormous losses
tanned by the allied army in the desperate stormng
of the strong and ampy-armed and vigorously de-
Tended entertainments, behind which laid the French
force.
No more striking scene has been commemorated
than that recorded in the following extract occur
ring on the day of the battle Of lNalplaquef. The
season was early autumn-the month September
the region, in the heart of Flanders. On the pre-
ceding evening, 10th September, all the corps Of the
allied army had reached the respective points oppo-
site the wooded and entrenched position of the
French, whence next day they were to make the at
tack, and "the men lay down to sleep, anxiously
awaiting the dawn of the eventful morrow" That
morrow came, and
At three the morning of the lth divine service was
performed with the utmost decoum the head Of every eg
men and listened to by the soldiers, after the example OF
their chief with the most devout attention. The awful
nature Of the OCCASION the interests stake the
uncertainty who might survive the close of the day. the
potracted struggle be brought decisive ISSUE had
banshed all lighter feelings and impressed noble character
that impressive soemny. thick fog overspread the
field, under of which the troops marched with the ut
regularity their appointed stations; the guns
brought forward the grand battery in the centre, which
was protected either side by epaume to prevent an
enfade No did the French outpos give notice that
the Allies preparing for attack than the whole army
stood to their arms and all the working parties, who
still ong in the trenches, aside their tools and oyfuy
resumed their places in the ranks Never since the
Of the war; had the spirit of the French soldier
been high, enthusiastic feeling infused into every
BOSOM"
Some thirty-fve thousand human beings, killed
or mserably MANNED, whom that mornings sun be-
held in full life and vigor, strewed ere it sat, the
field and the environs Of this solemn religious service.
Is not this striking and sad We add TO il the
record off another religious service on the battle
field after the victory of Malpiaquet:
Few prisoners (not above five hundred) made on
the field, but the woods and entertainments were filed with
wounded French, whom Marlborough with characteristic hui
mainly, proposed Vars the French head
quarters condition Of their being considered prisoners OF
war-an offer which that general thankfully accepted
solemn thanksgiving read in all the regiments the army
two days after the bae after which the soldiers of both
armies joined in removing the wounded French hun
dred TO the French camp Thus after the conclusion
Of Of the bloodes fights recorded in modern history the
first acts Of the vcors in raising the voice thanks
giving and doing deeds Of mercy"
1t does seem one of those strange inconsistencies
of which reasoning and immortal man is alone
guilty, that, after fearful strife to harm and de-
stroy each other, the two contending armies should
vie with each other Z" in doing deeds of mercy"