rough set their forces in motion towards the hostile camps;
several streams had to be crossed on the march, and it was seven o'clock
(five hours after moving off) when the British of Marlborough's left
wing, next the Danube, deployed opposite Blenheim, which Tallard
thereupon garrisoned with a large force of his best infantry, aided by a
battery of 24-pounder guns. The French and Bavarians were taken somewhat
by surprise, and were arrayed in two separate armies, each with its
cavalry on the wings and its foot in the centre. Thus the centre of the
combined forces consisted of the cavalry of Marsin's right and of
Tallard's left.

Here was the only good ground for mounted troops, and Marlborough
followed Tallard's example when forming up to attack, but it resulted
from the dispositions of the French marshal that this weak point of
junction of his two armies was exactly that at which decisive action was
to be expected. Tallard therefore had a few horse on his right between
the Danube and Blenheim, a mass of infantry in his centre at Blenheim
itself, and a long line of cavalry supported by a few battalions forming
his left wing in the plain, and connecting with the right of Marsin's
army. This army was similarly drawn up. The cavalry right wing was in
the open, the French infantry near Oberglau, which was strongly held,
the Bavarian infantry next on the left, and finally the Bavarian cavalry
with a force of foot on the extreme left in the hills. The elector of
Bavaria commanded his own troops in person. Marlborough and Eugene on
their part were to attack respectively Tallard and Marsin. The right
wing under Eugene had to make a difficult march over broken ground
before it could form up for battle, and Marlborough waited, with his
army in order of battle between Unterglau and Blenheim, until his
colleague should be ready. At 12.30 the battle opened. Lord Cutts, with
a detachment of Marlborough's left wing, attacked Blenheim with the
utmost fury. A third of the leading brigade (British) was killed and
wounded in the vain attempt to break through the strong defences of the
village, and some French squadrons charged upon it as it retired; a
colour was captured in the _melee_, but a Hessian brigade in second line
drove back the cavalry and retook the colour. After the repulse of these
squadrons, in which some British cavalry from the centre took part,
Cutts again moved forward. The second attack, though pressed even more
fiercely