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 JOHN, DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH 221 all the infantry the marshal had brought to the assistance of the Elector, only two battalions escaped ; eight and twenty battalions were taken prisoners ; and ten were entirely destroyed ! The French, for many years, had never sustained any considerable deteat ; and in consequence, had looked upon themselves, and had been regarded by other countries, almost as invincible. But now the charm was broken. After the battle, when Marshal Tallard was brought into the duke's tent, the marshal exclaimed with emphasis, " Your grace has beaten the best troops in the world ! " " I hope," quickly rejoined the duke, " that you except the troops which defeated them." The news caused great joy in England, except to a discontented party, who considered that " it would no more weaken the power of the French king, than taking a bucket of water out of a riv^er." Marlborough's answer, when he heard this, was, "If they will allow me to draw one or two such buckets more, we may then let the river run quietly, and not much apprehend its overflowing, and de- stroying its neighbors." Queen Anne, however, as a monument of victory, com- manded a splendid palace to be built for the duke, at her own expense, to be called Blenheim. It would fill a large volume to relate all the victories of the Duke of Marl- borough, none of which, however, exceeded the Battle of Blenheim in impor- tance. One, some years afterward, called the Battle of Malplaquet, was a better contested fight, and perhaps ranks next ; in truth, after this battle, France never again ventured to meet Marlborough in the field. At three o'clock in the morning of September ii, 1709, the confederated troops (for Eugene, with his army, was still with Marlborough) began to raise their batteries, under cover of a thick fog, which lasted till half-past seven. When it cleared away, the armies found themselves close together, each having a perfect view of the other. Marshal Villars commanded the French army He was adored by his troops, who placed unbounded confidence in him ; and as he now rode along their ranks the air rang with " Long live the king ! " " Long live Marshal Villars!" The right wing was commanded by Marshal Boufflers. A discharge of fifty pieces of cannon from the confederates was the signal for battle, which commenced a little after eight. Each army had between ninety and one hundred thousand men, and the battle raged for some time with unex- ampled bravery. All the duties of a skilful general were performed by Marl- borough ; and late in the day the French army left the field in the possession of the allies, both armies having fought with almost incredible valon The loss of the French was fourteen thousand men ; the allies, though victory was on their side, lost nearly twenty thousand. An officer of distinction in the French army, writing an account of this battle said: " The Eugenes and Marlboroughs ought to be well satisfied with us during that day ; since, till then, they had not met with resistance worthy of them. They may say, with justice, that nothing can stand before them ; for what shall be