. British campaigns in Flanders, 1690-1794; being extracts from "A history of the British army,". n the annals of theAustrian cavalry. The Fifteenth led by Captain Aylett now advancedat a rapid trot, breaking into a gallop at one hundredand fifty yards from the French cavalry. These didnot await the shock but wheeled outwards, right andleft, and retired at speed, unmasking a line of Frenchskirmishers and guns, which opened fire before theirfront was clear and killed several of their own rear of the artillery six French battalions, or aboutthree thousand men, were massed together in
. British campaigns in Flanders, 1690-1794; being extracts from "A history of the British army,". n the annals of theAustrian cavalry. The Fifteenth led by Captain Aylett now advancedat a rapid trot, breaking into a gallop at one hundredand fifty yards from the French cavalry. These didnot await the shock but wheeled outwards, right andleft, and retired at speed, unmasking a line of Frenchskirmishers and guns, which opened fire before theirfront was clear and killed several of their own rear of the artillery six French battalions, or aboutthree thousand men, were massed together in quadrateformation of oblong shape,^ with the front rank kneel-ing. A volley from the eastern face of this square,together with a discharge of grape from the guns,checked the attack for a moment ; but, cheered onby their officers, the Fifteenth swept through the * So say the records of the 15th Hussars. I suspect that therewere two squares with the guns between them, as at Avesnes-le-Secon 12th September 1793. Two squares side by side would give anappearance of oblong shape to tlie 304 BRITISH CAMPAIGNS IN FLANDERS vol. iv 1794- battery and dashed straight upon the bayonets. TheApril 24. French infantry seems to have stood till the lastmoment, for Aylett fell with a deep thrust throughthe body, and four other officers had their horseswounded under them ; but the onset of the Dragoonswas irresistible. One half of the square was dis-persed instantly ; and the other half, after firing avolley, broke up likewise before the charge of theFifteenth, and fled in wild disorder. In rear of thesquare were more French squadrons, upon whichthose that retired from the front had been re-formed ;but these had given way before the impetuous attackof the Austrian Hussars, and for half a mile the sabresof both Austrians and British dealt terrible havocamong the flying Frenchmen.^ Leaving, however, the Austrians to pursue theinfantry towards Cambrai, the Fifteenth, now com-manded by Ca
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