The villages of Ramillies and Offuz,
with a mound known as the Tomb of Ottomond at the back of the former,
were held by a strong centre. Marlborough, on his part, had disposed
his men along a chord of that arc. If it came to a question of moving
men and guns from one wing to the other, it was plain that the Duke
had the advantage, the distance along an arc being necessarily greater
than that along its chord, and it was that thought which came into the
heads of the two lieutenants.
Marlborough directed his right to attack the enemy around the village
of Anderkirk, backing up the assault with a contingent from his
centre. Blackett and his friend were soon taking part in the gallop
over the swampy ground in the neighbourhood of the village. A sharp
encounter followed, the Frenchmen beginning to waver. Hereupon
Villeroy in alarm promptly sent from his centre a large number of men
to support his staggering left at Anderkirk, thereby leaving his
centre weak.
All at once Marlborough withdrew his troops to the high ground
opposite the hamlet of Offuz, as if for a fresh attack. Then sending
back a part to keep up the pretence of continuing the combat in the
marsh, he took advantage of the concealment afforded by the higher
ground, and, cleverly detaching a large body, ordered them to slip
away round to seize Tavieres, on the Mehaigne.
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