While he remained at Mentz, Marlborough acquainted the landgrave of Hesse, with his intention of proceeding farther into Germany, to the relief of the emperor, and persuaded that prince to send the artillery which he had provided for the expected operations on the Moselle to Manheim, that it might be ready for the siege of Landau, or any other enterprise of advantage to the common cause. He also summoned the prince of Hesse, Bulow, and Hompesch to Mentz, to receive the necessary directions for the junction of the forces under their command with the main He took measures also for the regular payment of his troops. "I send to-morrow to Frankfort," he writes to Godolphin, "to see if I can take up a month's pay for the english, and shall draw the bills on Mr. Sweet; for notwithstanding the continual marching, the men are extremely pleased with this expedition, so that I am sure you will take all the care possible that they may not want."*

army.

* Mentz, May 18-29, 1704.

CHAPTER 22.

1704.

Marlborough reaches the Neckar-Direction of his march towards the DanubeCounter movements of the enemy-Interviews of Marlborough with prince Eugene and the margrave of Baden-Disposition of the command, and plan of operations— Eugene heads the army on the Rhine, and the margrave shares the command with Marlborough-Failure of the dutch generals in their attempt to force the french lines-The emperor offers to Marlborough a principality of the empire—Junction of the armies under Marlborough and the margrave-Their arrival and commencement of operations on the Danube.

THE

HE next point to which Marlborough directed his march was Ladenburg, where he had previously ordered bridges to be constructed for the passage of the Neckar. Here he arrived on the 3rd of June. Notwithstanding all the cares which weighed on his mind, and the pomp with which he was surrounded, his thoughts still dwelt on the endearments of home, and the society of his family and friends. The duchess having earnestly repeated her request to join him, he replied:

"Weinheim, May 22-June 2.

"I take it extreme kindly that you persist in desiring to come to me, but I am sure when you consider that three days hence will be a month, that the troops have been in a continual march to get hither; and we shall be a fortnight longer before we shall be able to get to the Danube, so that you could hardly get to me and back again to Holland, before it would be time to return into England. Besides, my dear soul, how could I be at any ease; for if we should not have good success, I could not put you into any place where you would be safe."

*

I am now in a house of the elector palatine's, that has a prospect over the finest country that is possible to be seen. I see out of my chamber window the Rhine and the Neckar, and his two principal towns of Manheim and Heidelberg; but would be much better pleased with the prospect of St. Alban's, which is not very famous for seeing far."

To Godolphin he briefly communicates his situation and ulterior views:

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I

Ladenburg, May 24—June 4. “The cannon and infantry being six days march behind me, and the troops of Luneburg, Holland, and Hesse, being in several quarters, I shall halt here to-morrow, to give the necessary orders, and then shall advance towards the Danube, with what troops have here, leaving the english and cannon to be brought up by my brother, and the danes by the duke of Wirtemberg. I hope in eight days to meet with prince Louis and prince Eugene. I am afraid the first will not go to the Rhine, he being, as I am told, desirous to stay on the Danube. When I see them, you shall be sure to know what we have concerted."

Hitherto his progress had held all Europe in awful anxiety, and had not only suspended the movements of the elector of Bavaria, but had perplexed and confounded the french commanders. As his arrival at Coblentz had spread apprehension of an attack by the Moselle, so his advance to Mentz had seemed to threaten Alsace. His subsequent progress afforded no precise indication of his design; while the construction of a bridge over the Rhine at Philipsburg, and the advance of the hessian artillery to Manheim, seemed preparatory to the siege of Landau. Villeroy, who had followed him from the Meuse, drew an additional reinforcement from Flanders; while Tallard descended to the Lauter, that they might readily unite their forces to protect Alsace, or create a diversion by an offensive movement into the empire. Their penetration was however baffled, and Tallard, hitherto fertile in projects, was bewildered amidst doubt, difficulty, and conjecture.

With such skill and science had this enterprise been concerted, that at the very moment when it assumed a specific direction, the