Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-05-01

tie was not model one on the part of the
French. Under command Of Louis XIV
and Marshal SAKE they were laying siege
to Fournay, on the Sholdt, and when the
allies, $1,000 TO 10000 strong, came up in
the rear Co raise the siege SAKE swung
10000 of his troops around on to a slope,
presenting two faces TO the enemy. His
lines thus had two directions and met in
an angle at the center, the same as the I'M
fortunate position occupied by Sickles'
corps on July at Gettysburg The French
ranks rested on the Sheldt on the right, and
In an impenetrable wood on the left and
the front was strengthened by heavy re
doubts having a divergng fire that swept
the whole plain beyond. The left side OF
the angle had but two redoubts, one at the
point and one at the extreme left. The
right side was better supplied. Marshal
SAKE stated that he did not believe that
commander existed bold enough to attempt
to put his troops through the raking fire
from those two widely separated redoubts.
IL proved a weak spot, however.
The allies were formed under three com
manders-Gen lngoldsby on the right TO
charge the isolated redoubt mt the edge of
the wood on the extreme left; the young
Duke of Cumberland with AnglO-German
troops in the center, and Prince de Wal
deck on the left with the Dutch troops
The action began at 8 o'clock in the morn
ing. May II, l7i5, and ragged as an artillery
duel for four hours. Then the allied in
fantry took it up and made a grand ad
vance all along the line. The Dutch infant
ry in heavy columns, supported 10y cavalry
calamity faced the terrible artillery fire
that raked their lines crossyi5e and length
wise The French had a sixteen FOUNDER
battery on a blulT at the extreme right OF
their position that swept the Dutch lines
from end 10 end. No soldiers could be
made to endure such cauuonading without
some diversion from other sources. And
at a critical time there was u prospect Of
such diversion, for the Duke OF Cumberland
at the head Of 1900 British and Hanover
ian infantry and accompanied by twenty
cannon, carried in the left side of tho angle
from the redoUht ut the wood to the point
at Fontenoy The reloubt ut the wood
assaulted by Incoldsby had not been car
ried, owing to the cowIrdice or inelliciency
Of the leader Of the attacking column. But
the duke pressed on into the very center Of
the French lines, more than $40 PAGES past
the battery front OF course he carried
confusion with him. Louis XIV and the
Dauphin were in the camp II the Dutch
land had done on his the French were lost,
for owing to the situation there was no
avenue Of escape in case Of defeat. Despair
settled down on the French councils. The
favorite troops had given way before Cum
berland's blows.
The steady rnUskelry Gre Of his columns
seemed 20 the French rs something infer
nal, and his advancing cannon knocked to
pieces whole brigades OF the kings choice
infantry. The French had 10 pieces Of
cannon in their rcdoult5, but these were
all needed to do their work there. -Four
guns only had been left in reserve, and an
officer Of the Irish brigade, Col. Lally, suS-
gested that they be- brought into action to
oppose CumLcrland's advance This idea
coming to the ear Of the king was adopted,
and the guns were brought into action in
front of the victorious allies, whose shouts
OF triumph resoandel over the plain. The
move placed the impetuous Cumberland
into n difficult position. He had cut his
way through gap, for the French batter
les on both ilanas Of his column mained
intact and fired upon the allies who at