The two great armies now faced each other, their numerical force
being not unequal, the French being about 60,000 strong; and the
allies 66,000. In other respects, however, the advantage lay wholly
with the enemy. They had ninety guns, while the allies had but
fifty-one; while out of the 60,000 troops under Marshal Tallard
45,000 were the best troops France could produce. The allied army
was a motley assembly, composed of nearly equal numbers of English,
Prussians, Danes, Wurtemburghers, Dutch, Hanoverians, and Hessians.
But although not more numerous than the troops of other
nationalities, it was felt by all that the brunt of the battle
would fall upon the British.
These had, throughout the three campaigns, shown fighting qualities
of so high a character, that the whole army had come to look upon
them as their mainstay in battle. The heavy loss which had taken
place among these, the flower of his troops, at the assault of
Schlessingen greatly decreased the fighting power of Marlborough's
army.
The weakness caused by the miscellaneous character of the army was
so much felt, that Marlborough was urged to draw off, and not to
tempt fortune under such unfavourable circumstances.
Marshal Villeroi was, however, within a few days march with a large
force, and Marlborough felt that if he effected a junction with
Tallard, Austria was lost. It was therefore necessary, at all
hazards, to fight at once.
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