THE Penner of this Intelligence has for some time written with such an unusual range of Fancy , as if his Design was rather to Entertain and Amuse , than inform his Reader . To do him Justice , he seems to be not only a Master of Style , but of the Matter he treats about ; for he makes no difficulty to conceal , displace and perplex Things at Discretion . So that an ordinary Observer must be oftentimes at a loss to know how the World goes . His peculiar Talent is to lessen a Disadvantage , and make it invisible . It may be he appears with this Sanguine Air , because he is unwilling to put us to pain with unacceptable Truths . But how much soever he may be commended for his Temper , it would in all likelyhood be better for us if we were plainly dealt with . To skin over a wound before it has been sufficiently probed and laid open , is the way to mortifie the Part , and often Kills instead of Curing . When a Man's Fortune is sinking , he should be made sensible of his Condition ; that if he dispairs of stopping the Leak , he may quit the Bottom . The English and Confederates have lately received two Blows at Sea and in Flanders ; which 't is fear'd will take some time to Recover . These the Gazetteer runs over so lightly , and describes with such a handsome neglect , as if the Loss , if any , was inconsiderable .

That he does not deal clearly with us in this Case , I shall endeavour to shew , by bringing the forementioned Accidents under a short Review . And he●e it may not be improper to acquaint the Reader that I intend to keep within the Verge of the Confederacy , and to bring no evidence against the Gazetteer , but what is either drawn from himself , or from some other Authority which he is equally obliged to acknowledge . And if I mention any French Proof , it shall be when it agrees with his own .

I shall begin with the Loss of the Streights-Fleet ; and here I shall ,

1st . Very briefly shew the Gazetteer's Account of this Accident to be perplexed and disagreeing with it self .

2dly . That 't is imperfect , and far short of Matter of Fact .

1. His Account is dark and inconsistent . His Business here is to let us know the Fortune of the English . Now had he been disposed to inform us of what had passed , he would ( after the List of those which escaped with the Admiral ) have immediately mentioned the others which gained the Ports of Spain , and distinguished the English from the rest . This Account had been easie and intelligible . But his design it seems was not to be understood . To this purpose he gives you the number of those with Admiral Rooke . Then tells you how many were missing ; and at last sets down those which were got into Cadiz and St. Lucar , and intermixeth them with Dutch . Danes , &c. and with part of his latter List . And by this confused Relation , he has conveyed himself out of sight . But upon Inquiry I believe it will appear , he has lost himself as well as his Reader .

Let us compare his Lists from Gazette July 17th .

His first List contains those English Merchants Ships which were with Admiral Rook . The number of these is sixteen , beginning with the George , and ending with the Fidelity . His second List consists of those English Merchant-Men which were missing ; this begins with the Shandois and end● with the Mary Flower , and in all makes twenty four Ships .

His third Account is of those Ships which escaped into Cadiz and St. Lucar , which though it does not reach the number of what was missing ; yet it brings in nine English , seven in Cadiz and two in St. Lucar , which were unmentioned in his former Lists . Their names are ,

The Johanna and Anne , the Success commanded by Isaac Stoneham , and therefore difrent from the Success in the missing List . whose Master was David Bishop .

The Sarah and Eliz . the Sarah , Marmaduke Raydon ; the Sarah commanded by Lawson ; the John commanded by Ware ; the Tetuan Merchant ; Captain Cooper his Ship not named ; the Malaga Factor , Cap. Newland ; and therefore different from that Ship of the same Name in his second List , which was commanded by Rich . Love . Now where a Man pretends to be particular in naming the Ships which were safe , and those which are missing . One would think the joyning these two numbers should comprehend the whole Fleet : But besides that he is far short in the summ Total , as will appear by and by . There is an unusual Accident happened to the Computation ; for he has brought in nine Merchant-men , seven to Cadiz and two to St. Lucar , which were unmentioned in the former Lists . So that by his account we have nine Sail which were neither safe nor missing , neither in the Enemies Hands nor in their own , which I confess is something extraordinary .

