After the French defeat in the Battle of Ramillies in 1706, the whole of Flanders was overrun by the allies, except Ostend which was defended by troops under La Mothe.
After a three week siege, la Mothe was forced to capitulate and to withdraw his troops to Dunkirk, Ypres and Mons.
La Mothe was ordered to intercept a large allied supply convoy between Ostend and Lille, but he failed miserably in the Battle of Wijnendale, despite a numerical superiority of 3 to 1.
[4] Lille fell on 10 December 1708, and the Duke of Marlborough decided to attack Ghent before withdrawing to winter quarters.
La Mothe was discharged and asked not to present himself at Versailles, but to reside in his Château du Fayel near Compiègne.