The Wars of Marlborough, 1702-1709

ISBN: 9781331029311 出版年：2016 页码：374 Frank Taylor Forgotten Books

On the morning of the day after his arrival at the Hague, as Marlborough sat in conference with Count Goes, the Pensionary, Heinsius, was announced. He brought unwelcome news. According to reports from French sources, the allied army in Spain had been virtually annihilated.The truth was not so bad as the French pretended; but it was bad enough. In pursuance of the plans adopted at Valencia in January, Galway and Das Minas assembled their forces in April and prepared to invade Aragon. To protect their march and to ensure the safety of their base, they entered Mercia on the l0th, and destroyed the enemies' magazines. Berwick retired before them from Villena to Chinchilla, a distance of nearly sixty miles. Berwick was awaiting powerful reinforcements drawn from those garrisons in Lombardy which the convention with the Emperor had enabled Louis to divert to Germany and Spain. He was expecting also the Duke of Orleans, who was eager to retrieve the disaster of Turin. A part of his reinforcements joined him at Chinchilla; but the Duke of Orleans turned aside to visit the Court of Madrid. On the 18th Berwick advanced, and came on the 23rd to Almanza. Galway and Das Minas, who could get no reliable information from the hostile peasantry, imagined that, because the Duke had not yet joined, the expected contingent also was still upon the road. They therefore determined to attack at once. Berwick made ready to receive them in an excellent position, south of the town of Almanza. At noon on the 25th the allies, after a march of eight miles, halted in presence of the enemy. The odds were tremendously against them.