hemselves between
Vendome and France.

A portion of the French army was already in movement, when the
news came that the allies were fast coming up. Early the next
morning their advance guard, composed of twelve battalions of
infantry and the whole of the cavalry, reached the Scheldt; and,
having thrown bridges over the river, crossed, and soon came in
contact with the French advance guard, under Biron. There was some
severe fighting, in which neither party gained any great
advantage, the French maintaining possession of the village of
Eynes.

While this conflict was going on, Marlborough and Eugene, with the
main body, had reached the river, and were engaged in crossing it;
and Vendome determined to attack them while carrying out the
operation. He was, as usual, opposed by Burgundy, who wished to
continue the march to Ghent. Marshal Vendome pointed out that, in
a country so broken and interspersed with hedges, an army
possessing the greatest strength--for the French numbered
eighty-five thousand, while Marlborough had but eighty thousand
under him--would lose the advantage of that superiority; and, upon
Berwick strongly siding with the marshal, Burgundy was forced to
give way.

The discussion lasted some time, enabling the allies to pass
bodies of troops across the river, where they were formed up at a
village a few hundred yards north of Oudenarde; and immediately
Marlborough felt strong enough to risk an attack, orders were sent
to Cadogan, who commanded the advance guard, to drive the enemy
out of Eynes.

Four English battalions attacked the seven French battalions in
the village, while the cavalry crossed higher up, and came down on
the back of the village. Three of the French battalions were
surrounded and made prisoners, while the other four were
dispersed.

It was now evident, even to Burgundy, that an action could not be
avoided, but again an angry dispute took place. Vendome would have
stood on the defensive, with the river Norken to be crossed before
he could be attacked. He was, however, overruled by Burgundy, who
had nominally chief command. Marlborough took advantage of the
delay, and posted his troops in front of the castle of Bevere, and
sent the twelve battalions at Eynes to reinforce his left, against
which he saw the main attack of the French would be directed. He
then lined all the hedges with infantry, and stationed twenty
British battalions, under Argyle, in reserve.

Crossing the Norke