With Spain as our ally we can, in addition to the force that she can put in the field, neglect altogether our southern frontier, and employ our whole army elsewhere.

With her as an ally of Austria or of England, we should have to keep an army in the south to guard our borders." Two days after leaving Paris, the party arrived at Peronne, where a considerable body of troops were collected, of which, although an aide-de-camp, Desmond now learned for the first time the duke was to take the command.

No movements of importance had taken place in the field, and as the force at Peronne still wanted several regiments, to bring it up to the intended strength, some weeks passed before it was set in motion.
The four aides-de-camp, however, had a busy time of it.

The main army was stationed in the neighbourhood of Lille, and frequent communications passed between Berwick and Vendome.
The allies were inactive.

Eugene had, early in April, met Marlborough at the Hague, and had concerted with him the plan for the campaign.