seven o'clock
By noon the heads of the columns had reached Herfelingen , fourteen miles from their starting point , and bridges were thrown across the Dender , and the next morning the army crossed , and then stood between the French and their own frontier . Vendome , greatly disconcerted at finding that his plans had all been destroyed , ordered his army to fall back to Gavre on the Scheldt , intending to cross below Oudenarde . Marlborough at once determined to press forward , so as to force on a battle , having the advantage of coming upon the enemy when engaged in a movement of retreat . Accordingly , at daybreak on the 11th , Colonel Cadogan , with the advanced guard , consisting of the whole of the cavalry and twelve battalions of infantry , pushed forward , and marched with all speed to the Scheldt , which they reached by seven o'clock . Having thrown bridges across it , he marched to meet the enemy , his troops in battle array ; the infantry opposite Eynes , the cavalry extending to the left towards Schaerken . Advancing strongly down the river in this order , Cadogan soon met the French advanced guard under Biron , which was moving up from Gavre . In the fighting the French had the advantage , retaining possession of Eynes , and there awaiting the advance of the English .