Chapter 23: The Siege of Lille.
The British cavalry suffered less severely at Oudenarde than did
those of the other allied nationalities, as they were during the
greater portion of the day held in reserve; and neither Rupert nor
any of his special friends in the regiment were wounded. He was,
however, greatly grieved at the death of Sir John Loveday, who was
killed by a cannonball at the commencement of the action. Two of
the captains in the 5th were also killed, and this gave Rupert
another step. He could have had his captain's rank long before, had
he accepted the Duke's offer, several times repeated, of a post on
his staff. He preferred, however, the life with his regiment, and
in this his promotion was, of course, regular, instead of going up
by favour, as was, and still is, the case on the staff.
The train for the siege of Lille was brought up by canal from
Holland to Brussels; and although the French knew that a large
accumulation of military stores was taking place there, they could
not believe that Marlborough meditated so gigantic an undertaking
as the siege of Lille, and believed that he was intending to lay
siege to Mons.
Berwick, with his army, which had since his arrival on the scene of
action been lying at Douai, now advanced to Montagne; and Vendome
detached 18,000 men from his army, lying between Ghent and Bruges,
to Malle, to intercept any convoy that might move out from
Brussels.
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