The wreck of the French army continued its precipitate flight to Louvain, and immediately afterwards abandoned that city, and also Brussels. The States of Brabant, and the magistrates of Brussels, renounced their allegiance to the Duke of Anjou. The principal towns of Brabant, and several others in Flanders, were immediately delivered up, and others surrendered on being summoned, or in a few days afterwards. Dendermond held out, and was blockaded in the early part of June; and Ostend was afterwards besieged by a detachment from the main army, and surrendered on the 6th of July. Menin was besieged on the 25th of July, and surrendered in August; and Dendermond was delivered up in the early part of September. During these sieges the ROYALS continued to form part of the covering army; but after the surrender of Dendermond, one battalion of the regiment was detached under Marshal d'Auverquerque and Lieut.-General Ingoldsby, to besiege _Aeth_, a town and fortress on the river Dender. This place was invested on the 16th of September: the several attacks were carried on with vigour, and the garrison surrendered on the 3rd of October. The capture of Aeth was the last important event of this glorious campaign: and in the early part of November the ROYAL Regiment marched into garrison at Ghent. [Sidenote: 1707] Here the regiment passed the succeeding winter and spring, and again took the field on the 16th of May, 1707, when the first battalion was formed in brigade with the Foot Guards and the regiments of Godfrey and Sabine (now 16th and 23rd), commanded by Brigadier-General Meredith; and the second battalion with the regiments of Webb, Ingoldsby, and Tatton, (now 8th, 18th, and 24th), and Temple's (since disbanded), under the command of Brigadier General Sir Richard Temple, afterwards Viscount Cobham. The opposing armies, however, passed the campaign in manœuvring, and observing each other's movements; the French avoided a general engagement; and in October the ROYALS returned to Ghent. In this year, the Union of Scotland with England having taken place, the _Cross of St. Andrew_ was placed on the colours of the English regiments in addition to the Cross of St. George--previously displayed; and the ROYAL Regiment obtained as a regimental badge--the _Royal Cypher_, within the _circle of St. Andrew_, surmounted with _a crown_; instead of St. Andrew's Cross, which it had formerly borne on its colours. [Sidenote: 1708]