In the course of this year D’Eon found time to publish a work, in two volumes, entitled ‘Confédérations Historiques sur les Impôts des Egyptiens, des Babyloniens, des Perses, des Grecs, des Romains, et sur les différentes situations de la France, par rapport aux Finances, depuis l’établissement des Francs dans la Gaule jusqu’à present.’[45] CHAPTER III. Progress of the war—The Duke de Choiseul’s designs against England—Change of policy—D’Eon’s advice to the French ambassador—Approved by Louis XV.—D’Eon’s failing health—The Marquis de l’Hôpital—Baron de Breteuil admitted to the secret correspondence—The King’s secret orders to D’Eon—Testimonies to his abilities—Leaves Russia for the last time—Gift from the Empress—On the staff of the Marshal and Count de Broglio—Distinguished services during the campaign of 1761—Exile of the Broglios—Death of Elizabeth. Apraxin’s defection was a fine thing for Frederick. Two great events followed—the humiliating defeat of the French at Rosbach (October 31), by Seidlitz and his cavalry, shall we say? and the battle of Leuthen (December 5), in which eighty thousand Austrians were worsted by thirty thousand Prussians. And thus ended the campaign of 1757. The following year Field-Marshal Fermor, Apraxin’s successor, entered Eastern Prussia, occupied Königsberg, and was beaten by Frederick at Zorndorff (August 25, 1758). Prince Soltikoff, who replaced Fermor, was also about to lose a battle at Künersdorff (August 12, 1759); but the day ended happily for him, his ninety thousand men having almost annihilated the forty-eight thousand Prussians by whom he was opposed. This much of what the Russians did, and we shall have got to the end of 1759, after an illustration, from concurrent testimony, of D’Eon’s share in the progress of the war. Let us first turn to the pages of Vandal.[46] [Sidenote: FRENCH DESIGNS ON ENGLAND.]