their Rising Sun, together with many other of their men of war, at La Hogue. All which expresses were immediately forwarded to court, by Mr Gibson, our governor.

About two months after this, our regiment, among many others, was, according to order, shipped off on a secret expedition, under the command of the Duke of Leinster, no man knowing to what place we were going, or on what design; no, not the commander himself. However, when

we were out at sea, the General, according to instructions, opening his commission, we were soon put out of our suspense, and informed, that our orders were to attack Dunkirk. But what was so grand a secret to those concerned in the expedition, having been intrusted to a female politician on land, it was soon discovered to the enemy; for which reason, our orders were countermanded, before we reached the place of action, and our forces received directions to land at Ostend.

Steenkirk.

Soon after this, happened that memor- Battle at able battle at Steenkirk, which, as very few at that time could dive into the reason of, and mistaken accounts of it have passed for authentic, I will mention somewhat more particularly: The undertaking was bold, and, as many thought, bolder than was consistent with the character of the wise undertaker. Nevertheless, the French having taken Namur, and, as the malecontents alleged, in the very sight of a superior army, and nothing having been done by land of any moment, things were blown into such a dangerous fermentation, by a malicious and lying spirit, that King William found himself under a necessity of attempting something that might appcase the murmurs of the people. He knew very well, though spoke in the senate, that it was not true, that his forces at the siege of Namur exceeded those of the enemy; no man could be more afflicted than he at the overflowing of the Mehaigne, from the continual rains, which obstructed the relief

he had designed for that important place; yet, since his maligners made an ill use of these false topics, to insinuate that he had no mind to put an end to the war, he was resolved to evince the contrary, by shewing them that he was not afraid to venture his life for the better obtaining what was so much desired.

To that purpose, receiving intelligence that the Duke of Luxemburg lay strongly encamped at Steenkirk, near Enghien, (though he was sensible he must pass through many defiles to engage him; and that the many thickets between the two armies would frequently afford him new difficulties,) he resolved there to attack him. Our troops at first were forced to hew out their passage for the horse; and there was no one difficulty that his imagination had drawn, that was lessened by experience; and yet so prosperous were his arms at the beginning, that our troops had made themselves masters of several pieces of the enemy's cannon. But the farther he ad

vanced, the ground growing straiter, so strait as not to admit his armies being drawn up in battalia, the troops behind could not give timely succour to those engaged, and the cannon we had taken was forcibly left behind, in order to make a good retreat. The French had lost all their courage in the onset; for though they had too fair an opportunity, they did not think fit to pursue it; or, at least, did it very languidly. However, the malecontents at home, I remember, grew very well pleased after this; for, so long as they had but a battle for their money, like true Englishmen, lost or won, they were contented.

Several causes, I remember, were assigned for this miscarriage, as they called it some there were who were willing to lay it upon the Dutch; and allege a saying of one of their generals, who, receiving orders to relieve some English and Scotch that were overpowered, was heard to say, "Damn them, since they love fighting, let them have their bellies full." But I should

rather impute the disappointment to the great loss of so many of our bravest officers at the very first onset. General Mackay, Colonel Lanier, the Earl of Angus, with both his field-officers, Sir Robert Douglas, Colonel Hodges, and many others, falling, it was enough to put a very considerable army into confusion. I remember one particular action of Sir Robert Douglas, that I should think myself to blame should I omit: seeing his colours on the other side the hedge, in the hands of the enemy, he leaped over, slew the officer that had them, and then threw them over the hedge to his company; redeeming his colours at the expence of his life. Thus, the Scotch commander improved upon the Roman General; for the brave Posthumius cast his standard in the middle of the enemy, for his soldiers to retrieve; but Douglas retrieved his from the middle of the enemy, without any assistance, and cast it back to his soldiers to retain, after he had so bravely reseued it out of the hands of the enemy..