Mareschal Crequi, on the other hand, collected an army, and advanced with a view of forcing the Germans to raise the siege.

They left a detachment to guard their lines, and, under the command of the dukes of Zell and Osnaburgh, marched in quest of the enemy.

At Consarbric they fell unexpectedly, and with superior numbers, on Crequi, and put him to rout.

He escaped with four attendants only; and throwing himself into Treves, resolved, by a vigorous defence, to make atonement for his former error or misfortune.

The garrison was brave, but not abandoned to that total despair by which their governor was actuated.
They mutinied against his obstinacy; capitulated for themselves; and because he refused to sign the capitulation, they delivered him a prisoner into the hands of the enemy.
It is remarkable, that this defeat, given to Crequi, is almost the only one which the French received at land, from Rocroi to Blenheim, during the course of above sixty years; and these, too, full of bloody wars against potent and martial enemies: their victories almost equal the number of years during that period.