I am now in the

Second Place to prove his Account far short of matter of Fact .

We must go back to his former Lists . The number with Admiral Rooke is sixteen , the List of those missing is twenty four ; so that it seems the whole Fleet of English Merchant Men bound ( as himself tells us Gaz . July 17. ) to Smirna , Scanderoon , Messina , Galipoli , Alicant , Cadiz , St. Lucar , Venice , Tunis , Malaga and Legorne , consisted but of Forty Sail . But this is a great mistake ; for 't is granted by all the Merchants of London ( and by many of them too much felt ) that the English when they fell in with the French at Lagos Bay , were about Eighty Sail Merchant-Men .

This number the Gazetteer ventures to abrigde into Forty , to conceal the Loss of the rest . And here we may observe that the Fleet bound to Smirna consisted of eight Dutch and eleven English ; the Dutch were all taken and destroyed at L●gos ; and two of the English were then destroyed , and four since at Gibraltar , making above two thirds of the value of the eleven . The Sussex worth above 50000 l. was likewise burnt at Lagos . The Gazetteer owns the Misfortune at Gibraltar ( and that at Malaga ) but as for the rest he knows not of one English-man taken except the Friendship , a small Vessel of about 70 Tuns . ( Gaz . July 17. ) This Relation he afterwards repeats with more assurance . Of the English ( says he ) there is not one Ship taken , either Man of War or Merchant-man , except a small V●ssel called the Friendship . ( Gaz . Aug. 3. ) Now by this Account one would imagin all was well , but if we observe him a little closer , we shall find he is not so hardy as to affirm that none of the English were burnt or sunk at Lagos Bay . This he durst not say . Now if they are destroyed this way , they are as much lost as if they were taken , though not with the same Advantage to the Enemy : But the Gazetteer hoped to conceal the matter by saying they were not taken . And since the Confederacy is deeply concerned in this Misfortune , I shall just mention the whole from the Dutch Prints . The Recueil Aug. 6th . informs us that the French took two Dutch Men of War , one of 66 , the other of 68 Guns , and burnt a rich Pinnace and an English Man of War of 56 Guns . Besides these the French took 25 Merchant-Men , and burnt 45 , which in all make 74. All this was done at the Bay of Lagos . The same Intelligence ( Recueil Aug. 13. ) continues the Narration of this Misfortune , and says , That the Sieur Coetlogon burnt 4 English Smirna Ships and 1 Dutch Man at Gibraltar , and took 7 ; that Count d' Estree took 4 and burnt some ; so that here are 16 more lost , which added to the former number of 74 makes 90 , besides those burnt by Count d' Estree . And if the Ships destroyed at Malaga are not included , the Misfortune rises still higher .

Having shewn what an untoward Account the Gazetteer has given of the Streights Fleet , I shall now proceed to the late great Battel in Flanders . Here if we enquire of the Gazette July 27. we shall find that the Enemy was beaten back in all their Attempts ; And the advantage on the Confederate Side , till four in the Afternoon .

This account is contradicted by a Paper Publish'd by Authority , and called , a Relation of the Bat●le at Landen .

For here we are told , that though the Enemy had been beaten at the Left ; They had nevertheless kept a part of the Village of Winden , and made themselves Masters of the Hedges on the Rising-Ground , which laid the Flank of our Retrenchment open to them , &c. Now , this is a flat contradiction to the Gazette . For if the French kept part of the Village of Winden , and continued Possessed of a considerable Post , through which they broke into the Consederate Army , and ●orced them to quit their Camp , as this Relation affirms ; then 't is plain they were not Beaten back in all their Attempts as the Gazette pretends . So that we have two Relations , both Published by Order of the Court , directly clashing in their Narrative : Now he that can swallow contradictions , and believe an Evidence who convicts himself , may be a good Natured Man , but I 'm sure can be no Wise one .

