To that Purpose, receiving Intelligence that the Duke of _Luxemburg_ lay strongly encamp'd at _Steenkirk_, near _Enghien_ (tho' he was sensible he must pass through many Defiles to engage him; and that the many Thickets between the two Armies would frequently afford him new Difficulties) he resolv'd there to attack him. Our Troops at first were forc'd to hew out their Passage for the Horse; and there was no one difficulty that his Imagination had drawn that was lessen'd by Experience; and yet so prosperous were his Arms at the Beginning, that our Troops had made themselves Masters of several Pieces of the Enemy's Cannon. But the farther he advanc'd, the Ground growing straiter, so strait as not to admit his Army's being drawn up in Battalia, the Troops behind could not give timely Succour to those engag'd, and the Cannon we had taken was forcibly left behind in order to make a good Retreat. The _French_ had lost all their Courage in the Onset; for though they had too fair an Opportunity, they did not think fit to pursue it; or, at least, did it very languidly. However, the Malecontents at Home, I remember, grew very well pleas'd after this; for so long as they had but a Battle for their Money, like true _Englishmen_, lost or won, they were contented. Several Causes, I remember, were assign'd for this Miscarriage, as they call'd it; Some there were who were willing to lay it upon the _Dutch_; and alledge a Saying of one of their Generals, who receiving Orders to relieve some _English_ and _Scotch_ that were over-power'd, was heard to say, _Dam 'em, since they love Fighting let 'em have their Bellies full_. But I should rather impute the Disappointment to the great Loss of so many of our bravest Officers at the very first Onset. General _Mackay_, Colonel _Lanier_, the Earl of _Angus_, with both his Field-Officers, Sir _Robert Douglas_, Colonel _Hodges_, and many others falling, it was enough to put a very considerable Army into Confusion. I remember one particular Action of Sir _Robert Douglas_, that I should think my self to blame should I omit: Seeing his Colours on the other Side the Hedge, in the Hands of the Enemy, he leap'd over, slew the Officer that had them, and then threw them over the Hedge to his Company; redeeming his Colours at the Expense of his Life. Thus the _Scotch_ Commander improv'd upon the _Roman_ General; for the brave _Posthumius_ cast his Standard in the Middle of the Enemy for his Soldiers to retrieve, but _Douglas_ retriev'd his from the Middle of the Enemy, without any Assistance, and cast it back to his Soldiers to retain, after he had so bravely rescued it out of the Hands of the Enemy.