On the 27th of July the British commander proceeded, with four thousand horse and dragoons, towards the enemy's intrenchments, and Lieutenant BENSON, with thirty men of the ROYAL DRAGOONS, who formed the advance-guard, charged and defeated a piquet of forty French horsemen, and chased them to the barriers of their intrenchments with signal gallantry, which gave his Grace an opportunity of advancing within musket-shot of the lines. He was desirous of attacking these formidable works, but was prevented by the timidity and pertinacity of the Dutch generals and field deputies. In August, when the siege of _Huy_ was undertaken, the ROYAL DRAGOONS were encamped on the banks of the river Maese, to secure the bridge, and to keep up the communication. They were subsequently engaged in the siege of _Limburg_, a city situated on a pleasant eminence among the woods near the banks of the little river Wesdet. Spanish Guelderland having been delivered from the power of France, and the Dutch freed from the dread of an invasion, the ROYAL DRAGOONS quitted the vicinity of Limburg and marched back to Holland. In the mean time circumstances had occurred which occasioned their removal from the army commanded by the celebrated DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH, to another theatre of war. During the summer the Emperor of Germany and Prince Joseph renounced their pretensions to the Spanish monarchy in behalf of Archduke Charles, who was acknowledged as King of Spain by several of the states of Europe; and a treaty of alliance having been concluded with the King of Portugal, the ROYAL DRAGOONS were selected to accompany the Archduke to Lisbon, and to take part in the attempt to place him on the throne of Spain by force of arms. [Sidenote: 1704] The Portuguese monarch having engaged to provide horses for the English cavalry, the ROYAL DRAGOONS transferred their horses to the British regiments in Holland, and embarked, dismounted, in October; but were so long detained by contrary winds and severe weather, that they did not arrive at the capital of Portugal before March, 1704, when they landed with the remainder of the British and Dutch forces commanded by DUKE SCHOMBERG.