"
Accordingly, when, after a great fight with the French fleet under the
formidable Count of Toulouse, off Malaga, a doubtful affair, the
English ships reached home, the lieutenant and George at once offered
for service under the Duke, and were accepted. They sailed away again,
for the Netherlands, Fieldsend carrying in his pocket a few words of
recommendation from Sir George to the commander-in-chief himself.
The year 1703 had been a sorry year for Marlborough. In the winter he
had lost his son, the Marquis of Blandford, a promising youth, a
Cambridge student. When the spring operations began, he had found
himself hampered at every turn by the jealousies and oppositions of
the Dutch rulers and their commanders. In despair, Marlborough had
marched up the Rhine and taken Bonn. Meanwhile the French were
striving to reach Vienna, there to attack the Emperor. Returning, the
Duke was all eager to attack the great port and stronghold of Antwerp,
the capture of which would be a heavy blow to Louis. He had, however,
to content himself with seizing Huy, Limburg, and Guilders, a success
more than counterbalanced by the defeat of the Emperor at Hochstaedt,
by the French and Bavarians. Disheartened and disgusted, Marlborough
went home at the end of the summer, and it was only by the strong
persuasion of Lord Godolphin, now at the helm of state, that he
retained his command at all.
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