Farther , Gazette Aug. 3d . Tells us that when the Left-wing went off which stood after the Right was Routed ; This Left , says the Gazette , Retreated towards Lewe , without being Attacked by the French ; who had already suffered so much that they were willing to part with us . This story is not only Incredible in it self , but plainly contradicted by the Relation of the Battle , &c. which was Printed but a day or two bofore this Gazette , and about a Week after the first News of the Battle ; so that there was time enough for a full information ? This Print makes no scruple to say , that when the Left-wing were Order'd to retire to Lewe , The Enemy , whose Horse were drawn up in two Lines upon the Rising-Ground , adventur'd to Attack them in their Retreat . Now what is to be done in this case ; Here are two White-Hall Papers both of them Positive and Peremptory in their Stories , and yet fall foul upon each other . The Relation , &c. Frankly owns that the Confederates were Attacked in their Retreat : The Gazetteer ( I suppose ) finding this Relation grated a little upon the Peoples Stomachs ; tells us very roundly , that the French were willing to part with the Confederates , and let them retire without disturbance . Thus to please the People , the Gazetteer ventures upon a very desperate Expedient . For by contradicting a Paper which stands upon the same Authority with his own , he sinks the Credit of the Court , and brings a suspicion upon what he Writes himself . Well! When two Witnesses disagree in their Evidence , we are sure one of them must be in the wrong ; and that the Gazetteer is out , will plainly appear , if we confider that when the same Party gives a different Account of any Disadvantage , we may be assured that Relation which makes the Misfortune greatest has most of Truth in it . For as a Man who trades upon Reputation , will not Magnifie his Lesses beyond Reality for fear of being blown up . So a State Faction which is sunk in its proper Strength , and lives only upon Art , will be sure not to make things worse then they are . So that if at any time their Memories happen to fail them , or they presume upon the easiness of the Reader , or the greatness of a Misfortune makes them drop a Secret , and disorders them into cont : adictions ; we are then to believe that Part of the Account which is least favourable to the Reporters , for no Man in his Wits will tell an untruth to his disadvantage . To apply this Remark , we may conclude the Gazetteer a Mis-representer ; and that the Confederates were persued , as the R●lation of the Battle , &c. affirms . And that the Relat●r gives us the Truth , though not the whole Truth , will appear farther , if we observe ,

2. The condition of both Armies , when the Confederates were said to be persued . How things went , I shall describe from the London Gazette and Relation of , &c. above mentioned , which may be both drawn up by the same hand for ought I know . 't is certain they both come from White-Hall , and pass the Nation for Intelligence of equal Authority . The Gazette tells us in these Words : That the French broke into us ( i.e. our Camp ) at the Head of our Retrenchment , which our Men were no longer able to maintain : That the Enemies Numbers prevailed . — That upon this occasion we were forced to remove and change the Form of our Lines of Horse , who were thereby put into disorder . The English Horse and Guards were sent for from the Le●t , but before they came up , the Enemy had poured in so many Squadrons , that they had neither Time nor Ground to put themselves into regular Lines . At length when it was found impossible to remedy this disorder , and the Enemy advancing with fresh Forces ; The Foot of our Left , as also the Dragoons , &c. were ordered to Retire towards Lewe : The rest of the Army Retreated towards Tirlemont . Thus far the Gazette , the Relation , &c. gives much the same Account , only somewhat plainer . Particularly , It tells us , that the French Cav●lry forced the Hanover , Brandenburgh and Spanish Troops to ●etire ; that is they Beat them . That to remedy this Disorder , part of the Left-wing was Ordered to Advance , but befoye they could Form themselves , the Dutch Horse Retired , and the Right-wing were forced to pass the River , and the English were quite Encompassed . And then it follows , That the Left-wing were Order'd to Retire to Lewe , and that the General himself passed the Bridge at Neer-Hespen with great difficulty .

