A. C. 1706.

as the Van-Guard. We had Intelligence, that be'fides the precipitate March of the Enemy up the Po, General Medavi was to fend after them a De'tachment, but whether with Defi n to take Poffeffion of Stradella, or fome other. Poft on the Right of the Po, in order to oppofe our March,` or to march directly to Piedmont, was not known The 20th it was refolv'd to match by Moonlight all night, for Coolness. The 21ft the Horse encamp'd at Caftel S. Giovanni, having left the Foot fix Leagues behind them, fatigu'd with the long March. General Kriechbaum fent Advice, that, without any Oppofition, he was arriv'd at Stradella, which difficult Pafs 'twas thought the "Enemy would defend; and that Lieutenant Colo nel St. Amour was advanc'd to Voghera. Upon this Intelligence, the 22d the whole Army continu'd' their March, and Prince Eugene leading the Horse, join'd the Body under Baron Kriechbaum; but the Foot halted between Stradella and Ponco. M. de St. Amour went to view the Country towards Caftel "Nuovo and Tortone, on Advice, that there were fome Horfe in the latter. We had intelligence of the precipitate March of the Enemy over against us, and that their Foot were carried in Waggons and Carts for the greater Expedition; but we could not learn whether they intended to make directly for Piedmont, or to come over the Po at Valencia, to engage us. In the evening the Horfe were or6 der'd to advance before, and Baron Kriechbaum to continue his March. The Exprefs that had been fent to the Prince of Heffe, return'd with 'the News of the taking of Goito, after an Attack of two days; and with the Capitulation that was granted to the Garrifon, for faving Time. The 23d the Foot joyn'd the Horfe; and Baron Riede and M. de St. Amour went towards the Bormia, to get Intelligence of the Enemy's Horfe, which were faid to be at Tortone and Alexandria.

6

The 24th our Van-guard reited at Caftel nuovo de Scrivia, and the Army at Voghera, to provide themfelves with Bread, and let the Horfes have fome reft. Baron Rieut gave Intelligence, that there' were fome of the Enemy's Horfe at Alexandria, but that he could not learn, whether they would dif

pute

A. C. 1756.

6

pute the Paffage of the Bormia, or of the Tanaro. The March for the next day was fix'd, and M. Eben was fent towards Tortona. The 25th, while 'we advanc'd towards Caftel nuovo di Scrivia, the "Vanguard led by Baron Kriechbaum, had pafs'd the Orba without any Obftacle at Bofco, though he was forc'd to lay Bridges there, becaufe the Rain had fwell'd the River.

The 26th the Army continu'd their March to Caftellazzo di Bormia, and the Body of Troops un' der General Kriechbaum encamp'd near Mafi. We had Intelligence, that fome of the Enemy s Troops "were arriv'd in Piedmont. The 27th we halted, but "the Prince of Anhalt had Order to march in the night with the Troops of Pruffia, and the Brigade of Zumjungen, and encamp near Corticelli, which hedid. The 28th the Army encamp'd at Mafi on the TaPrince Eu-naro, and the Body under General Kriechbaum advanc'd towards fola, whence he entred into Piedgene paffes The Tanaro mont, having pafs'd the Tanaro, over the Bridge of Barks, which his Royal Highnefs had caus'd to be laid 3 Miles above Afti. We had advice, that the Duke of Orleans had decamp'd from Merane, two Leagues from Cazal, and that moft of his Troops were arriv'd in Piedmont.

And joins the Duke of Savoy, Aug. 19.

N. S.

6

6

"The 29th the Army purfu'd their March to Ifala, where they pafs'd the Tanaro over the fame Bridge. The Body under General Kriechbaum march'd to Villa-Franca: that under the Prince of Anhalt to Baldi-Chieri, and Prince Eugene gave Orders for the March of the Army, and for fending to Alba the Waggons, the heavy Baggage, the Sick, &c. retaining only the Troops that were in a Condition to fight, and enjoining them to keep exact Ditcipline: Which done, he went and join'd his Royal Highnefs, who was advanc'd above Carmagnole near a Meadow, in which was the Inter6 view, and then their Highneffes went to la Motta, his Royal Highness's Head-Quarters. Prince Eugene having communicated to him the Orders he had given out, it was judg'd proper to alter the March of the Army, and to take the Route of Villa-Stelion, for the Convenience of getting Water, and the Baron de Charce was dispatch'd for that purpose. We had Intelligence from Turin,

that

that the Enemy had attack'd a Half-Moon, and A. C. the 2d Counterfcarp of the Citadel, and that after 1706. having been repuls'd Twice, they pofted themfelves there the Third Time; but that Count Daun caufing a vigorous Salley to be made, drove them out again with great Lofs. The 30th the Baron de Charee return'd with an Account, that the Prince of Anhalt was ariiv'd in the Camp near Villa-Stellon, and that all the other Troops were in full March thither. They all arriv'd there the 31ft,and that Day their Highneffes view'd that new Camp, in which they made fome Alteration, and then return'd to la Motta. We had Advice that the Enemy's Troops were all arriv'd in the Camp "before Turin.

"The Ift, of September, N. S. his Royal Highness decamp'd from in Motta, with his Body of Horfe, and join'd our Army. He had the Satisfaction to find it in a very good Condition, and 'tis wonderful our Men and Horfes fhould keep fo well in fo long and tirefome a March. We made a triple Difcharge of Artillery,in Thanksgiving for fo happy a Junction. "His Royal Highnefs gave Orders for two Bridges of Barks to be made on the Po, and feveral other Difpofitions were made. We had Advice that the Enemy having given a new Affault on Turin, had 'been repuls'd.

