History of the United Netherlands, 1597-98 | Page 2

own life to peril, but to apprise them as soon as possible as to the
results of the adventure.
Meantime, patents had been sent to the various garrisons for fifty
companies of foot and sixteen squadrons of horse. On the 22nd January
Maurice came to Gertruydenberg, the place of rendezvous, attended by
Sir Francis Vere and Count Solms. Colonel Kloetingen was already
there with the transports of ammunition and a few pieces of artillery
from Zeeland, and in the course of the day the whole infantry force had
assembled. Nothing could have been managed with greater promptness
or secrecy.
Next day, before dawn, the march began. The battalia was led by Van
der Noot, with six companies of Hollanders. Then came Vere, with
eight companies of the reserve, Dockray with eight companies of
Englishmen, Murray with eight companies of Scotch, and Kloetingen
and La Corde with twelve companies of Dutch and Zeelanders. In front
of the last troop under La Corde marched the commander of the
artillery, with two demi-cannon and two field-pieces, followed by the
ammunition and, baggage trains. Hohenlo arrived just as the march was
beginning, to whom the stadholder, notwithstanding their frequent
differences, communicated his plans, and entrusted the general
command of the cavalry. That force met the expedition at Osterhout, a
league's distance from Gertruydenberg, and consisted of the best
mounted companies, English and Dutch, from the garrisons of Breda,
Bergen, Nymegen, and the Zutphen districts.
It was a dismal, drizzly, foggy morning; the weather changing to steady
rain as the expedition advanced. There had been alternate frost and
thaw for the few previous weeks, and had that condition of the
atmosphere continued the adventure could not have been attempted. It
had now turned completely to thaw. The roads were all under water,
and the march was sufficiently difficult. Nevertheless, it was possible;
so the stout Hollanders, Zeelanders, and Englishmen struggled on
manfully, shoulder to shoulder, through the mist and the mire. By

nightfall the expedition had reached Ravels, at less than a league's
distance from Turnhout, having accomplished, under the circumstances,
a very remarkable march of over twenty miles. A stream of water, the
Neethe, one of the tributaries of the Scheld, separated Ravels from
Turnhout, and was crossed by a stone bridge. It was an anxious
moment. Maurice discovered by his scouts that he was almost within
cannon-shot of several of the most famous regiments in the Spanish
army lying fresh, securely posted, and capable of making an attack at
any moment. He instantly threw forward Marcellus Bax with four
squadrons of Bergen cavalry, who, jaded as they were by their day's
work, were to watch the bridge that night, and to hold it against all
comers and at every hazard.
The Spanish commander, on his part, had reconnoitred the advancing,
foe, for it was impossible for the movement to have been so secret or so
swift over those inundated roads as to be shrouded to the last moment
in complete mystery. It was naturally to be expected therefore that
those splendid legions--the famous Neapolitan tercio of Trevico, the
veteran troops of Sultz and Hachicourt, the picked Epirote and Spanish
cavalry of Nicolas Basta and Guzman--would be hurled upon the
wearied, benumbed, bemired soldiers of the republic, as they came
slowly along after their long march through the cold winter's rain.
Varax took no such heroic resolution. Had he done so that January
afternoon, the career of Maurice of Nassau might have been brought to
a sudden close, despite the affectionate warning of the state-council.
Certainly it was difficult for any commander to be placed in a more
perilous position than that in which the stadholder found himself. He
remained awake and afoot the whole night, perfecting his arrangements
for the morning, and watching every indication of a possible advance
on the part of the enemy. Marcellus Bax and his troopers remained at
the bridge till morning, and were so near the Spaniards that they heard
the voices of their pickets, and could even distinguish in the distance
the various movements in their camp.
But no attack was made, and the little army of Maurice was allowed to
sleep off its fatigue. With the dawn of the 24th January, a reconnoitring
party, sent out from the republican camp, discovered that Varax, having
no stomach for an encounter, had given his enemies the slip. Long
before daylight his baggage and ammunition trains had been sent off in

a southerly direction, and his whole force had already left the village of
Turnhout. It was the intention of the commander to take refuge in the
fortified city of Herenthals, and there await the attack of Maurice.
Accordingly, when the stadholder arrived on the fields beyond the
immediate precincts of the village, he saw the last of the enemy's
rearguard