And when Matters were come to this pass , when the French had Fought up to the Mouth of the Confederate Cannon , forced their Retrenchments , and broke into a Fortified Camp : When they were Superior in Number , Order and Success , and had Surmounted all the difficulties of the Enterprize : When the Hanover , Brandenbourgh , Spanish and Dutch Troops were Beaten ; when the last reserve of English had neither Time nor Ground to draw up in , but were encompassed by the Enemy : In fine , when all the Nations were Broken and Routed , the Right-wing forced to fly through a River , and the Left Ordered to shift for themselves : When affairs were in this Posture , does any Person of common sense imagine the French would not push the Advantage and persue the Confederates . Were they too Generous to set upon an Enemy , who was in no condition to Resist ? Had they no inclination to Revenge the loss of their Friends ? Were they afraid of making the Victory too Absolute ? And of over-loading themselves with Glory and Spoil ? Few Men one would think , would impose such stuff as this upon the Belief of the Nation . 't is true the Gazette was hard set , for all the Publick Accounts having own'd that the French forced the Camp at four in the Afternoon , and that the Confederates were Broken and Ruined from that time . The Gazetter was aware , that allowing a Conquering Army four Hours of day to Trample and Slaughter in ; must needs give the People a horrid notion of the Deseat . And therefore to prevent the Impressions of Truth , he denies what had been Publicly own'd before , contradicts the Paper Published by Authority , and that with s●ch wretched incredible Reasons , as can't be put upon Men without the greatest affront to their understandings .

I shall go on with the Gazette to compute the Loss of the Battle , which may be reduced to two Heads , the Men and the Baggage and Cannon .

1. With respect to the Men .

The first Gazette of July 27th . says , 't is certain , They have lost double the Number of Men we have . The Gazette of Aug. 3d . is still more hardy , and tells us that 't is certain , That our Loss is not not so great as that at Steenkerk ; and that the French according to their own Account had lost more than double the Number . One would think by this Relation the French had Printed an Account of their Loss ; but upon Enquiry we shall find no such Matter : For this very Gazette has the ill luck to tells us in the Paris Article of Aug. 2d . that the List of the Killed and Wounded is not yet made Public .

What does the Gazetteer mean then by their own Account ? Why , he will inform you in another part of his Works .

The Gazett , July 31st . is clear in the Point . For there a nameless Captain who came Express about his own business , who neither saw the Fight himself , nor pretends to be informed by any who did . There this Gent . affirms that the Relation that was Printed at Li●le ( in Handers ) the Sunday after the Fight , owns they have lost 16000 Men .

Very well ! I 'm afraid this Relation will miscarry for want of a little Geography : For the Battle being fought upon the 29th . of July , N. S. the Sunday after falls upon the 2d . of Aug. At which very day the London Gazetteer has the Misfortune to tell us , that Then there was no List of the Killed or Wounded , Published at Paris .

