ble magazine, took two battalions prisoners, and surprised a
third posted at Wafungen, after having defeated some Austrian troops
that were on the march to its relief. While the hereditary prince
was thus employed, the duke of Holstein, with another body of the
confederates, dislodged the French from the post of Freyingstenau.

PRINCE FERDINAND ATTACKS THE FRENCH.

But the great object was to drive the enemy from Franckfort, before
they should receive the expected reinforcements. Prince Ferdinand of
Brunswick being determined upon this enterprise, assembled all his
forces near Fulda, to the amount of forty thousand choice troops, and
began his march on the tenth day of April. On the thirteenth he came in
sight of the enemy, whom he found strongly encamped about the village
of Bergen, between Franckfort and Hanau. Their general, the duke de
Broglio, counted one of the best officers in France with respect to
conduct and intrepidity, having received intelligence of the prince's
design, occupied this post on the twelfth; the right of his army being
at Bergen, and his centre and flanks secured in such a manner, that the
allies could not make their attack any other way but by the village.
Notwithstanding the advantage of their situation, prince Ferdinand
resolved to give them battle, and made his dispositions accordingly.
About ten in the morning, the grenadiers of the advanced guard began
the attack on the village of Bergen with great vivacity, and sustained
a most terrible fire from eight German battalions, supported by several
brigades of French infantry. The grenadiers of the allied army, though
reinforced by several battalions under the command of the prince of
Ysembourg, far from dislodging the enemy from the village, were, after a
very obstinate dispute, obliged to retreat in some disorder, but rallied
again behind a body of Hessian cavalry. The allies being repulsed in
three different attacks, their general made a new disposition, and
brought up his artillery, with which the village, and different parts
of the French line, were severely cannonaded. They were not slow in
retorting an equal fire, which continued till night, when the allies
retreated to Windekin, with the loss of five pieces of cannon, and about
two thousand men, including the prince of Ysembourg, who fell in the
action. The French, by the nature of their situation, could not suffer
much; but they were so effectually amused by the artful dispositio