This option was naturally discussed in the French army command, but King Louis XIV chose to invade the Republic on the eastern side and ordered his men to march through the Electorate of Cologne to the Dutch Rhine forts.

However, there they regrouped and a minor firefight ensued, during which the Dutch cavalry was forced to move back a little from the river bank by the enemy's cannon fire.

[citation needed] The French cavalry continued the crossing of the river uninterrupted, and now in larger and more closed units, thus breaking the power of the current and avoiding losses.

The crossed troops formed into squadrons on the river bed, and, having a sufficient numerical superiority, attacked Würtz's cavalry, who fled after a short fight.

In gold and silver armour, the Maison du Roi, the best horsemen of the French army, consisting of the highest nobles, crossed the river.

[citation needed] By now, 6,000 French horsemen had arrived on the left bank of the Rhine and Condé, placing himself at their head, advanced to attack the Dutch infantry.

[citation needed] But a young French nobleman, Charles Paris d'Orléans, Duke of Longueville, drunk on wine, threw himself on the Dutch infantry, firing pistols at them and shouting that no man would be spared.

[citation needed] But the resistance of the Dutch foot soldiers was quickly broken by the fierce attacks of the French cavalry and completely dispersed.

Louis was not satisfied however; the crossing should have been his moment of glory, but Condé had drawn all the attention by personally taking part in the battle and being wounded.