

I 





282 



A HISTORY OP CAVALRY. 



[period hi. 



the left and fell upon Albuquerque, while he sent GasBion 

 at the same time to turn his flank. This charge was 

 crowned with complete success. In a few minutes the 

 whole Spanish cavalry of their left were dispersed and 

 flying. Detaching Gassion with a small force to pursue 

 the fugitives and prevent them rallying, Condd turned 

 to the left with his horsemen, and struck the exposed 

 flank of the German, Walloon, and Italian infantry, 

 who were upon that wing of the Spanish army.^ 

 Fortune smiled upon the young general, and wherever 

 he appeared success followed him. In a very short time 

 the whole Spanish left wing was utterly broken and 

 routed. 



While victory was with Cond^ in his part of the 

 battle, with the Marechal de I'Hdpital everything had 

 gone wrong. News was brought to Condd that De Melo, 

 with the choicest Spanish troops of the right wing, had 

 repulsed the French left with such vigour that all had 

 gone down before them, that De I'Hdpital had been 

 driven back, his cannon taken, his infantry cut to pieces, 

 and the fugitives thrown in confusion upon the reserves. 



When these disastrous tidings reached Conde, he was 

 in rear of the Spanish right, pursuing the fugitives he 

 had beaten. His extraordinary genius, his quick cowp 

 d'oeil enabled him to form his decision with lightning 

 rapidity. Rallying at once the cavalry of the wing he 

 commanded, he thundered along the whole rear of the 

 Spanish army, and fell furiously upon the rear of 

 De Melo's cavalry, who were pursuing the fugitives of 

 De rH6pitars command. In an instant the fortune 

 of the day changed. Everything went down before his 

 impetuous onslaught ; the once victorious Spanish 

 division was speedily conquered, the cannon recaptured, 

 the prisoners released, and the defeated enemy scattered 

 and sent flying in every direction. 



The Spanish infantry of the centre however still stood 

 firm. This old and renowned force, which for a hundred 

 years and more had been deemed almost invincible, was 

 commanded by the gallant Count of FueL!;es, and by its 



' Rocquancourt, i. 441. 



