‘On nearing the village of Eime, I found the Marquis de Lostanges watching the advanced posts of the enemy, which he took to be their rear-guard, with the cavalry, carabineers, and other troops he had with him during the night. I united him with M. Despies and the six battalions of grenadiers. We agreed upon the plan for attacking this pretended rear-guard, and drove it back beyond the village of Meintos. M. de Lostanges, who commanded the right column, was the first to perceive the enemy’s camp in two lines, masking the two roads to Vikensen and Kapelagen on a level with Furvol; this retarded our projects. It being already late and the days now short we purpose retreating. I send M. D’Eon to withdraw the Swiss and grenadiers of Champagne, who are holding in check the Scottish highlanders lining the wood on the crest of the mountain, whence they have caused us much annoyance. I say no more, because M. D’Eon, who will afterwards give you this note, will himself relate the incidents of this attack. I send him off at once that he may have time to look for you and find you before night. ‘THE COUNT DE BROGLIO.’ ‘Written on the field of battle near the village of Meintos, in the gorge of the mountains of the camp of Einbeck, November 7, 1761.’ At Osterwiek, some six to seven hundred Frankish Prussians having intercepted communication with Wolfenbüttel, which was being besieged by Marshal Xavier de Saxe, M. de Saint-Victor was ordered to dislodge them from their position with a few volunteers, twenty hussars, and eighty dragoons of the regiment of d’Autichamp and of de la Ferronaye, in charge of D’Eon. The little detachment of horse was bravely led, and the exploit proved a brilliant one, for the enemy’s battalion was completely routed and every man made a prisoner. The dispute between the Marshals de Soubise and de Broglio as to who was in the right and who in the wrong at the battle of Villinghausen, had never come to an end; for de Broglio, as became the first soldier of France, refused to be put on a par with the hero of Rosbach. The campaign of 1761 being virtually over, de Broglio felt it was quite time the matter were resolved; and having obtained permission to return to Versailles, hoping to justify his conduct in person, he delivered to the Duke de Choiseul, now Minister for War, for delivery to the King, a lengthy statement particularising the events of July 15 and 16; but the Marquise de Pompadour had taken care that her favourite should not be the sufferer, and nothing the marshal could have urged was likely to serve his cause, or alter de Pompadour’s determination to punish him. His Majesty disapproved of the marshal’s ‘Mémoire’ as being contrary to the interests of his service and a bad example in his kingdom, and ordered him to retire to his country seat, there to remain until further notice.[67]