The Rise of the Dutch Republic — Volume 14: 1568, part IMotley, John Lothrop
History
The Rise of the Dutch Republic — Volume 14: 1568, part I
Motley, John Lothrop
Netherlands -- Church history; Netherlands -- History -- Eighty Years' War, 1568-1648
This apparent advantage, which was only a preconcerted stratagem, was too
much for the fiery Spaniards. They rushed. merrily forward to attack the
stationary squares, their general being no longer able, to restrain their
impetuosity. In a moment the whole van-guard had plunged into the
morass. In a few minutes more they were all helplessly and hopelessly
struggling in the pools, while the musketeers of the enemy poured in a
deadly fire upon them, without wetting the soles of their own feet. The
pikemen, too, who composed the main body of the larger square, now
charged upon all who were extricating themselves from their entanglement,
and drove them back again to a muddy death. Simultaneously, the lesser
patriot squadron, which had so long been sheltered, emerged from the
cover of the hill, made a detour around its base, enveloped the rear-
guard of the Spaniards before they could advance to the succor of their
perishing comrades, and broke them to pieces almost instantly. Gonzalo
de Braccamonte, the very Spanish colonel who had been foremost in
denunciation of Aremberg, for his disposition to delay the contest, was
now the first to fly. To his bad conduct was ascribed the loss of the
day. The anger of Alva was so high, when he was informed of the
incident, that he would have condemned the officer to death but for the
intercession of his friends and countrymen. The rout was sudden and
absolute. The foolhardiness of the Spaniards had precipitated them into
the pit which their enemies had dug. The day, was lost. Nothing was
left for Aremberg but to perish with honor. Placing himself at the head
of his handful of cavalry, he dashed into the melee. The shock was
sustained by young Adolphus of Nassau, at the head of an equal number of
riders. Each leader singled out the other. They met as "captains of
might" should do, in the very midst of the affray. Aremberg, receiving
and disregarding a pistol shot from his adversary, laid Adolphus dead at
his feet, with a bullet through his body and a sabre cut on his head.
Two troopers in immediate attendance upon the young Count shared the same
fate from the same hand. Shortly afterward, the horse of Aremberg,
wounded by a musket ball, fell to the ground. A few devoted followers
lifted the charger to his legs and the bleeding rider to his saddle.
They endeavored to bear their wounded general from the scene of action.
The horse staggered a few paces and fell dead. Aremberg disengaged
himself from his body, and walked a few paces to the edge of a meadow
near the road. Here, wounded in the action, crippled by the disease
which had so long tormented him, and scarcely able to sustain longer the
burthen of his armor, he calmly awaited his fate. A troop of the enemy
advanced soon afterwards, and Aremberg fell, covered with wounds,
fighting like a hero of Homer, single-handed, against a battalion, with a
courage worthy a better cause and a better fate. The sword by which he
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