five in the evening
On the 27th of September , the convoy started , crossed the canal of Nieuport at Leffinghen , and directed its course by Slype to defile through the woods of Wyndendale . General Webb , who commanded the troops detached for its protection , took post with 8000 men to defend its passage through the wood , which was the most dangerous portion of the journey , while Cadogan with the rest of the force was stationed at Hoglede to cover the march farther on . Vendome had received information of the march of the column , and detached Monsieur de la Mathe with 20,000 men to intercept the convoy . At five in the evening the force approached the wood , through which the convoy was then filing . Webb posted his men in the bushes , and when the French -- confident in the great superiority of numbers which they knew that they possessed -- advanced boldly , they were received by such a terrible fire of musketry , poured in at a distance of a hundred yards , that they fell into confusion . They , however , rallied , and made desperate efforts to penetrate the wood , but they were over and over again driven back , and after two hours ' fighting they retired , leaving the convoy to pass on in safety to the camp . In this glorious action 8000 English defeated 20,000 French , and inflicted on them a loss of 4000 killed and wounded .