Then
the rear guard began to fall back before the French; and fighting
every step of the way, the last of the Dutch army reached Fort
Lille long after night had fallen.
Their loss in this desperate hand-to-hand fighting had been 4000
killed and wounded, besides 600 prisoners and six guns. The French
and Spaniards lost 3000 killed and wounded.
It was well for Rupert that Hugh kept so close to him, for nearly
the last shot fired by the enemy struck him, and he fell beneath
the water, when his career would have been ended had not Hugh
seized him and lifted him ashore. So much had the gallantry of the
little cornet attracted the attention and admiration of the Dutch,
that plenty of volunteers were glad to assist Hugh to carry him to
Fort Lille. There during the night a surgeon examined his wound,
and pronounced that the ball had broken two ribs, and had then
glanced out behind, and that if all went well, in a month he would
be about again.
The numbers of wounded were far beyond the resources of Fort Lille
to accommodate, and all were upon the following day put into boats,
and distributed through the various Dutch riverine towns, in order
that they might be well tended and cared for. This was a far better
plan than their accumulation in large military hospitals, where,
even with the greatest care, the air is always impure, and the
deaths far more numerous than when the men are scattered, and can
have good nursing and fresh air.
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