d, dazzled, nor soothed into tame acquiescence. He
had opposed, with all his influence, a design of retiring towards the
frontiers of Brunswick in order to cover that country. He supported his
opposition by alleging, that it was the enemy's favourite object to cut
off their communication with the Weser and the Elbe, in which, should
they succeed, it would be found impossible to transport the British
troops to their own country, which was at that time threatened with an
invasion. He, therefore, insisted on the army's retreating, so as to
keep the communication open with Stade, where, in case of emergency,
the English troops might be embarked. By adhering tenaciously to this
opinion, and exhibiting other instances of a prying disposition, he had
rendered himself so disagreeable to the commander-in-chief, that, in all
appearance, nothing was so eagerly desired as an opportunity of removing
him from the station he filled.

THE FRENCH ENCAMP AT MINDEN.

Meanwhile the French general advancing to Minden, encamped in a strong
situation; having that town on his right, a steep hill on his left, a
morass in front, and a rivulet in rear. The duke de Broglio commanded
a separate body between Hansbergen and Minden, on the other side of
the Weser; and a third, under the duke de Brissac, consisting of eight
thousand men, occupied a strong post by the village of Coveldt, to
facilitate the route of the convoy's from Paderborn. Prince Ferdinand
having moved his camp from Soltznau to Petershagen, detached the
hereditary prince on the twenty-eighth day of July to Lubeck, from
whence he drove the enemy, and proceeding to Rimsel, was joined by
major-general Dreves, who had retaken Osnabruck, and cleared all
that neighbourhood of the enemy's parties: then he advanced towards
Hervorden, and fixed his quarters at Kirchlinneger, to hamper the
enemy's convoys from Paderborn. During these transactions, prince
Ferdinand marched with the allied army in three columns from Petershagen
to Hille, where it encamped, having a morass on the right, the village
of Fredewalde on the left, and in front those of Northemmern and
Holtzenhausen. Fifteen battalions and nineteen squadrons, with a brigade
of heavy artillery, were left under the command of general Wangenheim,
on the left, behind the village of Dodenhausen, which was fortified with
some redoubts, defended by two battalions. Colonel Luckner, with the
Hanoverian hussars and a brigade of hunters, su