battalions, under lieutenant-general de Block, at Hervorden; six
battalions and four squadrons, under major-general Ledebour, between
Hervorden and Minden; seven battalions and ten squadrons, under
lieutenant-general d'Oberg, in the neighbourhood of Hamelen; and five
battalions and four squadrons, under major-general de Hauss, near
Nienburgh. The head-quarters of his royal highness were at Bielefeldt.

SKIRMISHES WITH THE FRENCH.

In the meantime, the French on the Lower Rhine continued filing off
incessantly. The siege of Gueldres was converted into a blockade,
occasioned by the difficulties the enemy found in raising batteries; and
a party of Hanoverians having passed the Weser, as well to ravage the
country of Paderborn as to reconnoitre the French, carried off several
waggons loaded with wheat and oats, destined for the territories of
the elector of Cologn. On the other hand, colonel Fischer having had
an engagement with a small body of Hanoverians, in the county of
Tecklenburgh, routed them, and made some prisoners. After several other
petty skirmishes between the French and the Hanoverians, the duke of
Cumberland altered the position of his camp, by placing it between
Bielefeldt and Hervorden, in hopes of frustrating the design of the
enemy; who, declining to attack him on the side of Bracwede, after
having reconnoitred his situation several days, made a motion on their
left, as if they meant to get between him and the Weser. This step
was no sooner taken, than, on the thirteenth of June in the afternoon,
having received advice that the enemy had caused a large body of troops,
followed by a second, to march on his right to Burghotte, he ordered
his army to march that evening towards Hervorden; and, at the same time,
major-general Hardenberg marched with four battalions of grenadiers,
and a regiment of horse, to reinforce that post. Count Schulenberg
covered the left of the march with a battalion of grenadiers, a regiment
of horse, and the light troops of Buckenburgh. The whole army marched
in two columns. The right, composed of horse, and followed by two
battalions, to cover their passage through the enclosures and defiles,
passed by the right of Bielefeldt; and the left, consisting of infantry,
marched by the left of the same town. The vanguard of the French army
attacked the rear guard of the allies, commanded by major-general
Einsiedel, very briskly, and at first put them into some confusion, but
they i