ks, that same night (October 15th-16th, 1760), stealthily,
through woods and with precautions, into Castries's Post;--intending
surprisal, and mere ruin to Castries. And there ensued, not the
SURPRISAL as it turned out, but the BATTLE OF KLOSTER KAMPEN; which
again proved unsuccessful, or only half-successful, to the Hereditary
Prince. A many-winged, intricate Night-Battle; to be read of in Books.
This is where the Chevalier d'Assas, he or Somebody, gave the alarm to
the Castries people at the expense of his life. 'A MOI, AUVERGNE, Ho,
Auvergne!' shouted D'Assas (if it was D'Assas at all), when the stealthy
English came upon him; who was at once cut down. [Preuss (ii. 270 n.)
asserts it to be proved, in _"Miscellen aus den neuesten auslandischen
Litteratur_ (1824, No. 3, p. 409)," a Book which none of us ever saw,
"That the real hero [equal to a Roman Decius or more] was not Captain
d'Assas, of the Regiment Auvergne, but a poor Private Soldier of it,
called Dubois"!--Is not this a strange turn, after such be-PENSIONING,
be-painting, singing and celebrating, as rose upon poor D'Assas, or the
Family of D'Assas, twenty years afterwards (1777-1790)!--Both Dubois and
D'Assas, I conclude, lay among the slain at Kloster Kampen, silent they
forever:--and a painful doubt does rise, As to the miraculous operation
of Posthumous Rumor and Wonder; and Whether there was any "miracle
of heroism," or other miracle at all, and not rather a poor nocturnal
accident,--poor sentry in the edge of the wood, shrieking out, on
apparition of the stealthy English, "Ho, Auvergne, help!" probably
firing withal; and getting killed in consequence? NON NOSTRUM EST.] It
is certain, Auvergne gave fire; awoke Castries bodily; and saved him
from what was otherwise inevitable. Surprise now there was none farther;
but a complex Fight, managed in the darkness with uncommon obstinacy;
ending in withdrawal of the Erbprinz, as from a thing that could not
be done. His loss in killed, wounded and prisoners, was 1,638; that
of Castries, by his own counting, 2,036: but Kloster Kampen, in the
wide-awake state, could not be won.

"During the Fight, the Erbprinz's Rhine-Bridge had burst in two: his
ammunition was running short;--and, it would seem, there is no retreat,
either! The Erbprinz put a bold face on the matter, stood to Castries in
a threatening attitude; manoeuvred skilfully for two days longer,
face still to Castries, till the Bridge was got mended; then, ni