The Guard then surrendered; and we advanced to the Bridge
over-against Quistello, and carried that Quarter; but here the Count
de Waldebeck was killed, greatly lamented. During these
Preliminaries, the Army advanced apace, and fell upon the Count de
Broglio's Body, which consisted of 28 or 30 Battalions, who fled in
their Shirts and left their very Arms behind them. The brave
Regiments of the King and Picardie were among these; every Man made
the best Shift he could for himself, and carried the Alarm to the
Right. The Marshal de Coigny made the Troops under his Command take
Arms, all in a Hurry and Disorder, and was advancing to the Right;
but perceiving that the Imperial Army was marching towards him in
three Columns, he halted and called a Council of War; and the
Imperialists just then moving towards their Left, it was imagined
that they would endeavour to cut off the Army's Retreat towards the
Bridge of Guastalla; and therefore it was instantly resolved to make
a Retreat that way in the best Order they could. Some Battalions
were left with Artillery in the neighbouring Cassines, to stop the
Enemy; but those Troops made but a very slender Resistance, and were
obliged to yield themselves Prisoners of War. Count Koningsegg
seeing the Enemy's Disorder on all Sides, sent 10,000 Men this way,
under the Command of Prince Lewis of Wirtemberg, and advanced towards
San Benedetto, where were the Head-Quarters of the Savoyards: The
King of Sardinia made his Escape in his Night-Gown and Slippers; but
two Regiments of his Troops were cut off from the rest and taken.
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