through want of artillery and the necessity of waiting for the co-operation of the Fleet; but the trenches
June 6/17. were finally opened on the 17th of June, and a few weeks later the town surrendered.
June 27./July 8. Three days after this the army was reassembled for the siege of Menin. This fortress was of peculiar strength, being esteemed one of Vauban's masterpieces, and was garrisoned by five thousand men. Moreover, the French, being in command of the upper sluices of the Lys, were able greatly to impede the operations by cutting off the water from the lower stream, and thus rendering it less useful for purposes of transport, But all this availed it little; for three weeks after
Aug. 11/22. the opening of the trenches Menin surrendered. The British battalions[1] which had been kept inactive at Ramillies took a leading share in the work, and some of them suffered very heavily; but they had the satisfaction of recapturing four of the British guns that had been taken at Landen.
Aug. 25./Sept. 5. A few days later Dendermond was attacked in earnest and was likewise taken, after which Marlborough
Sept. 12/22. fell back across the Scheldt to secure the whole line of the Dender by the capture of Ath. Ten
Sept. 21./Oct. 2. days sufficed for the work, after which Ath also fell into the hands of the Allies. The apathy of the French throughout these operations sufficiently show their discouragement. Owing to the supineness of Prince Lewis of Baden, Villars had been able to bring up thirty-five thousand men to the assistance of Marshal Vendôme, who had now superseded Villeroy;
- ↑ The British regiments regularly employed in the besieging army were the 8th, 10th, and 18th, and Evans's Foot; the Scots Greys, 3rd and 6th Dragoon Guards. The total loss of the Allies was 32 officers and 551 men killed, 83 officers and 1941 men wounded. The 18th Royal Irish alone lost 15 officers, and in one attack over 100 men in half an hour.
