T707. CHAPTER X. THE YEAR OF DISASTER-1707. THE year 1707 was a strange contrast to that which preceded it. In almost every quarter it was a year of inaction or of disaster to the cause of the Grand Alliance. It was strange that the campaign in Flanders which followed that of Ramillies was so unfruitful in successes. The campaign of Turin alone seemed to carry forward its results into the following year; but the selfishness with which the Emperor acted made the success in Italy almost more hurtful than useful to the general cause. In Spain, divided counsels had, even in the latter part of the previous year, produced their natural fruit in failure and retreat. They were in this year to be crowned with the greatest defeat which the allies suffered during the war. In other parts of Europe, also, fortune seemed to have deserted their cause. When Marlborough assumed the command of the army in Flanders, he expected such success as would lead directly to a speedy termination of the He had indeed many other things to do than merely to command his own army. The Home Government looked to him constantly for advice. It was his work to keep the different members of the Grand Alliance true to the cause, and zealous. In the spring of this year the King of Sweden was causing anxiety to the Emperor. King Charles XII., whose career is described in another part of this volume, was at Dresden with an army not inconsiderable in numbers, but still more formidable from the bravery and reputation of the soldiers. French envoys paid him frequent visits, for Lewis felt that if he could win Charles to his side, he Marl borough and Charles XII. war. might yet triumph in the war, as the Emperor would be paralysed. Marlborough therefore made a hasty journey to the Court of Charles, to try whether his influence could counteract that of these French envoys. On the way he stopped for forty-eight hours with the Elector of Hanover, who advised him to try the effect of the promise of pensions to the chief ministers of King Charles, and to pay the first year in advance. At Dresden Marlborough did not neglect this advice, but perhaps he relied more on his own power of flattery, for this was his first speech to the king : 'I present to your Majesty a letter, not from the chancery, but from the heart of the queen, my mistress, and written with her own hand. Had not her sex prevented it, she would have crossed the sea to see a prince admired by the whole universe. I am in this particular more happy than the queen, and I wish I could serve some campaigns under so great a general as your Majesty, that I might learn what I yet want to know in the art of war.' Charles was naturally pleased, and Marlborough was soon convinced that the Grand Alliance had no reason to fear danger in that quarter, as Charles was meditating a very different design. Charles was unmoved when Marlborough spoke of Lewis, but his eyes flashed fire when he spoke of the Czar. On Marlborough's return to Flanders he was anxious to begin active operations against the French; but he was thwarted by the Dutch deputies, who seemed to have received orders to that effect from their own Government. The Dutch wanted a Marlborough in Flanders. cession of territory, in order to secure their border the better from attack; but as this cession would have to be made at the expense of the Emperor, they anticipated opposition from him, and determined to thwart the pro gress of the common cause until they could make terms for themselves. Such instructions, combined with the usual phlegmatic slowness of the Dutch deputies, fettered Marlborough's action. The other allies also were backward in sending their contingents. Month after month passed, and the whole summer slipped away without anything being done. Battle of In the month of March was fought in Spain the battle of Almanza. It was the greatest defeat which the allies suffered during the war, and was inflicted by the Duke of Berwick. The English found some consolation for their defeat in the thought that their conqueror was an Englishman. Berwick indeed had much of the generalship, the coolness in action, and the bravery of his uncle, Marlborough. A.D. 1707. The positions. Almanza in Valencia is a town situated in an open plain. As Berwick was stronger than the allies in cavalry, the country was better suited to him; but Galway was either ignorant of this fact or disregarded it. Anxious to expel the French from Valencia, he advanced to the attack. Berwick had drawn up his troops, with his infantry and artillery in the centre, and his cavalry on the flanks. The various elements of Galway's forces were more mixed; and he has been especially censured for drawing up infantry in line close in the rear of his cavalry. Total defeat of the allies. The battle began about two in the afternoon. Lord Galway, who was as brave in battle as he was cautious in council, led an attack upon the French right which, successful for a moment, was repulsed by the second line under Berwick in person. In the centre the French were at first successful, then driven back but a French officer prevented any evil result from the repulse by declaring that it was a feigned retreat made by the general's order. Then Berwick came up with reinforcements, and restored the battle. The first important disaster befell the allies on their right. The Portuguese cavalry at the charge of the enemy turned and fled, leaving bare and unprotected some infantry of their own countrymen, who were cut to pieces. Some Spanish cavalry also on the other wing made no resistance. The English infantry in the centre, left thus exposed, were attacked on both flank and in front at the same time, were outnumbered and compelled to surrender. A force of thirteen battalions escaped to a wood, but surrendered next day to the French cavalry who surrounded them. Two days after the fight Lord Galway wrote to Marlborough :— 'I am under deep concern to be obliged to tell your lordship we were entirely defeated. Both our wings were broke, and let in the enemy's horse, which surrounded our foot, so that none could get off. I received a cut in the forehead in the first charge. . . . . I cannot, my lord, but look upon the affairs of Spain as lost by this bad disaster; our foot, which was our main strength, being gone, and the horse we have left chiefly Portuguese, which is not good at all . . . . All the generals here are of opinion that we cannot continue in this kingdom.' Lord Galway did not exaggerate the importance of the defeat. The whole of the provinces of Valencia and Aragon surrendered to the French. The Results of town of Valencia opened its gates to them the defeat. without any effort at resistance; the few towns which did resist were soon overpowered, and were treated with severity. The Archduke Charles was reduced to the single province of Catalonia, where the inhabitants were still faithful to him; but here his army was so small that he could hardly have withstood an invasion, had one been made. Once more it seemed as if the cause of the allies was hopeless in Spain. The only chance for that cause was Eugene the appointment of a really able commander should have with adequate forces. Such a commander been sent to Spain. was Eugene, and such forces could easily have been sent by sea from North Italy to Barcelona. The English and Dutch ministries used their best endeavours to procure the adoption of this policy. But the Emperor, preferring his own interests, despatched a large force into Naples to secure that kingdom. It was easy work. The imperialist troops under Daun, the gallant defender of Turin, were received with welcome, and the few who held out for Philip were besieged and taken in Gaeta. The Island of Majorca also declared for Charles. These victories, however, might have been secured at any time. Emperor secures Naples. It was with difficulty that the Emperor could even be brought to sanction a plan on which Marlborough strongly insisted, the invasion, namely, of France in the south-east, so as to produce a diversion from the war in Spain. There was still hope that the Protestants might Attempt on rise. The English fleet would co-operate. Toulon. The place to be attacked was Toulon, and the army was to be under the command of Eugene and the Duke of Savoy. Had the former known how very unprepared the place was, he would probably have attacked it at once and taken it. The engineer whom Lewis sent down to defend Toulon reported that it was not a fortress, but rather a garden, being overspread with large country houses, orchards, and convents. Whilst he was working hard to get ready and defend the place, Eugene prepared to attack it in due form. But his army was straitened for supplies; and, threatened by the advance of a large French force, Eugene and his cousin who had com |