This proposition dismayed to the last degree our officers, who hoped at least to reap the fruit of this disaster by returning to France with the money with which they were gorged.  La Feuillade opposed it with so much impatience, that the Prince, exasperated by an effrontery so sustained, told him to hold his peace and let others speak.  Others did speak, but only one was for following the counsel of M. d’Orleans.  Feeling himself now, however, the master, he stopped all further discussion, and gave orders that the retreat to Italy should commence.  This was all he could do.  His body and his brain were equally exhausted.  After having waited some little time, he was compelled to throw himself into a post-chaise, and in that to continue the journey.

The officers obeyed his orders most unwillingly.  They murmured amongst each other so loudly that the Duc d’Orleans, justly irritated by so much opposition to his will, made them hold their peace.  The retreat continued.  But it was decreed that the spirit of error and vertigo should ruin us and save the allies.  As the army was about to cross the bridge over the Ticino, and march into Italy, information was brought to M. d’Orleans, that the enemy occupied the roads by which it was indispensable to pass.  M. d’Orleans, not believing this intelligence, persisted in going forward.  Our officers, thus foiled, for it was known afterwards that the story was their invention, and that the passes were entirely free, hit upon another expedient.  They declared there were no more provisions or ammunition, and that it was accordingly impossible to go into Italy.  M. d’Orleans, worn out by so much criminal disobedience, and weakened by his wound, could hold out no longer.  He threw himself back in the chaise, and said they might go where they would.  The army therefore turned about, and directed itself towards Pignerol, losing many equipages from our rear-guard during the night in the mountains, although that rear-guard was protected by Albergotti, and was not annoyed by the enemy.

The joy of the enemy at their success was unbounded.  They could scarcely believe in it.  Their army was just at its last gasp.  They had not more than four days’ supply of powder left in the place.  After the victory, M. de Savoie and Prince Eugene lost no time in idle rejoicings.  They thought only how to profit by a success so unheard of and so unexpected.  They retook rapidly all the places in Piedmont and Lombardy that we occupied, and we had no power to prevent them.

Never battle cost fewer soldiers than that of Turin; never was retreat more undisturbed than ours; yet never were results more frightful or more rapid.  Ramillies, with a light loss, cost the Spanish Low Countries and part of ours:  Turin cost all Italy by the ambition of La Feuillade, the incapacity of Marsin, the avarice, the trickery, the disobedience of the general officers opposed to M, d’Orleans.  So complete was the rout of our army, that it was