The winter having been passed by the Fourth Horse amongst the hardy Belgians, they left Flanders in May, 1708, and proceeding to the vicinity of Brussels were formed in brigade with the Duke of Schomberg's regiment (now Seventh Dragoon Guards), commanded by Brigadier-General Sybourg. They were afterwards engaged in several operations in Brabant and Hainault; while the enemy, taking advantage of the absence of the troops from Ghent and Bruges, obtained possession, by treachery, of these two towns, which had been the winter quarters of the English forces.

A series of movements at length brought on the battle of Oudenarde, which was fought on the 11th of July in the inclosures near the banks of the Scheldt.

During the early part of the action the five[37] regiments of British Cuirassiers, having crossed the Scheldt by the bridge of boats, were stationed in reserve on the plain of Huerne, behind the right wing of the army, ready to charge when the moment for a decisive attack of the horse should arrive. Advancing from this post they supported the infantry engaged, manœuvring so as to sustain the line in front, and to be ever ready to execute a charge, while their presence held in check several French corps; but owing to the local peculiarities of the ground, which was intersected by hedges, ditches, and rivulets, darkness put an end to the conflict before these warlike horsemen, who panted for an opportunity once more to distinguish themselves, were called upon to engage in close combat. The French retreated in confusion during the night, and at daybreak the Fourth Horse, with several other corps, were detached in pursuit; some slight skirmishing occurred, and the French took refuge under the cannon of Ghent.

In the movements which followed this victory the Fourth Horse took part, and they were subsequently employed in protecting the battering cannon, with an immense convoy of military stores, which were sent from Brussels to the army. They also formed part of the covering army during the siege of Lisle, an important and formidable fortress, protected by a Marshal of France, Boufflers, with a garrison of 15,000 men, and everything requisite for a successful defence; at the same time Louis XIV. commanded an immense army to be assembled for the purpose of raising the siege. But the allies, unmoved by the menacing manœuvres and threatened attacks of the enemy, prosecuted their purpose with vigour, and the vaunts of the French commanders evaporated in a short cannonade which produced little result.

The supplies of ammunition and provision for the besieging army having to be conveyed a considerable distance by land, the Fourth Horse were occasionally detached from the army to guard the waggons and cover their advance. In September an immense convoy, with ammunition and other necessaries, was despatched from Ostend under the charge of a guard commanded by Major-General Webb; at the same time the Count de La Motte advanced with 22,000 French troops to intercept this supply, on the safe arrival of which the fate of Lisle depended; and the Fourth Horse, with several other corps, were detached from the camp at Lannoy under Major-General Cadogan to the aid of the convoy. As the British squadrons approached the woods of Wynendale, a loud cannonade was heard; they instantly dashed forward, and the moment they arrived at the scene of conflict the French relinquished the attack, and the stores were conveyed in safety to the camp.[38]

After the surrender of Lisle, the Fourth Horse marched to East Flanders, and were engaged in military operations until Ghent and Bruges were re-captured, when the regiment went into quarters; and the losses of the preceding campaign were replaced by a remount of ninety-seven men and seventy-one horses.[39]

1709

After remaining in quarters in Flanders until June, 1709, the Fourth Horse advanced up the country and erected their tents on the plain of Lisle, near the banks of the Deule, where a vast and magnificent army, composed of the troops of several nations, extended its encampment in regular order over a large tract of country, and exhibited a fine spectacle of war. From this camp the Fourth Horse proceeded to the banks of the Scheldt, and formed part of the covering army during the siege of the boasted impregnable fortress of Tournay, which surrendered in the beginning of September.

From the banks of the Scheldt the Fourth Horse moved with the army in the direction of Mons, the capital of the province of Hainault, with the design of wresting this important place from the power of France. But while the allies were on the march, the French army moved from its former post and took up a position near Malplaquet, at the same time increasing the natural strength of the post by entrenchments and other works. In this camp were collected the choicest troops of France, commanded by two celebrated Marshals, Villiers and Boufflers, and opposed to them the victorious Marlborough and Eugene headed the heroes of Blenheim and Ramilies, amongst whom were the celebrated British Horse under the chivalrous Lieut.-General Wood.

On the morning of the 11th of September (N. S.), after divine service had been performed at the head of the troops, the battle commenced with an animation and effect which indicated the ardour that prevailed in both armies. In the attack of the entrenchments, and in forcing the works, the cavalry could not take part, and for a time the services of the Fourth Horse were limited to supporting the attack on the left centre, where the enemy's position was eventually forced by the infantry. In the midst of the arduous struggle, and while the storm of war was raging with dreadful fury, the Duke of Marlborough led forward the five regiments of British Cuirassiers, commanded by Lieut.-General Wood, and the Prussian cavalry, against the renowned Gens d'armes of France, who were instantly routed and chased from the ground; but as the British and Prussian horsemen, who were somewhat broken by the charge, continued their victorious course and swept the field in triumph, they were met by a compact line of French cavalry, consisting of the Gardes-du-Corps, Light Horse, Musqueteers, and Horse Grenadiers of the royal household, led by Marshal Boufflers, and these distinguished troops succeeded in driving back the squadrons of the allies. The British horsemen were, however, only repulsed, not defeated: they soon rallied again, and, glowing with zeal to encounter so celebrated an enemy, they returned to the charge, when their valour and prowess prevailed; and the French squadrons being driven from the field, the remainder of their army retired immediately afterwards, leaving the allies victorious, but with the loss of many men killed and wounded, and the pursuit was not continued beyond the village of Quievrain.