At the muster of the survivors of his regiment Blackett was
missing. Half the night did George search for him, and was at last
rewarded by finding the young fellow lying wounded and helpless on the
boggy ground. It was an intense relief when the surgeon gave good
hopes of Matthew's ultimate recovery.
"I'm done for this campaign, old friend," Blackett said with a feeble
smile to George, "and must be sent home for a while. But I hope to
turn up among you another year."
If to follow up a great victory promptly, vigorously, and fully, be
one of the distinguishing marks of a great commander, then the Duke of
Marlborough was certainly one of the greatest generals of whom history
tells. Hardly anything more striking than his long and rapid series of
successes in the weeks after Ramillies can be credited to a military
leader, not even excepting Wellington and Napoleon. Louvain, Brussels,
Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, all fell into his hands. Menin, Ostend,
Dendermonde, and a few other strongholds gave pore trouble, and the
brave Marshal Vendome was sent to their assistance. It was useless;
Vendome turned tail and fled, his men refusing to face the terrible
English Duke. "Every one here is ready to doff his hat, if one even
mentions the name of Marlborough," Vendome wrote to his master Louis.
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