After this the Regiment formed part of the covering army, and was employed in escorting provisions and ammunition to the troops laying siege to Lisle, the capital of French Flanders. After Lisle had fallen to the Allies, the Greys were sent into winter quarters in Flanders. The winter proved extremely severe, and a considerable number of men and horses are said to have been frozen to death. In 1709 the Greys formed part of the troops covering the siege and fall of Tournay; but the event of the year was the battle of Malplaquet, fought on September 11th, 1709. The Greys were brigaded with the Royal Irish Dragoons, under Brigadier-General Sybourg. They were posted near the centre of the Allied Army to sustain the attacks of the infantry and protect the artillery, and for some time were only spectators of the fierce storm of battle which raged on all sides; at length, however, they were ordered to file through a wood in their front, and charge. Scarcely had the brigade emerged from among the trees before it encountered a line of French cavalry; these squadrons were, however, soon dispersed, but they were instantly succeeded by a new line of champions, consisting of a number of squadrons of the French household cavalry, clad in armour, and advancing in firm array. Richard Cannon has described how the Greys and Irish Dragoons met these foaming squadrons with signal bravery, but were driven from their ground by superior numbers. The two regiments soon rallied, and being joined by several corps of horse, returned to the charge; yet such was the resolution displayed by the French troopers that it was not until the third charge that they were driven from the field. The two victorious regiments were specially thanked by the Duke of Marlborough. The Greys lost about thirty killed and wounded. The regiment was afterwards employed in covering the siege of Mons, the capital of Hainault, and after the surrender of Mons marched into winter quarters at the little town of Tiel. Malplaquet was a desperately hard-fought battle. Not for the first or last time in our history, an important battle was nearly lost through the imbecile action of the authorities at home in failing to support an able general abroad. In Coxe's "Marlborough," large paper edition, Vol. III., page 90, we find the following:--