The fight still raged in the centre; but the flanks being defeated, the enemy surrounded the centre and made a great slaughter. Major-General Shrimpton, Brigadier-General Macartney, Colonels Britton and Hill, and several other officers, collected the broken remains of the English regiments, which fought in the centre, into a body, and united them with some of the Dutch and Portuguese, who had been rallied by Count de Dhona and Don Juan Emanuel, and formed a body of nearly four thousand men, who retreated two leagues; but were pursued by the enemy, whom they repeatedly repulsed. Arriving at the woody hills of Caudete, the men were so exhausted with fatigue that they were unable to proceed; they passed the night in the wood, where they were surrounded by the enemy; and on the following morning, being without ammunition, ignorant of the country, destitute of provisions, and without the hope of a supply, they surrendered prisoners of war. Such was the result of this unfortunate battle, where the faint and wearied soldiers were hurried forward to fight superior numbers of fresh troops, commanded by a renowned general: but, notwithstanding these disadvantages, the author of the Annals of Queen Anne observes:--"Had the Portuguese bravely seconded the English and Dutch, who, with unparalleled resolution and undauntedness broke the enemy's centre, it is the opinion of many that victory would have inclined to the confederate side; or, at least, that the latter might have made an honourable retreat, and, considering the vast disproportion of the forces, have gained the glory of the day." The loss of the SIXTH was very great: Lieutenant-Colonel M'Neal, Captains Columbine, Drake, Campbell, and Justiene, Lieutenants Harvey and Emmery, and Ensigns Sarracen and Watts were killed; Captains Bennett and Hussey were taken prisoners; and Lieutenants Beauford, Columbine, Babington, Magee, M'Neal, and Campbell, Ensigns Beckwith, Morgan, and Reynolds, Quarter-Master Begham, Surgeon Dilpach, and Surgeon's-Mate Macdonald, were wounded and taken prisoners.