k with such vigour, that the entrenchments,
weakened by the forces which had been withdrawn, were carried; and
the horse, following close behind, broke through the openings of
the works, and spread themselves over the plateau, cutting down the
fugitives. The guns in the works were wheeled round, and opened a
tremendous fire on the dense masses of the French drawn up behind
other parts of the entrenchments.

Thrown into confusion by the fire, the French began to waver, and
Marlborough gave the order for the great battery of forty guns in
the allied centre to advance. These advanced up the hill, passed
through the entrenchments, and opened a fire right and left upon
the French.

Although the French still strove gallantly, the battle was now
virtually over. The centre was pierced, the right turned, and
Boufflers prepared to cover the necessary retreat with his cavalry.
With 2000 picked horsemen of the royal horse guards, he charged the
allied cavalry when scattered and blown by their pursuit, and drove
them back; but was himself repulsed by the fire of Orkney's
infantry, and fell back, leaving half his force dead on the plain.

Again and again Boufflers brought up fresh cavalry, and executed
the most desperate charges to cover the retreat of his infantry,
who were now falling back along the whole line, as the Prince of
Orange, benefiting by the confusion, had now carried the
entrenchments on the French left. Boufflers formed his infantry
into three great masses, and fell back in good order in the
direction of Bavai.

Such was the victory of Malplaquet. A victory indeed, but won at
such a cost that a few more such successes would have been ruin.
The allies had gained the French position, had driven the enemy
from the field, and had prevented the raising of the siege of Mons,
the great object of the French; but beyond that their advantage was
slight, for the enemy retired in good order, and were ready to have
fought again, if attacked, on the following day.

The allies captured fourteen guns and twenty-five standards. The
French carried off thirty-two standards, principally Dutch. The
French lost 14,000 men in killed and wounded, the allies fully
20,000.

The French historians have done full justice to the extraordinary
bravery of the allied troops. One of their officers wrote after the
battle:

"Eugene and Marlborough ought to be well satisfied with us on that
day, since up to that time they had not met with a re