Lieut.-Colonel Stearne gives nearly the same particulars, and adds--"We marched into the wood after them (the Royal Irish in the French service); and when we had got through, we found our army mounting the enemy's last entrenchments, and our brother _harpers_[25] scoured off as fast as their heels could carry them. Thus ended this great and terrible battle, which was the most obstinate engagement on both sides that has been known in the memory of man: the killed and wounded on both sides was very great." The EIGHTEENTH were afterwards employed in covering the siege of _Mons_, and passed the winter in quarters at Ghent. [Sidenote: 1710] From Ghent the regiment advanced on the 14th of April, 1710, and took part in the operations by which the French lines were passed at _Pont-à-Vendin_; and also formed part of the covering army during the siege of _Douay_, and also during the siege of _Bethune_; and was afterwards detached, under the Prince of Anhalt, to attack the town of _Aire_, situate on the banks of the river Lys. In the siege of this place many difficulties had to be overcome, from the nature of the ground, and from the determined defence of a numerous garrison: the EIGHTEENTH regiment had three officers killed, and five wounded; also about eighty soldiers killed and wounded. The garrison surrendered on the 9th of November; and the regiment, afterwards returned to Ghent.[26] [Sidenote: 1711] The ROYAL IRISH again took the field in April, 1711, and were employed in the operations by which the boasted impregnable French lines were passed at _Arleux_, and the opportunity of attacking the fortified town of _Bouchain_, situated on both sides of the river _Scheldt_, was ensured. The regiment formed part of a detachment of twenty battalions, commanded by Lieut.-General the Earl of Orkney, which took post on the north and north-west side of the town and river, and advanced to drive the French from the heights of Wavrechin. Captain Parker states, "Our British grenadiers marched to the top of the hill on the left of their works, in order to begin the attack on that side: here we were posted in a field of wheat, about seventy or eighty paces from their works, expecting every moment the signal to fall on. I must confess I did not like the aspect of the thing: we plainly saw their entrenchment was a perfect bulwark, strong and lofty, and crowded with men, and cannon pointed directly at us: we wished much that the Duke might take a nearer view. * * * * While I was musing, the Duke of Marlborough, ever watchful, ever right, rode up unattended, and posted himself on the right of my company of grenadiers, from whence he had a fair view of the greater part of the enemy's works. It is quite impossible for me to express the joy which the sight of this man gave me. I was well satisfied he would not push the thing unless he saw a strong probability of success; nor was this my notion alone; it was the sense of the whole army, both officers and soldiers,