Life and diary of Lieut. Col. J. Blackader

200 LIFE OF COL. BLACKADER. CHAP. IX.
was not present, Colonel Frederick Hamilton being
the only English brigadier in that service. *
The siege of Limburg was next determined upon.
This, though a small, was a very strong city, and
capital of the Dukedom or territory of that name.
The Duke of Mai-lborough took the command in per-
son. On the 10th of September the town was in-
A r ested, and on the 27th it capitulated. The city of
Guelders was bombarded in December by a detach-
ment of Prussians, and reduced to a heap of ruins,
and with these achievements ended the campaign for
this year. The allies thus quitted the field with
honour, having made themselves masters of the Duchy
of Limburg, and the whole Spanish Guelderland;and
secured the country of Liege and the Electorate of
Cologne from the incursions of the enemy. In Oc-
tober, orders were issued for the necessary disposition
of the troops in their quarters, and the Duke of
Marlborough soon after returned to England.
Captain Blackader immediately repaired to Rot-
terdam, where his lady usually remained during the
campaign.
October 11. This afternoon I arrived at Tongres.
Next day I came to a place where I might well set
up my Ebenezer ; mercy was on all hands : on the
right was that place, where, twelve years ago, that
ever to be regretted and mournful business fell out ;
but God, I trust, has delivered me from blood-guilti-
ness, and pardoned my sin. On the left was that
place where the enemy thought to have surprised us,
and cut us off; and where I had a merciful deliver-
* Lediard. vol. i. p. 169.