His army was thirty thousand strong.
"I never saw so many fine fellows," Turenne would say, "nor better intentioned." Spite of his modest reserve, he felt sure of victory.
"This time I have them," he kept saying; "they cannot escape me." On the 27th of June, 1675, in the morning, Turenne ordered an attack on the village of Salzbach.

The young Count of St.Hilaire found him at the head of his infantry, seated at the foot of a tree, into which he had ordered an old soldier to climb, in order to have a better view of the enemy's manoeuvres.

The Count of Roye sent to conjure him to reconnoitre in person the German column that was advancing.

"I shall remain where I am," said Turenne, "unless something important occur;" and he sent off re-enforcements to M.de Roye; the latter repeated his entreaties; the marshal asked for his horse, and, at a hard gallop, reached the right of the army, along a hollow, in order to be under cover from two small pieces of cannon, which kept up an incessant fire.

"I don't at all want to be killed to-day," he kept saying.