a village of the Netherlands, in Hainault, famous for a most bloody battle fought here on the 11th of September 1709, between the French under old Marshal Villars, and the allies commanded by Prince Eugene and the duke of Marlborough. The French army amounted to 120,000 men; and were posted behind the woods of La Marte and Teniers, in the neighbourhood of Malplaquet. They had fortified their situation in such a manner with lines, hedges, and trees laid across, that they seemed to be quite inaccessible. In this situation they expected certain victory; and even the common soldiers were so eager to engage, that they flung away the bread which had been just given them, though they had taken no sustenance for a whole day before. The allied army began the attack early in the morning, being favoured by a thick fog. The chief fury of their impression was made upon the left of the enemy; and with such success, that, notwithstanding their lines and barricades, the French were in less than an hour driven from their entrenchments. But on the enemy's right the combat was sustained with much greater obstinacy. The Dutch, who carried on the attack, drove them from their first line; but were repulsed from the second with great slaughter. The prince of Orange, who headed that attack, perished in his efforts with incredible perseverance and intrepidity, though two horses had been killed under him, and the greater part of his officers slain and disabled. At last, however, the French were obliged to yield up the field of battle; but not till after having held a dear-bought victory. Villars being dangerously wounded, they made an excellent retreat under the conduct of Boufflers, and took post near Guenoy and Valenciennes. The conquerors took possession of the field of battle, on which above 20,000 of their best troops lay dead. The loss of the French, it is said, did not exceed 8000; and Marshal Villars confidently asserted, that, if he had not been disabled, he would have gained an undoubted victory.