"Meanwhile, all the councillors and burgomasters were called to Meiningen, where they were charged by their government, on pain of punishment, to signify to the citizens that they were not to provide anything for the Saxe-Gotha soldiers. The bakers were not to bake, nor the butchers to slaughter the beasts; the innkeepers were not to prepare any food, nor the brewers to brew. This the councillors actually proclaimed to the citizens. And truly I was not able to get even three-pennyworth of cheese. The citizens who were prudent people, begged of us not to take it amiss of them; as we must accept good words instead of what they would have given us. If I wanted bread I had to send to Smalkalden for it, and give more pay to the messenger than for the bread.
"Thus we remained there, expecting the Meiningens, who never came. Meanwhile we found provisions; we got most of them from Smalkalden; the beer was bought in the Hessian village of Tambach, and the Jews brought us meat. At last the Wasungers became disloyal, turned round on their magistrates and said: 'We have all the troubles, and the other states the enjoyment; this does not suit us; we have promised to obey our government, but then they should protect us. If they cannot rid us of these people, we will bake, brew, and cook.' And from that hour they began to do all. For many years the citizens had not brewed nor sold so much beer as after this; every week three and four brews; bakers began to bake, who had long shut up shop; the butchers did the like. Then the wise councillors went off again to Meiningen and reported everything; whereupon the citizens were again cited to the town house, on a penalty of twenty gulden. But they were refractory and would not go, but sent thither their barefooted children, and heeded no more commands. When these wise councillors found this, they themselves began to brew.
"On the 22nd of May, on Whit Monday, 1747, an order must probably have come from Major S---- of which we officers learnt nothing. Hereupon there was a running and scampering to the Privy Councillor Flörcke at the 'Bear,' which was quite astounding; now they ran in and now out. I thought: 'What the devil is the matter?' yet I thought, if something is passing, I shall hear of it. The citizens also began to inquire: 'Wherefore is all this running to the commander at the "Bear?"' But I could give no answer.
"Whilst all this running hither and thither was going on, I went with Ensign Köhler to inspect the sentinels, and when we arrived at the upper gate, Majors von S---- and von B---- and Captain von W---- met us. Major von S---- came straight up to me and asked me secretly, whether I had heard any news? I answered, No; whereupon he inquired of me, whether I knew that the Meiningens meant to attack us that night? I replied: 'Well and good; if they come they must knock pretty loud, we will be ready for them.' He then said, would I wish to send my wife away? 'No,' said I, 'she only came on holy Whitsun eve, and will not go away till the day following Whit Sunday.' 'Indeed,' he continued; 'but if the Meiningens come?' 'I shall gird a sword round her,' was my answer, 'and she may defend herself.'
"Then Major S---- continued, saying, 'I was to make my dispositions here, and see that all the gates and posts were defended.' This is truly being deceived with one's eyes open; to make dispositions before the eyes of men and not to keep them!
"When I came down I called out to the soldiers: 'Attention! cease that chattering.' Then I began to arrange the right wing, but had hardly placed four or five files, when Captain W---- came running, and asked me, whether I had not heard that I was to come with him directly. Here came out the first result of their council of war. I did not delay long, but ran directly to the Major, and asked what commands he had to give me; whereunto he answered, that I was to take thirty dragoons and march them to the 'Bear,' and there report myself to the Privy Councillor Flörcke, in order to bring him in safety to Schwallungen. I forthwith replied: 'I beg your pardon, Major, but that is not befitting me, and I shall not do it; there are other officers there who may be ordered to do this, but not I.' Now, in short, I heard that the Privy Councillor wished to have me. Who would have dreamt of such a trick? As if I would have escorted the Privy Councillor from Wasungen! I would sooner have taken him into the Werra. But no remonstrances would serve; they said I must and should go. This was the first trick! Hereupon I replied to the Major: 'So I must consider it an honour, that the Privy Councillor places such confidence in me, when there are so many officers in the division;' hereupon I received an order, to tell the officer at the lower gate that he should give information as soon as I had passed through with the Privy Councillor; this was the second trick. Who could have imagined such a trick? I will not write what I think of it. When I found it out I wished that all the horses of the carriages had died, that I might not be taken away from Wasungen by such cunning.
"Now I went forth, taking with me a corporal named Görnlein, and nine-and-twenty dragoons, and marched to the 'Bear,' where I found a carriage at the door, but saw the servant sitting within in the doorway. I called to him to inform his master I was there; whereupon the Privy Councillor called out to me from the carriage, 'I am already here.' Whereupon, I detached the corporal with fourteen men to go behind the carriage, while I went in advance with the others.
"Now when I came to the lower gate, I called to the serjeant, and bade him tell the major that I and the privy councillor had passed out. Meanwhile the soldiers were in great confusion at the rendezvous; but when the corporal announced that I had passed out with the Privy Councillor, the major immediately gave orders that all the soldiers should pile their arms, and go to their quarters to fetch their baggage; when they had dispersed, he sent to the guard to desire them to go forthwith and assemble at his quarters, which was done. Thus all the outposts were forgotten. At last the noise and bawling was so great, it reached the ears of the outposts, who went off without orders. Now when the soldiers from the guards came to the market-place, they saw some of the soldiers coming back from their quarters with their baggage, so they piled their arms and went off for theirs.
"But this was not enough. Either the time appeared to him too long before the soldiers were again assembled, or the fear of death had already come upon him, or he was incited to it by his comrades; but in short, he determined at once to leave, and going down to the soldiers he called out, 'Allons! March!' although the men had not nearly all assembled. Then Captain Brandis, who had not consented to this at their council of war, asked what this meant? whereto the Major von S---- answered, they were to march into the district of Britungen. The good man who was standing in front of the Meiningen gate, then ran quickly to his house, collected his things together, and threw them into his portmanteau. He had well nigh been left behind.
"Now when Captain Brandis, and the musketeer who had packed up his things, returned to the place of rendezvous, all were gone, and there were only a few weapons remaining there. So he sent on his servant, and waited for the remainder of the men. Now every one should know, in the first place, that Major von S----, had not waited till all the soldiers were collected together, still less had he thought of the artillery; he had thought of nothing but calling out 'March! march!' and the sick officers (Captain Rupert among them), and sick soldiers were forgotten; besides this, he never set the troops in order, but marched them out as a shepherd drives his cattle through the gate; and such a shameful sight was never seen, nor can it be described.