The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-09-20

Of absolutlsm on the other. Such was
the battle Of Blenheim. fought on a
hot August day In 1904 and won by the
genius OF John Churchill. first duke Of
Marlborough. OF whom II has been said
that he never fought a battle he did
not win and never besieged a city he
did not take. BY victory at Blenheim
he smashed the power OF the grand
Monarque. Louis XIV. he who boosted
There are no longer any P%yrenees,"
who had extended tremendously the
French possessions and whose inten-
tion was 10 include all Europe In his
kingdom. But for Blenheim all Flu.
rope might have suffered for centuries
under the effects Of French conquests
resembling those of Alexander for ex-
tent and those of the Romans for dura-
bility.
Against Louis. who had the assist
anc Of the elector Of Bavaria, were
leagued England. Holland and Austria.
Generallsslmo OF the allied forces was
Marlborough, a man who had on one
occasion betrayed his king and his
country. who owed his first advance
mel I'm court favor to the fact that
his sister was the mistress Of the duke
Of York. who laid the foundations for
his great fortune by being the paid
lover OF n of the favorites OF Charles
Ii. whose defects In character were so
base and sordid that they can be OBJ
scured not even by his virtues. but who
as a soldier was almost supreme In
military genius. He won Blenheim by
a march which for brilliancy Of plan
and execution Is rtvaled only by that
Of the Consul Nero to the Mataurus.
For the first two years Of the war
OF the allies against France, MARI
borough commanded In Flanders, TAX
ing various enemy towns but accom-
plishing nothing OF decisive impor-
lance; indeed, the advantage rested
rather with Louis, for the elector Of
Bavaria took the strong fortress Of
Ulm, thereby opening communication
with the French armies OF the upper
Rhine and seriously menacing the In
tegrity of Austria. Thereupon Louis
decided to act on the defensive In
Flanders, while Marshal Villeroy kept
Moselle region, Marshal Tallard
marched through the Black forest 10
Join the e~lector, the French army In
Italy advanced and all combined TO
take Vienna and dictate terms to the
emperor In his own capital.
This inspired Marlborough with the
audacious plan Of himself advancing
clear to the Danube and there fighting
II out. The more timid and the more
conservative opposed, since such a
campaign might leave Flanders X.
posed, but Northumberland he must
have had n hard time Of II with his
often stubborn foreign allies--over-
came all opposition. on the Nineteenth
Of May, calming as well as he could
the agitated fears Of the abandoned
Dutch, he put his army In motion,
thereafter proceeding with n speed and
m elusive certainty which utterly be-
w!ldered Villeroy. That worthy.
marching hither and thlther, could not
imagine where the English general
meant 10 strike his blow. Tnllard,
previously ordered to Join the %elector.
became convinced that Marlborough
aimed nj Alsace and hence kept back
his 1900 men that France might be
protected in that quarter. When at
last the real intention Of Marlborough
was disclosed II was so late that the
effort could not be rendered abortlve.
Crossing the Danube, Marlborough
swarined into Bavaria and In n series
OF actions made himself master OF the
electors dominion. Tallard, mean.
while, woke up and pressing forward
managed "a effect a junction with his
friends. Marlborough ]recrossed the
Danube, combined his forces with those
OF Prince Eugene and took up posi-.
ton neal Blenheim.
The troops ~ Marlborough and Eu.
gene numbered 10000, with 80 cannon
Opposed 10 them were the armies OF
the French mnrshals and the elector
10000 strong and 81 pieces Of artillery
II was absolutely necessary that Mari
borough should attack before Villeroy
shoald become aroused and advancing
through Franconla give to the Gallo
Bavarian allies overwhelming force.
With the Danube securing Their
right flank and the high ground Of III,
Gold Berg and Elch Berg their left, II
was only in the front that the Gallo
Bavarian allies could be attacked, Tai
lard svas In chief command. He weak
ened his center In evident reliance
upon the swampy ground before 1t
This was at the hamlet Of Obcrglau
where lay II battallons Of infantry, In
Guiding the celebrated Irish brigade.
A fog which covered the grouns
sariy on the morning Of August u
obscured the advance to Tallard until
the oncomlng British left wing wa
close upon him. Then he opened n ter
rife c~annonade. Lord Cults, with
strong brigade OF infantry, hurled hiR
self against Blenheim town, only 4
suffer repulse, while Marlborough wa.
crossing the little river. Nebel. Her,
the duke was In serious trouble, for hi
squadrons OF cavalry became mire,
a.. sk- xkl. Al. E..ul ...li