The Allied advance guard under General Cadogan arrived in time to secure a bridgehead across the river and deter a French attack. They promptly began to build a pontoon bridge across the Scheldt in preparation for the main force under the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene, which was rapidly approaching.
The Allied advance force under General Cadogan was already across the Scheldt. They skirmished with French foragers, and those who escaped warned the French generals of the threat.
The French forces initially took up a defensive position behing the River Norken. As the day drew on without a heavy Allied attack, they became restless and advanced out to attack the Allied forces before they could finish crossing the Scheldt.
The army under the Duke of Marlborough executed a forced march to arrive at Oudenarde in time. The River Scheldt presented a formidable obstacle, and the army was forced to mass on the east bank as they slowly crossed over fixed bridges in the city and Cadogan's pontoons to the north.
As the main force crossed the river, Cadogan's advance guard was dispatched to drive seven battalions of Swiss mercenaries out of their positions in Eine. The mercenaries were unsupported, and were soon defeated in detail.
After defeating the Swiss mercenaries in Eine, Cadogan's troops took up a defensive position and prepared to receive the impending French attack.
As the French forces crossed the River Norkum to attack, Marlborough deployed what elements of the main force had crossed the river to meet them. The line continued to extend to the west throughout the battle as new forces from both sides entered the fight.
At about 4:00 P.M., the French finally grew tired of waiting for Marlborough's main force to cross the Scheldt and attacked.
Cadogan's infantry was the first to receive the French assault; it received it in this defensive position.
The Allied left was held by infantry under the command of the Duke of Marlborough.
The Allied center was held by infantry under the command of Prince Eugene.
Vendome's infantry formed the left flank of the French forces across the Norken.
The position of the Bavarian infantry when it was engaged with enemy forces. They formed the right flank of the French line.
Rather than advancing, the Duke of Burgundy and his forces, included the elite Maison du Roi, remained in their positions behind the Norken until it was too late. Vendome requested that he attack the British right wing, but he declined.
This was the position of the main body of the French troops during the period of actual combat.
The right flank of the Allied line was protected by almost the whole of their cavalry, amongst them the future King George II of Great Britain. They successfully fought off the portion of the initial attack which landed on them, and awaited further orders.
As the French assault told on the Allied troops, Marlborough chose to bring up 18 newly-crossed battalions to the left flank, while sending 20 previously-engaged battalions to reinforce the right. This achieved the triple effect of bringing up fresh troops to the left, resting the previously-engaged troops while still utilizing them, and reinfoncing the under-pressure right flank. It is this maneuver that turned the tide in favour of the Allies
The Allied cavalry attempted to charge and overrun the French forces beyond the Norkum and the Duke of Burgundy's headquarters. Though initially successful, they were at last repelled by the Maison du Roi.
In conjunction with the cavalry attack on Burgundy's detachment, Marlborough ordered the Dutch army to march wide and encircle the French right flank.
The Dutch finally flanked the French wing at 8:30. This maneuver, together with a renewed attack by Marlborough and Eugene's forces, soon brought about a general rout of the French forces.
After the French forces were broken, they retreated to the fortress of Ghent to regroup
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