noon
The French guns being in position in front of their line , and doing severe damage among our horse especially , and on our right wing of Imperialists under the Prince of Savoy , who could neither advance his artillery nor his lines , the ground before him being cut up by ditches , morasses , and very difficult of passage for the guns . It was past mid-day when the attack began on our left , where Lord Cutts commanded , the bravest and most beloved officer in the English army . And now , as if to make his experience in war complete , our young aide-de-camp having seen two great armies facing each other in line of battle , and had the honor of riding with orders from one end to other of the line , came in for a not uncommon accompaniment of military glory , and was knocked on the head , along with many hundred of brave fellows , almost at the very commencement of this famous day of Blenheim . A little after noon , the disposition for attack being completed with much delay and difficulty , and under a severe fire from the enemy 's guns , that were better posted and more numerous than ours , a body of English and Hessians , with Major-General Wilkes commanding at the extreme left of our line , marched upon Blenheim , advancing with great gallantry , the Major-General on foot , with his officers , at the head of the column , and marching , with his hat off , intrepidly in the face of the enemy , who was pouring in a tremendous fire from his guns and musketry , to which our people were instructed not to reply , except with pike and bayonet when they reached the French palisades . To these Wilkes walked intrepidly , and struck the woodwork with his sword before our people charged it . He was shot down at the instant , with his colonel , major , and several officers ; and our troops cheering and huzzaing , and coming on , as they did , with immense resolution and gallantry , were nevertheless stopped by the murderous fire from behind the enemy 's defences , and then attacked in flank by a furious charge of French horse which swept out of Blenheim , and cut down our men in great numbers . Three fierce and desperate assaults of our foot were made and repulsed by the enemy ; so that our columns of foot were quite shattered , and fell back , scrambling over the little rivulet , which we had crossed so resolutely an hour before , and pursued by the French cavalry , slaughtering us and cutting us down .