his refusal to continue his parole, was confined in a prison there,
Paolo being allowed at his request to remain with him. He had had
an interview with General Merci, who had treated him with much
courtesy; for there were Scotch and Irish officers serving in the
Imperial army as well as in that of France, and they were held in
high esteem for their courage and daring.

The battle of Marienthal was fought on the 2nd of May, and it
was late in July before any fresh movements took place. Turenne
would willingly have advanced with his army, but his movements were
arrested by a peremptory order from Paris, sent on receipt of the
news of the defeat, that he was not to take the offensive until
joined by Enghien, who had with him a force of eight thousand men. He
therefore marched to join the reinforcements, and the two armies
met at Spires on the 2nd of July. As before, Enghien was in supreme
command, with de Gramont as his lieutenant general. Long conferences
took place between these generals: Turenne, General Geis, who
commanded the Hessians, and Konigsmark, who commanded the Swedes.
The Bavarians were known to be very strongly posted, and to have
been reinforced by four thousand Imperialists under the command
of General Geis.

There was much difference of opinion between them as to the best
course to be pursued, but Enghien, who was always in favour of
great battles, finally determined so to place the army that the
enemy would be forced to come out and fight. He therefore marched
to Venecher, captured Wimpfen, and threw a bridge across the river,
whereupon General Merci fell back twenty leagues into Franconia. As
soon as they had passed the river an occurrence took place that
threatened to overthrow all the plans of the campaign. Some hasty