The New Hampshire Gazette

From the London Gazette Extraordinary.

WHITE HALL, August 18.

Lieutenant General Imhoff's Account of the Action of the 5th of August, 1758, between the Detachment under his Command, and M. de Chevert's near Meer.

On the 4th of August, at 6 o'clock in the evening, received advice, from a good Hand, that the enemy who were to pass the Lippe over three Bridges, would march that night with much artillery towards Rees, in order to possess themselves of that place, and burn the Bridge. As he might go thither by turning my camp, I took the resolution to decamp with the four battalions and four Squadrons under my command, in order to cover Rees, and join the battalions of Stolzenberg and the hereditary Prince of Hesse, that were marching under the command of General Zastrow from Spick, where they had passed the Rhine in Boats. Having perceived nothing of the Enemy, and believing that the accounts I had received might be False, I resolved to return to my advantageous Post at Meer.

I set forward at six in the morning, and after I had reached my old camp, the advance guards were no sooner posted, but they found themselves engaged with the enemy, who advanced towards me from Wesel, under the command of lieutenant General de Chevert, and Mess. de Voyer and de Chavigny, major Generals: with the whole corps of Troops which was designed to make the siege of Dufseldorf.

My Front was covered by coppices and ditches, with a rising ground on my Right; from whence I could see the whole force that was coming against me. Perceiving, then, that the enemy was marching into the difficult ground, I resolved to attack them as soon as they entered it. I therefore ordered my infantry to advance about 200 Paces from the first Hedges and took the regiment of Stolzenberg from my right, to post it in the Coppice, in order to fall upon the enemy, whom I saw quite uncovered. I gave orders to the other regiment to march, with drums beating, up to the enemy, as soon as they should hear the Fire of the regiment of Stolzenberg, and to attack them with Bayonets. This being executed with the greatest Spirit, by the whole six battalions, had so great an effect, that after a resistance of about half an hour, the enemy was put into confusion, and fled towards Wesel, leaving on the spot eleven pieces of cannon, and a great many waggons and other carriages with ammunition.

The loss on my side consists of no more than 200 men killed and wounded. that of the enemy is not exactly known; we have taken 354 prisoners, among whom are eleven officers. General Zastrow perfectly well seconded me in this action; and all the officers fought with the greatest courage. The names of these brave regiments are, that of Stolzenberg, Saxe Gotha, Hereditary Prince of Hesse, and Imhoff of Brunswick, and the four squadrons of Busche's, which could not act in the manner they wished, on account of the enclosures. (London Gazette.)