And can we imagin there should be a List Printed at Li●●e when there was none at Paris . Durst any Subject in Fl●nders Publish an Account of so great a Battle , without Authority and Instructions from the Court of France ? Does any Government , much less the French allow so wild a Liberty as this ? And as for the French King's leave , it could not be sent at the time the Capt . pretends . For the London Gazette Aug. 31. says , that M● . D' Artagnan Arrived at Paris upon the 31. at night N. S. with the News of the Battle . By this Account the Journey from the Camp to Paris , which we may imagine , was made with speed , cost the Express 2 Nights and 2 Days , i.e. from Wednesday at Night till Fryday at Night , for that was the 31. Now if the Court had been at Paris , and a dispatch immediately sent to the Governor of Lille to Publish the News ; there would remain but 1 Day and 2 Summers Nights to perform the Journey and Print the Narrative ; for from Friday at Night to Sunday is no longer , which makes the story impossible . Thus far the London Gazette , but by that of Paris , Aug. 8. We are assured that Mr. D' Artagnan did not Arrive at the French Court , which was then at Marli till Aug. 1. which if there is any degrees in impossibilities , makes the Relation still more incomprehensible . Besides , to what purpose was this Romantic haste ? To none that I know of , except to oblige the Lille Men with a favour which it seems the Parisians were not vouchsafed , and to furnish out the Gazetteers Capt . for his Voyage to England . To proceed , the Gazette July 31. says , We are assured that our Loss does not exceed 9 or 10000 Men , including the Prisoners and Wounded . The Relation of the Battle , &c. which came out a day or two after seem ; to have none of the Gazettes Assurance , but tells us , That our Forces being not yet all of them come together , we can't give a certain Account what Loss we have had . The Gazette Aug. 3. says the same thing , adding withal , this Remarkable Passage ; That 't is certain our Loss is not so great as that at Steenkerk ; which according to the last Years Gazettes , did not amount to 3000 Men . Gazette Aug. 4. 1692. This is still more Mystical , therefore we must try if we can inform our selves other ways . Now , in order to the satisfying this Question . We must ,

1. Know how strong the Confederates were before the Battle : How far they are , or expect to be Reinforced , and to what Number the Army will amount after the Reinforcement . These 3 things will give us a true State of the Loss . Now the Gazette Aug. 3. confesses , the Army when they fought , to be about 45000 ; which Expression ought rather to be interpreted above the Letter then otherwise ; it being the interest of the Gazetteer after a Defeat , to diminish the Confederate Forces . However we will be fo fair as to take him at his acknowledged Number of 45000.

The 2d . thing to be enquired , is the Number of the Recruits , which we may learn from the Gazette of July 27. in these words , Our Army will be speedily Reinforced with 25 Battalions , and 40 Squadrons , are with the Duke of Wittenbergh ; be , which there are 30 Battalions at Leige . The Gazetteer must mean that the Battalions at Leige were to make part of the Reinforcement , otherwise to which purpose were they mentioned ? If this were not his meaning , he might as well have said , besides , the Reinforcements , which we expect from the D. of Wittenbergh ; there are 30 Dutch Battalions in New Battavia in the East-Indies ; which though true , would be horribly impertinent . We may observe farther , that these Forces the Gazette mentions at Leige , were not long since Detached thither ; Ten Battalions being sent but 8 days before the Fight . ( Relation of the Battle , &c. ) 't is no wonder therefore , if they should be drawn back after so great an Accident . And if this point were not sufficiently proved , Mr. Dyckvelt's Letter to the States General would put it beyond Dispute . This Gent . who had a Public Characted in the Dutch Army , gives his Masters a short Account of the Action in a Letter of July 30 , which is inserted in the Slip of Aug 4. At the end of the Letter we have these words . Our Army will be very Numerous in a short time ; for besides 25 Batalions and 40 Squadrons , with which the D. of Wittenberg Forced the Lines , there are morecover 30 Battalions at Leige .

Taking therefore these Leige-Battalions into the Reinforcement , as we Evidently must ; let us see what it will amount to . There are 25 and 30 Battalions , which make 55. Now reckoning 500 to a Battalion which is no extraordinary computation , and the Number will be 27500 Men . Add to these the 40 Squadrons of Horse at 150 in a Squa●dren , and the Caval●y makes 6000 ; which added to the former mounts the Reinforcement to 33500. If you please we will cut off 6500 of this Number , and State the Recruits but at 27000 , and then the Reckoning will be made upon a ●ow Foot . Having done this , let us see how Numerous the Confederates will be after the Reinforcement . For satisfaction in this Enquiry , I shall as formerly apply to the London Gazette . That of Aug. 3 : Affirms th●t the Confederates after the D. of Wi●terberg , &c. has joyned them , will have an Army of 50000 Men . Let us cast up the whole , The Confederates were 45000 before the Fight : They have , and expect a Reinforcement of 27000 , which added to the other , makes 72000. After which Reinforcement , they pretend no higher then 50000 Men . Now if we substract 50 out of 72 there remains 22 , which Number contains the Loss of the Confederates . So that even by the Gazetteers Reckoning the Battle has cost the Confederates 22000 Men . This Account agrees with several Letters of good Intelligence from Flanders , and with the Paris Gazette which mentions the Killed and Wounded to amount to above 20000. To this the Recuil a Dutch Print . Aug. 13. adds 1500 Prisoners , of which 200 are Officers of note .

