The ceremony of knighthood completed, the King left his wounded on the ground to the care of Noailles, and hastened away as quickly as possible with the army to his magazine at Hanau. The battle virtually closed the campaign, so far as the British were concerned, and King George returned home with his laurels fresh upon him, to be hailed with acclamation as a victor, and hear his praises sung in endless stanzas of most execrable verse. A few months later Lord Stair also returned home, without recrimination and without complaint, but with resolute and scornful determination to resign the command, since he was not trusted with the conduct of operations. General Wade was appointed field-marshal, to command in his stead. Finally, some weeks later the ridiculous fiction, that the principal combatants were acting only as auxiliaries to rival claimants to the Empire, was abandoned, and open war was declared against France. Had this straightforward course been adopted two years before, Stair would probably have turned the date of the declaration of war into that of the conclusion of an honourable peace. As matters stood the war was prolonged, and the time of its avowed inception was chosen as the moment for discarding the ablest of living British Generals. AUTHORITIES.--The best accounts of the battle of Dettingen will be found in a collection of letters entitled _British Glory Revived_, in the British Museum, and in a great number of letters printed in the _Gentleman's Magazine_. There are accounts also in the _Life of the Duke of Cumberland_, and in the anonymous _Memorial of the E[arl] of S[tair]_. The best known of the French accounts is that of Voltaire in _Siècle de Louis Quinze_, which should be read with Noailles's report to the King in _Correspondance de Louis XV. et du Maréchal Noailles_. The exploits of Thomas Brown are to be found in the newspapers, and in Cannon's _History of the Third Dragoons_. The best plan of the battle that I have seen is in the _Memorial of the E. of S_. As a specimen of the doggerel effusions, I transcribe one stanza from a broadsheet in the British Museum:-- Our noble generals played their parts, Our soldiers fought like thunder, Prince William too, that valiant heart In fight performed wonders. Though through the leg with bullet shot The Prince his wound regarded not, But still maintained his post and fought For glorious George of England. CHAPTER V