This is certain, that for a considerable period no officer in the Duke’s army lost favor with the Commander-in-Chief for entertaining or proclaiming his loyalty towards the exiled family.  When the Chevalier de St. George, as the King of England called himself, came with the dukes of the French blood royal, to join the French army under Vendosme, hundreds of ours saw him and cheered him, and we all said he was like his father in this, who, seeing the action of La Hogue fought between the French ships and ours, was on the side of his native country during the battle.  But this, at least the Chevalier knew, and every one knew, that, however well our troops and their general might be inclined towards the prince personally, in the face of the enemy there was no question at all.  Wherever my Lord Duke found a French army, he would fight and beat it, as he did at Oudenarde, two years after Ramillies, where his Grace achieved another of his transcendent victories; and the noble young prince, who charged gallantly along with the magnificent Maison-du-Roy, sent to compliment his conquerors after the action.

In this battle, where the young Electoral Prince of Hanover behaved himself very gallantly, fighting on our side, Esmond’s dear General Webb distinguished himself prodigiously, exhibiting consummate skill and coolness as a general, and fighting with the personal bravery of a common soldier.  Esmond’s good-luck again attended him; he escaped without a hurt, although more than a third of his regiment was killed, had again the honor to be favorably mentioned in his commander’s report, and was advanced to the rank of major.  But of this action there is little need to speak, as it hath been related in every Gazette, and talked of in every hamlet in this country.  To return from it to the writer’s private affairs, which here, in his old age, and at a distance, he narrates for his children who come after him.  Before Oudenarde, after that chance rencontre with Captain von Holtz at Brussels, a space of more than a year elapsed, during which the captain of Jesuits and the captain of Webb’s Fusileers were thrown very much together.  Esmond had no difficulty in finding out (indeed, the other made no secret of it to him, being assured from old times of his pupil’s fidelity), that the negotiator of prisoners was an agent from St. Germains, and that he carried intelligence between great personages in our camp and that of the French.  “My business,” said he—­“and I tell you, both because I can trust you and your keen eyes have already discovered it—­is between the King of England and his subjects here engaged in fighting the French king.  As between you and them, all the Jesuits in the world will not prevent your quarrelling:  fight it out, gentlemen.  St. George for England, I say—­and you know who says so, wherever he may be.”