A minute later, almost before the colonel had drawn up his men,
there was a fierce shout, and there came thundering down upon the
village, with almost irresistible shock, a body of the enemy.
"Irishmen, by Jove!" cried a man by Matthew's side. "They'll fight
like demons!"
The attack, in truth, came from the Irish Brigade, a doughty body of
Irishmen, exiles from their country, in the service of Louis. Before
the Englishmen realized the situation the Irishmen had dashed clean
through the force occupying Oberglau, and had taken up a position
between the men and Eugene.
The confusion was extreme, and the allied troops could scarce be got
to face the resistless Irishmen at all. Things looked desperate. The
colonel of Blackett's regiment, seeing the state of things at
Oberglau, as he toured it, shouted, "Go and tell the Duke, Mr.
Blackett!" and away dashed Matthew once more to the General. He was a
pretty spectacle, but he did not give the matter a thought, and his
news prevented the Duke from paying much heed to the condition of the
messenger.
"Lead the way," came the sharp order, and Blackett thundered on in
front, the great commander with a body of men hard after him, to find
the energetic and plucky colonel fallen badly wounded, and the
regiment in difficulties.
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