Page "Battle of Ramillies" Paragraph 35

After a brief pause, Marlborough ’ s equerry, Colonel Bringfield ( or Bingfield ), led up another of the Duke ’ s spare horses ; but while assisting him onto his mount, the unfortunate Bringfield was hit by an errant cannonball that sheared off his head.

One account has it that the cannonball flew between the Captain-General ’ s legs before hitting the unfortunate colonel, whose torso fell at Marlborough ’ s feet – a moment subsequently depicted in a lurid set of contemporary playing cards.

Nevertheless the danger passed, enabling the Duke to attend to the positioning of the cavalry reinforcements feeding down from his right flank – a change of which Villeroi remained blissfully unaware.