They were led by Sir William Russell, under whom
were Lord Essex, North, Audley, and Willoughby, behind the last
of whom rode Francis Vere. For two hours this little band of horse
fought desperately in the midst of the Spanish cavalry, and forced
them at last to fall back, but were themselves obliged to retreat
when the Spanish infantry came up and opened fire upon them. The
English loss was 34 killed and wounded, while 250 of the Spaniards
were slain, and three of their colours captured. Among the wounded
on the English side was the very noble knight Sir Philip Sidney,
who was shot by a musket ball, and died three weeks afterwards.
The successes of the English during these two years were counterbalanced
by the cowardly surrender of Grave by its governor, and by the
treachery of Sir William Stanley, governor of Deventer, and of Roland
Yorke, who commanded the garrisons of the two forts known as the
Zutphen Sconces. Both these officers turned traitors and delivered
up the posts they commanded to the Spaniards. Their conduct not
only caused great material loss to the allies, but it gave rise
to much bad feeling between the English and Dutch, the latter
complaining that they received but half hearted assistance from
the English.
It was not surprising, however, that Leicester was unable to effect
more with the little force under his command, for it was necessary
not only to raise soldiers, but to invent regulations and discipline.
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