in full fury. The cheers
of the attacking part, the roar of artillery and small arms, the noise
of the drums, echoed terribly through its trees.

The hill lay before them, from the summit of which several pieces of
heavy artillery played upon the ranks of the Wuertembergers. The path to
the top of it, leading up from the side of the wood, being of gentle
ascent, Albert was astonished at the quick eye of the Duke in having
discovered the only weak part of the enemy's position, every other
point of it being unassailable, at least by cavalry. The guns, as far
as he could observe from the place where he stood, were not supported
by any considerable force, and, therefore, as soon as the horses had
rested a few moments, Albert sounded the charge, and, putting himself
at their head, galloped up the hill in gallant style, and reached the
summit in an instant, calling to the enemy to surrender. The
consternation of the Leaguist troops in thus finding their enemies
suddenly among them, paralysed all their means of defence; whilst the
brave butchers, saddlers, and blacksmiths of Stuttgardt, taking
advantage of their confusion, dealt out the true Swabian cut on the
heads of their adversaries, and in a short time reduced the covering
party to a small number. Albert threw a triumphant look down the plain
towards the Duke; he heard the exulting shouts wafted to him from the
throats of many thousand Wuertembergers, and saw them advance with
renewed courage, being now relieved from the galling fire of the
artillery on the hill.

He was obliged, however, to check this momentary joy of victory, in
consideration of his retreat, the second and most difficult operation
of the gallant undertaking; for the Leaguists, having observed the
sudden cessation of their artillery, had ordered a powerful body of
cavalry to charge the hill. As there was no time to bring away the
captured guns, he quickly ordered his men to fill them with stones and
earth, rendering them by this means unserviceable, and then casting his
eye towards the line of retreat, he perceived he would have to contend
with difficulties he had not anticipated. To retrace the path through
the wood by which, he had advanced was his first thought, for, were it
even occupied by the enemy's cavalry, he would meet them upon equal
terms. But, to his dismay, as he was about to put it into execution, he
observed that a large body of the Leaguist infantry had already gained
the wood to cut o