er the Austrians in front of Prague, had been beaten
at Kolin, and forced to fall back on Saxony. Marshal d'Estrees, slowly
occupying Westphalia, had got the Duke of Cumberland into a corner on the
Weser.

On the morning of July 23, 1757, the marshal summoned all his
lieutenant-generals. "Gentlemen," he said to them, "I do not assemble
you to-day to ask whether we should attack M. de Cumberland and invest
Hameln. The honor of the king's arms, his wishes, his express orders,
the interest of the common cause, all call for the strongest measures. I
only seek, therefore, to profit by your lights, and to combine with your
assistance the means most proper for attacking with advantage." A day or
two after, July 26, the Duke of Cumberland, who had fallen back on the
village of Hastenbeck, had his intrenchments forced; he succeeded in
beating a retreat without being pursued; an able movement of Prince
Ferdinand of Brunswick, and a perhaps intentional mistake on the part of
M. de Maillebois had caused a momentary confusion in the French army.
Marshal d'Estrees, however, was not destined to enjoy for long the
pleasure of his victory. Even before he had given battle the Duke of
Richelieu had set out from Versailles to supersede him in his command.

The conquest of Port Mahon had thrown around Richelieu a halo of glory;
in Germany, he reaped the fruits of Marshal d'Estrees' successes; the
Electorate of Hanover was entirely occupied; all the towns opened their
gates; Hesse Cassel, Brunswick, the duchies of Verden and of Bremen met
with the same fate. The marshal levied on all the conquered countries
heavy contributions, of which he pocketed a considerable portion. His
soldiers called him "Father La Maraude." The pavilion of Hanover at
Paris was built out of the spoils of Germany. Meanwhile, the Duke of
Cumberland, who had taken refuge in the marshes at the mouth of the Elbe,
under the protection of English vessels, was demanding to capitulate; his
offers were lightly accepted. On the 8th of September, through the
agency of Count Lynar, minister of the King of Denmark, the Duke of
Cumberland and the marshal signed at the advanced posts of the French
army the famous convention of Closter-Severn. The king's troops kept all
the conquered country; those of Hesse, Brunswick, and Saxe-Gotha returned
to their homes; the Hanoverians were to be cantoned in the neighborhood
of Stade. The marshal had not taken the precaution of disa