Life and diary of Lieut. Col. J. Blackader

204 LIFE OF COL. BLACKADEH. CHAt>. X.
become renowned by one of the most signal victories
of the Allies.
The Emperor was struck with consternation at these
disasters, and reduced to the last extremity. His ter-
ritories were over-run by the French and Bavarians,
who had penetrated beyond the Danube, and threat-
ened to besiege him in his own capital.
The insurgents in Hungary menaced him on the
opposite quarter, and nothing but immediate succours
seemed capable of preserving all Germany from revo-
lution, and the House of Austria from total subver-
sion. Count Wratislau, the Emperor's Envoy Extra-
ordinary, presented a memorial to the Queen of Great
Britain, soliciting speedy succour, which her majesty
was pleased to grant, by ordering the Duke of Marlbo-
rough and a part of the Confederate troops, to be sent
to rescue the empire from its imminent danger. These
subsidies could be the better spared, since the fron-
tiers of Holland were now tolerably secured against the
invasions of the enemy, being strongly defended by
rivers, forts, and intrenchments. A small army,
under the command of Mons. D'Auverquerque, was
to be stationed in Flanders, to act on the defensive ;
while the main body with the Duke of Marlborough,
were to march upon the Rhine, (which, by the taking
of Bonn, was laid open as far as Coblentz) with the
design, as was given out, of penetrating into France,
but in reality, to carry the war to the very confines of
Austria. All matters relating to the operations of the
campaign being happily adjusted, the Duke set out,
leaving orders to the British troops, and the rest of the
forces, to direct their march towards Coblentz and the
Moselle. We now recur to our subject.