The TWELFTH, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel William Robinson, with the twenty-third and thirty-seventh British regiments, followed by the twentieth, twenty-fifth, and fifty-first, under Major-General Waldegrave and Major-General Kingsley, flanked by two battalions of Hanoverian foot guards, and the Hanoverian regiment of Hardenberg, and supported by three regiments of Hanoverians and a battalion of Hessian foot guards, advanced to attack the left wing of the French army, where Marshal de Contades had posted the _élite_ of his cavalry, the carabineers and gendarmes. The TWELFTH, twenty-third, and thirty-seventh, led the attack with signal intrepidity: as they moved forward in firm array, the enemy's artillery opened a tremendous fire, which rent chasms in the ranks, and the French carabineers advanced to charge them; but a rolling volley from the three British regiments smote the hostile squadrons, when many men fell, and the survivors reined up their horses, wheeled about, and galloped to the rear; their artillery recommencing its fire as the repulsed squadrons withdrew. The Hanoverian brigade came up on the left of the TWELFTH, twenty-third, and thirty-seventh, and the other three British regiments on the right. Soon, another line of French cavaliers, gay in splendid uniforms, and formidable in numbers, came forward, the soldiers shouting and waving their swords; but they were struck in mid-onset by a tempest of bullets from the British regiments, broken, and driven back with severe loss. Still pressing forward with a conquering violence, the three brigades became exposed to the fire of the enemy's infantry on their flanks; but nothing could stop them: encouraged by success, and confident in their own prowess, they followed up their advantage, routed the whole of the French cavalry, and drove it from the field.[10] Two brigades of French infantry endeavoured to stem the torrent of battle; but they were quickly broken and dispersed.[11] A body of Saxon troops made a show of coming down upon the conquering British regiments, but they were soon put to flight, and the triumphant English continued their splendid career, overpowering all opposition. The action commenced between six and seven o'clock in the morning; about nine the enemy began to give way; a general confusion followed; and at ten o'clock the whole French army fled in disorder, with the loss of forty-three pieces of cannon, ten stand of colours, and seven standards.