At three o'clock on the morning of the 11th of September, the Tenth were on parade in the meadow where they had passed the night, and the chaplain performed divine service. A thick mist concealed the opposing armies from each other, but the din of hostile preparation was heard, and the soldiers, having confidence in their leaders, were anxious to acquire new laurels under their favourite chiefs. They waited till the sun broke forth, and then the battle commenced.
Entrenchments, abatis de bois, and other defensive works, covered the front and flanks of the French, and the storming of these formidable works occasioned a greater loss of life, than occurred at the battles of Blenheim, Ramilies, and Oudenarde put together.
The Tenth were formed in brigade, on this occasion, with the foot guards, royals, and thirty-seventh, and were in the column commanded by General Count Lottum. To this column was allotted the task of storming the enemy's entrenchments in the wood of Taisniere, which proved a difficult service. The foot guards led the attack, and behaved with great gallantry, but they encountered such formidable opposition that they were repulsed. The royals seconded the foot guards, and the buffs, being at the head of the next brigade, prolonged the attack to the left. The Tenth penetrated between the royals and the buffs, and the whole rushing forward with determined resolution, forced the entrenchments, when the French fell back fighting, but halted and renewed the contest in the wood. The Tenth, and other corps at this point, penetrated among the trees, and a sharp fire of musketry was kept up. The foliage was thick, every tree was disputed, and the wood re-echoed the din of battle. In the meantime a severe contest was taking place at other parts of the field, and obstacles deemed insurmountable were overcome; but the carnage was dreadful. The enemy's centre was forced; the cavalry of the allied army triumphed over the French horsemen, and the Tenth, and other British regiments in the woods of Taisniere, gained ground on their opponents. Eventually the French legions were driven from the field, with the loss of many prisoners, colours, standards, and cannon. When the soldiers of the allied army gazed at the formidable entrenchments, and other difficulties they had overcome, they were astonished at their own success.
On this occasion the regiment did not sustain a very severe loss in killed and wounded: the only officers mentioned in the list are Lieutenants Fellowes and Elstead wounded.
After the victory of Malplaquet, the siege of Mons was undertaken, and the Tenth formed part of the covering army: the garrison surrendered on the 20th of October, and shortly afterwards the regiment marched into winter-quarters at Ghent.
1710
Leaving its winter-quarters in the middle of April, 1710, the regiment directed its march to the vicinity of Tournay, where the allied army assembled. The capture of the small post of Mortagne proved a prelude to another campaign in which several fortresses were wrested from the French monarch. By a forced march the enemy's lines were passed at Pont-à-Vendin, and the siege of Douay, a considerable fortress in the second line of defence which covered the frontiers of Artois, was undertaken. Douay is a town of antiquity, having been a place of note in the time of the first Counts of Flanders; the river Scarpe running through the town, the river Haine being near it, the works being also strong, numerous, and well garrisoned, the siege of this place was an important undertaking. The Tenth foot, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Henry Grove, had their post in the lines of circumvallation, but did not take part in the attacks upon the works. When the French army, under Marshal Villars, advanced to raise the siege, the regiment was in position to oppose the enemy, and it had several men killed and wounded by a heavy cannonade which occurred on that occasion. Marshal Villars did not hazard an engagement, and the governor of Douay, after a very gallant defence, surrendered on the 27th of June.
After this conquest the English general resolved to attack Bethune, a strong town formerly belonging to the Counts of Flanders; but having been taken by Gaston, Duke of Orleans, it was annexed to the French monarchy at the peace of the Pyrenees in 1659. During the siege of Bethune, the Tenth had their post in the covering army encamped at Villars-Brulin, where the regiment was stationed until the garrison surrendered on the 29th of August.
The next undertaking in which the army was engaged was the siege of Aire and St. Venant, which towns were so situated as to admit of a simultaneous investment, and as the capture of these fortresses would secure the navigation of the Lys, and open a water communication with Tournay, Lisle, and Ghent, the skill of the generals and the valour of the troops were called forth to insure their reduction. The Tenth were among the corps engaged in the siege of Aire, and as the governor of that place made a very vigorous defence, a severe loss was sustained in killed and wounded. The regiment was several times warmly engaged in carrying on the attacks and storming the out-works; on which occasions its gallant bearing called forth the commendations of the Prince of Anhalt, who commanded the troops employed in the siege. On the 9th of November, the garrison surrendered; but the possession of Aire was purchased at a serious loss of brave soldiers.
Thus, fortress after fortress fell before the superior skill of the commanders and the prowess of the troops composing the allied army. After the surrender of Aire, the Tenth marched to Courtray, a town of Hainault, situate on the river Lys, and defended by towers and a strong castle erected by Philip, Duke of Burgundy, in 1385: at this place the regiment passed the winter, and its losses were replaced by recruits from England.