Page:The Marquess of Hastings, K.G..djvu/36

28 10,000 men, preparing for a secret expedition to France. The disasters in Flanders, however, caused his destination to be changed. He sailed to Ostend, and landing towards the end of June, he determined to push on at once to the assistance of the Duke. Ostend had to be evacuated, and the French entered it the same day, 1st July, the garrison being transferred by sea to Flushing; but, before that date, Moira started into the interior, and after a most difficult march, through a country already in the possession of a victorious enemy, he got into communication with the Austrian general, Clerfayt, who, astonished at his success, greeted him with the following not undeserved compliment:  'Vous, milord, avez su faire l'impossible.'  He reached Alost, on the 6th July, but there he was immediately attacked by the French. His troops were much exhausted by their rapid and hazardous march, and the enemy forced an entrance into the town, but he succeeded in driving them out, and on the 8th he joined the Duke of York. They then held the Brussels-Antwerp canal, when, on the 12th, their position was assaulted, and they were driven to Malines; Moira, upon this, made a gallant counter-attack, and forced the enemy to retire, but three days later he was again obliged to withdraw into Malines, which, being untenable, was evacuated, and the troops were brought to Antwerp, which was still held to cover the movements of the Dutch.

This very interesting military episode, in which