I mention the Paris Gazette , because it concurs with our Gazetteer . Besides , this Gazette is a Paper of Reputation , & is more relied on , even in the Confederacy itself than that of London . To give one instance , We may remember the last Summer , that the Paris Gazette gave us as fair an Account of their Loss at Sea , as we received at Home from Admiral Russel's Journal ; as may be seen by comparing the two Papers . Now those who give a just Relation of their Misfortunes , can't in reason be suspected of Art when they Report any remarkable Success . In such cases there is scarce any temptation to strain Truth , for the naked representation of Fact is a sufficient Advantage . Indeed great Kings scorn to Embase their public Intelligence with such uncreditable Alloy . For in soft Language , to deceive and mis-represent , to Maim and Murther Truth , are mean and inglorious Practices . I wonder any thing that pretends to be a Government , can stoop so low . But we gain'd so much by Romancing in 88 , that I 'm afraid we shall never leave it . Then the French League and the Impostor-Prince , & the handful of Irish , who after they were routed and disbanded , were to Massacre the whole Nation , English and Dutch Armies , and all : These a●d a great many other Bull-beggers worked beyond expectation in that Annus Mirabilis . But if they think to keep the People under the same Vassalage of belief , and always ready to swallow the same absurdities , I hope they may be mistaken . To return to our Gazetteer , some of whose scattered Sentences being tacked together , we see make it evident , that the Confederates have Lost above 20000 Men . However , the Gazetteer gives us to understand , that 't is certain our Loss is not so great as that at Steenkerk . Did we then in earnest loose 20000 Men at Steenkerk , and could we not find in our Hearts to own above 3000 ? This is a discovery would never have come out , had it not been upon this occasion . In short , either our Loss was greater at Steenkerk then in the late Battle , or it was not ; If it was , then we may perceive what an exact History we had of that Action the last Year , if it was not , then this Summers Gazette endeavours to impose very unfairly upon the Nation . Now tho 't is pretty plain , the London Gaz●ties did not give us much above a third part of the Steenkerk-Misfortune , yet it was in reality far short of the present Accident . For I desire to know of the Gazetteer , whether more then one third of the Army was Engaged at Steenkerk ? Did the Confederates then loose their Cannon and great part of their Baggage ? Was the Generals Plate taken at Steenkerk , and his Tent left the D. of Luxemburg to write his Letters in ? Did the whole Army go off Routed and broken into little Bodies at Steenkerk ; or did Mr. Harcourt come in and Defeat several Thousands in their Retreat ? But after all , 't is certain the French have Lost double the Number we have . Gazette , Aug. 27. Pray how is this certain ? Did we remain upon the Field to count the Slain ? No , we were forced to retire . Have we Mustered since the Battle ? We don't pretend to this neither . I suppose because Our Forces are not all of them come together . ( Relation of the Battle , &c. ) Have we received an Account from the French ? That cannot be ; for this Gazetteer ( Aug. 3. ) tells you , They have Published none : And the Paris Gazette says the same . How then , are We certain . No doubt by Inflinct , as we are certain of every Thing else . For I perceive the Gazetteer does not pretend to come by his knowledge the same way with other Mortals . Most People I believe would be so far from thinking the Gazetteers Relation Certain ; that they would scarce imagin it possible . Indeed how should it ? For the French were granted to be almost two to one . This gives them the Advantage of Fighting fresh Men , against those who were fatigued . Farther , they forced the Camp , and had 3 or 4 almost unresisting hours to Slaughter in . And to compleat the Misfortune of the Confederates , several Thousands of them were set upon , and Persued into a River , by a fresh Enemy . ( Recueil Aug. 13. ) I shall now in the

