And all this had been done in the face of a large French army, which had never ventured to give battle even to save the beleaguered fortresses.
The army now went into winter quarters, and Marlborough returned at once to England.
Upon the voyage down the Meuse, in company with the Dutch commissioners, he had a very narrow escape.

The boat was captured by a French partisan leader, who had made an incursion to the river.

The earl had with him an old servant named Gill, who, with great presence of mind, slipped into his master's hand an old passport made out in the name of General Churchill.

The French, intent only upon plunder, and not recognizing under the name of Churchill their great opponent Marlborough, seized all the plate and valuables in the boat, made prisoners of the small detachment of soldiers on board, but suffered the rest of the passengers, including the earl and the Dutch commissioners, to pass unmolested.
Thus, had it not been for the presence of mind of an old servant, the Earl of Marlborough would have been taken a prisoner to France; and since it was his genius and diplomatic power alone which kept the alliance together, and secured victory for their arms, the whole issue of the war, the whole future of Europe, would have been changed..