Page:The reign of George VI - 1763.djvu/172

 sion that necessarily attended such an action.

Never victory was more complete; twenty-two thousand Spaniards were killed, and ten thousand taken prisoners; all their camp baggage and artillery were taken; standards, colours, drums, and other trophies without number, besides their military chest. They suffered great loss in their retreat, so that out of fifty thousand who came out, scarce ten thousand returned to their own country. This decisive victory was a fatal stroke to Spain; and almost ruined Philip's affairs: the news of it was as a thunderbolt to him. After gaining so great a victory in such advantageous circumstances, and with the most trifling loss, there was nothing to stop the rapidity of the King's conquests. He divided his army into three divisions, and all Languedoc, Provence, Dauphiné,