Enghien felt that it would be madness to venture upon an attack.
His artillery opened fire, that of the Bavarians replied, and the
cannonade was continued till nightfall, inflicting a certain amount
of loss on either side but in no way altering the position. Seeing
that a battle could not be brought on here, Enghien marched two
hours before daybreak for Nordlingen. At nine the army came down
on to the great plain in front of that town, but he found that
Merci had been beforehand with him, and had already taken up a
strong position two leagues away, and between him and the city, and
that his troops were already at work throwing up intrenchments.
The prince ordered all the baggage to be left behind, and at once
marched against the enemy. At four o'clock they were facing each
other. Merci had, as usual, chosen his position with great judgment.
In the middle of the plain rose two little hills about a thousand
yards apart. On the hill on his left stood the castle of Allersheim,
and here Merci's left wing, under General John de Werth, was posted;
while at Weinberg his right, commanded by General Gleen, took up
its station. The main body of the army, under Merci himself, lay
behind a village a couple of hundred yards beyond the hills, and
at the head of the passage between them. He had his cavalry on
his two wings, his infantry in the centre, and had thrown forward
some regiments to hold the village. On the two hills he had planted
his cannon, sheltered by intrenchments, and in a position to sweep
the entrance to the valley.

His army consisted of between fourteen and fifteen thousand men,
that of Enghien of seventeen thousand. After examining the position
a council of war was held. Turenne was strongly against attacking
the enemy in a position of such strength, but Enghien as usual
overruled his opinion. Turenne then urged that the cavalry on the