The 2d, a Detachment that was fent out the 'Day before, having taken Poft at Chieri,their Highneffes accompanied by feveral Generals, went above that Place, upon the adjacent Hills, to take fa full View of the Siege of Turin, and the Enemy's Intrenchments. Towards Evening they return'd to the Camp, as did alfo the Detachment. The Enemy work'd to intrench themfelves on theHills above Moncallier, and fent Troops towards Cavoretto, where was their Bridge.

The 3d, the Imperialifts continued in the Camp of Villa-Stellon, in order to provide the Army with Bread, and to regulate other Difpofitions. The 4th, they decamp'd,and march'd a full Mile up the Left of the Po, which they afterwards paffed in good Order over two Bridges, and thence march'd to wards Bagnefco, where having pafs'd the Sangon, a

Camp

1706. Camp was form'd. The Night before, 4 Battalions A. C. and a Regiment of Dragoons were detatch'd towards Chieri, to join a great Number of the Militia

of the Country, and make fome Attempt against 'the Enemy.

The Duke of The Confederates having pafs'd the Po, in order Orleans to attack the French, the Duke of Orleans held a propofes to great Council of War, wherein he propofed, as his goout of the Opinion, to march out of the Lines, and fight the Intrench Enemy; confidering the Army of the two Crowns, ments and (which confifted of 93. Battalions, and 120 Squafight the Allies. But drons,) was above 10000 Men ftronger than the the contra Imperialifts; whofe Forces, tho' join'd by about Ty opinion 2000 Horfe, and 4000 Foot of the Duke of Savoy's prevails. Troops, did hardly amout to 28000 Men; But the Marefchal de Marcin was of another Sentiment, which being approv'd by the Majority of Votes, it was refolv'd, that the French Army fhould expect the Enemy in their Lines; And, in the mean time, they cut down the Trees, and made all other Preparations for their Defence.

The Allies

Convoy from the French,

On the 5th of September, the Allies purfued their take a great March towards Pianezza, and on the Way had Intelligence that a great Convoy of the Enemies, with a numerous Guard, was coming from the Valley of Suza to their Army; whereupon his Royal Highnefs and Prince Eugene made the neceffary Difpofitions for attacking it, which, was done with fo great Vigour, that the Guard was intirely defeated, and the Convoy taken; Part excepted, which fled to the Caftle of Pianezza, into which the Grenadiers entring the 6th by a Vault, the Enemy beat a Parley: but it was difficult to stop the Fury of the Soldiers, who had begun to put to the Sword all they first met. However, fome efcap'd; 250 were made Prifoners, with 30 Officers, and 2 Standards were taken with the reft of the Convoy, which in all confifted of about 1450 Mules, or Beafts of Burthen, loaded with Powder, Meal, Arms, and other Ammunion; and the Guard were 1300 Horfe. Difpofitions On the 6th, their Highneffes caus'd the whole of the Bat- Army to march to pafs, the Doria, and went themsle of Tu- felves to the Caftle of Pianezza, till all had pafs'd: rin, Sept. Which done they form'd the Camp, the Right

6. N. S.

Wing

231

Queen A N N E's Reign. Wing at Pianezza, and the left at the Venerie, where A. C. was the Head Quarter. A Refolution being taken, 1706. to attack, the next Day, the Enemy in their Intrench ment between the Stura and the Doria, the Dif pofitions were made in Prefence of all the Gene rals, and in Writing. The Foot were to be the Vanguard, and without bear of Drum, the Grena diers were to draw up before the Pruffian Troops an Hour, before Day, thofe of the first Line commanded by a Colonel, and thofe of the fecond by a Lieutenant Colonel, fo that by Day-break all was ready. The Foot were to march in 8 Columns, whereof 4 were to form the firft Line, the other 4 the fecond. Thofe Columns were to move at once, that is to fay, Major General Ver Haghen with his Brigade, or Column along the Stura, the other 7 on his Right, one by the Side of the other, obferving that the Field-Pieces diftributed among them, might move on between the Battalions.

In this Order they were to march to the Plain, and to make a halt when they came within Cannonfhot; and the 4 Brigades of the firft Line were to form to the Left, that the Pruffians might close up to the Stura, and the reft extend to the Right as much as poffible; and to make Room for the Cannon, an Interval of between 20 and 30 Paces was to be left between the Battalions. The 2d Line was to obferve the fame Order, but with larger Intervals than the firft, that in Cafe of Diforder, the Battalions might form themselves anew behind them; and this Line was to march at the Distance of 3 or 400 Paces from the first, regulating themselves according to the Motions of the faid firft Line, and obferving that no Soldier fir'd without the Qfficers Order. And when, by the Divine Affiftance, they fhould force the Enemy's Intrenchment, the firft Line was to form and poft it felf, till it fhould receive Or der, and open for the Horfe, which was to obferve the fame Directions as the Foot; with this Difference ftill,that the firftLine was to form 6 Columns, and the fecond as many as they were Brigades: but with larger Intervals than the Foot, for the Reafon above-mention'd. All the Hufars were to march in the Van, and act as they fhould be order'd. The

Q4

reft