Second place examin the Gazetteers Relation concerning the Cannon and Baggage , &c. and here the first Gaz . Jul. 27. says nothing of the matter , which is a plain confession that all was lost ( and thus we must construe the Gazette in like cases . ) The Gazetteer was apprehensive of this Inference , and therefore in his next of July 31. he brings in his Captain who secures all into a Trisle . And since he has put this Captain upon the Nation for an Intelligencer , he must be answerable for him . Now this Gent . assures us , That we have lost none of our great Cannon , but only 7 or 8 Field Pieces . I confess this looks so like a Jest to all Men who can distinguish between a Cannon and a Pistol ; that I was sometime before I could believe the Gazetteer would put it upon us . I could not at first imagin he would give his Pass to such a ridiculous Story to travel the Nation : I was willing for the Credit of the Gazette to suppose an Error in the Press ; and that instead of we have lost none of our great Cannon , &c. it should have been said , we have saved none of out great Cannon , but 7 or 8 Field-Pieces . That this was the true Reading I thought I had reason to conclude , both from particular Relations of this Circumstance , and from the general Issue of the Battle . However considering the Gazetteers custom , I believe the Print may be much more correct then the Story . Let us examin which way the Cannon could be saved ; to bring the point to a short issue . If the Artillery was saved , it must be sent off either before , in , or after the Fight . That it was not sent away before the Fight is unquestionable ; for would the Confederates part with their Cannon , when the French were in sight ; when they expected an immediate Attack , and design'd to keep within their Intrenchments ? Would they unfortify their Camp , and lay themselves open to the Enemy ? We may as well suppose they would send away their Pikes and Musquets as their Cannon upon such an occasion . Farther , to suppose the Artillery sent away during the Fight is as unaccountable as the former Scheme . For can we suppose they would part with their principal Defence at the time they were using it ? We may as well imagin they detatch'd half their Men , and chose to Fight with the Remainder . From hence it appears , that unless the Cannon was saved in the Retreat , we must give it for lost , Now I appeal to any one of common Sence whether this was not impossible , when the defeat was so entire , and the flight made with such haste and precipitation ? Could the Horse lodge the Artillery in their Holsters , or did the Foot run away with it under their Armes , as St. Dennis is said to carry off his Head ? I desire not to be misunderstood , I am far from being pleased with the Misfortune of any Party ; I lament the loss of the English , and heartily wish we might have Peace and Justice , without the Expence of an ounce of Blood ; but such a Reporter as the Gazetteer cannot be too much expos'd . To be short the Loss was so visible that the Dutch despairing to hide it , have frankly owned a great part of it in their R●cucil of Aug. 10. where we are told , That after the Camp was forced , the French took 60 Pieces of Cannon , and cut off 8 or 10 English Battalions who were posted to Guard it . And their next Recucil Aug. 13. owns the loosing of some Mortars . 't is now time to look after the Baggage if there is any . The Gazette Aug. 31. assures us it was all saved , being sent away the day before the Fight . Under-favour , not all sent away , for no doubt they left Ammunition to fight with ; they left Provision and their Tents too , unless they intended never to eat or lodge there more . Now to put their Men , after they were fatigued with fighting and embarrassed with the Wounded , upon a March of several Miles for Lodging and Refreshment , is a strain of Discipline somewhat extraordinary . I think the Gazetteer is too free with the Confederates , for as he represents the matter , they seemed to despair at the approach of the Enemy , and resolved before hand to quit their Camp . But to say this is Injustice to the Confederates , who behaved themselves with Bravery and Resolution , and were far from making such an ignoble Provision as the Gazetteer's Account supposes .