Boufflers formed his infantry
into three great masses, and fell back in good order in the
direction of Bavai.
Such was the victory of Malplaquet. A victory indeed, but won at
such a cost that a few more such successes would have been ruin.
The allies had gained the French position, had driven the enemy
from the field, and had prevented the raising of the siege of Mons,
the great object of the French; but beyond that their advantage was
slight, for the enemy retired in good order, and were ready to have
fought again, if attacked, on the following day.
The allies captured fourteen guns and twenty-five standards. The
French carried off thirty-two standards, principally Dutch. The
French lost 14,000 men in killed and wounded, the allies fully
20,000.
The French historians have done full justice to the extraordinary
bravery of the allied troops. One of their officers wrote after the
battle:
"Eugene and Marlborough ought to be well satisfied with us on that
day, since up to that time they had not met with a resistance
worthy of them. They may now say with justice that nothing can
stand before them; and indeed what should be able to stay the rapid
progress of those heroes, if an army of 100,000 men of the best
troops, strongly posted between two woods, trebly entrenched, and
performing their duty as well as any brave men could do, were not
able to stop them one day? Will you not then own with me that they
surpass all the heroes of former ages?"
The siege of Mons was now undertaken, and after a month's gallant
defence, fell, and the two armies then went into winter quarters,
there remaining now only the fortress of Valenciennes between the
allies and Paris.
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