s from this point
that the Prince of Orange started in disguise, and undertook, with forty
mounted companions, a perilous journey across France by La Charite to
Montbeliard, for the purpose of raising in Germany the fresh troops of
which the admiral stood in such pressing need.[721]

[Sidenote: Battle of Moncontour, October 3, 1569.]

The Huguenot general had moved westward, secretly averse to giving battle
before the arrival of Montgomery, but forced to show a readiness to fight
by the open impatience of his southern troops, and by the murmurs of the
Germans, who openly threatened to desert unless they were either paid or
led against the enemy. Within a couple of leagues of the town of
Moncontour, soon to gain historic renown, Coligny, believing the Roman
Catholics to be near, drew up his own men in order of battle (on the
thirtieth of September); but, receiving from his scouts the erroneous
information that there were no considerable bodies of the enemy in the
neighborhood, he resumed his march toward the town of which La Noue had
rendered himself master. The army was scarcely in motion before Mouy,
commanding the rear, was attacked by a heavy detachment of the Duke of
Anjou's vanguard, under the Duke of Montpensier. Mouy's handful of men
stood their ground well, now facing the enemy and driving him off, now
slowly retreating, and gave the rest of the Huguenot army the opportunity
of gaining the opposite side of a marshy tract, through which there flowed
a small stream. Then they themselves crossed, after losing about a hundred
of their number. Anjou neglected the chance here afforded him of gaining
an entire victory; and Coligny, after halting for a short time, drew off
toward Moncontour, which he reached on the next day without further
obstruction. The duke spent the night on the battle-field in token of
victory, and then started in pursuit; but, in order to avoid attack while
crossing the short, but deep river Dive, a tributary of the Loire which
flows by the walls of Moncontour, he turned to the left, and, rapidly
ascending to its sources, descended again on the opposite bank.

[Sidenote: Coligny wounded.]

[Sidenote: Heavy losses of the Huguenots.]

The admiral might still have succeeded in avoiding a capital engagement,
and in reaching Partenay or some other point of safety, had he not been
again embarrassed by the mutiny of the Germans, who, as usual, were most
urgent for pay on the eve of battle. As it was