e knew that we were lost.

"Meanwhile the sorrowful intelligence of the lost battle was followed
by the enemy taking possession of the place.

"Early one morning, a division of cavalry of the army of the King of
Holland entered. Our anger and sorrow were increased by the feeling of
the people of Muenster, which was very different from ours. Already on
the arrival of the vanguard of the Dutch army, their long-nourished,
slumbering indignation against the Prussians manifested itself in
unconcealed joy. With open arms were the liberators from Prussian
domination received, and joyfully lodged. Immediately afterwards the
King of Holland marched in at the head of his army.

"We had hard work in quartering them, as ten thousand men had entered
the city. But strict discipline was kept, for it was undoubtedly the
object of the King of Holland not to make the country inimical to him;
but to treat it in the most conciliatory way. He flattered himself that
the frontier Prussian province would come to the share of the Kingdom
of Holland. His proceedings and the language of those about him, showed
that he already considered himself as possessor of the country. He
established an upper administrative council, at whose head General
Daendels was placed, in co-ordinate authority with the presidents of
the provincial administration and exchequer. Immediately the Muenster
nobles came before him with their complaints of the Prussian rule, to
which he listened. First stood the abolition of the chapter, and the
ejection of Herren von Landesberg and von Boeselager. He exercised a
real act of sovereignty, for he reinstated the chapter, and reversed
the execution against those who had been expelled in the suit of the
Herren von der Reck.

"Meanwhile his kingdom soon came to an end; he had to march away at the
command of Napoleon, who divided the conquered Prussian provinces into
military governments, and appointed Generals and General-Intendants to
preside. The Principalities of Muenster and Lingen, and the counties of
Mark and Tecklenburg, together with the Domain of Dortmund, formed the
first of these governments. General Loison came to Muenster.

"Thus for the second time I came under French rule. In vain had I
endeavoured to escape; fruitless were the severe sacrifices I had made
for this purpose. I had abandoned Fatherland and home, parents and
property, only to undergo once more in a foreign country the
catastrophe which I had avoided,