The French having, by their superior numbers, gained possession of Hesse and the Lower Rhine, amassed immense magazines of provision and forage in convenient situations; and having secured the communications necessary for their subsistence, they possessed great advantages over the allies, whose numbers were daily diminishing in consequence of privations. Prince Ferdinand, conscious of the difficulties of his situation, formed one of those daring schemes which he knew the innate ardour of his troops would execute. In the most severe season of the year, when military operations were least expected, he made a sudden, extensive, and vigorous attack upon the enemy's cantonments, threw the French into the utmost consternation, and drove a superior army before him for many miles. Having taken several strong towns, and captured many of the enemy's magazines, the allies returned to their former quarters, and the THIRD DRAGOON GUARDS went into cantonments in the villages near the banks of the Dymel. On the advance of the French army in the middle of June, 1761, the allies, having assembled from their cantonments, marched in several columns to Gesecke, and subsequently took post with their left on the river Lippe, the left centre under the Marquis of Granby at _Kirch-Denkern_, and the right extending towards the village of Werle; at the same time the THIRD DRAGOON GUARDS were posted on the heights of Wambeln. The combined French armies, commanded by Marshals Soubise and the Duke de Broglio, advanced against the allies; frequent skirmishes took place in the early part of July, and on the 15th of that month a furious attack was made upon the post occupied by the Marquis of Granby; but the enemy were repulsed and driven back to the woods, where the fire of the skirmishers was kept up throughout the night. The division of the allied army commanded by the Prince of Anhalt having been removed to support the Marquis of Granby, a body of British troops, under Lieutenant-General Conway, took possession of the ground vacated by the Prince, being an eminence, between Illingen and Hohenover; and here the brigade of Dragoon Guards, commanded by Major-General Douglas, was posted. On the following day the French drove in the skirmishers, and renewed the attack with additional forces, at the same time extending the sphere of their operations; and an attempt was made upon the post occupied by the brigade of Dragoon Guards. The assailants were, however, everywhere repulsed, and they were eventually driven back with the loss of above 5000 men, 9 pieces of cannon, and 6 colours. Unfortunately the nature of the ground prevented the cavalry from taking part in the engagement.